The herald., 1897-12-07
WILHELM AT HOME
His Private Life Is Simple but New
ertheless Extravagant

Not that the German emperor would
be commonplace anywhere. His mys-
terious outbursts Of rage, his officially
contradicted Illness or illnesses, and his
genius for self-advertisement would
bring him into notice wherever he was,
But, though we hear so much about his
live for show in public. few people know
how simple his private life is. Yet It Ia
fact that a great deal of the solemn
etiquette of the ordinary court. life has
been done away with, the staff reduced
In several ways, and there have even
been economies in the kitchen. The off,
GERS Of the guard have to put up with
beer instead Of champagne. 1t Is true
the menue at the emperor's table must
be In German now, not French. but the
aristocracy generally have not followed
suit. There are things even q German
emperor cannot do.
But any one who sees the royal palace
knows that the stories of extravaganza
are true. Restoring it was the work of
three months, and everything that the
best Of science and art and the taxpay-
ers' money could do was done. Those
three months turned out palace that
eclipses in splendor almost any other in
the world. The apartments that the
present emperor uses are those between
the "Pillar halr' and the star hail." or
"Star chamber" whichever we would call
1t in English. only in this case the stars
are in the ceiling. But perhaps the most
magnificent Is the front hall, the Trep-
pen halle, which faces the Palace square.
A view can be had without opening the
doors, for they are each of one immense
pane Of glass, and even in the daytime
the white and gray marble covering the
walls is effective. At night 1t is a mar
velous sight, the electric light flooding
the hall, the marble balustrades and the
red carpet on the marble steps. You pass
down these, between colossal mirrors on
either hand, and the Star hall is directly
in front. 1t Is here the regimental colors
are used as ornaments for the walls, on
a background of red damask. The pam
elling Is done in rich rococo work.
The emperor's and empress private
apartments are near the Pillar hall,
which also faces the Palace square.
There are private entrance and pub
lie one, for deputations and 80 on. One
gets as good an idea of the general ex-
travagance from the emperors work.
shop, or study, as anywhere else. True,
there are the writing table. the leather
covered furniture and the book shelves,
but the ceiling Is In splendid white-and-
gold rococo work-done in Frederick the
Greats time-and improvements have
been made in the same style and color.
The walls are In dark olive and gold
brocade. The empress private rooms
are also very fine. Her reception room
has more of the immense mirrors, and
the walls are panelled in greenish-gray
marble. Yet she herself Is the ordinary
German hausfrau, and Ia what she has
been from her girlhood-a nonenity.
All these apartments have been lying
unused for many years-since the time
of Friedrich Wilhelm ILL., in fact. The
court life in public resembles that OF
most other countries; the dinner is the
most noticeable difference. It lasts
barely three quarters Of an hour;
courses come and gg like lightning, and,
as at Napoleon's table, a man who gives
too much time to talking may find HIM
self extremely hungry when 1t is over.
One of the great entertainments is the
time honored ball at the end of the car
nival. where as many as 1900 guests have
been invited. The waltz is the principal
dance. and the minuet was lately intro
duced, The emperor and empress just
toin in one quadrille, but the ball Is for
them more of a big reception; they make
their rounds of the guests in the white
hall, before dancing begins.-Westmin-
ster Gazette.