The National tribune., 1898-08-04

was curious to eyes that had never seen a
palace before, the others were unlntereSt-
inc magnificence, until we saw PotSdam,
with it's memories of Frederick the Great
While the others seemed only parade OF
fapestry. marble and brocade, without a
glimpse of simple human living, Fred
erick the Greats palaces were filled with
tokens of living. We could imagine
the busy old monarch himself there with
his books and friends, writing at the old
desk or piayinc his flute in the corridor.
We saw the old linden tree where, in
Frederick the Greats time, petitioners
used to come from far and near and gather
under its boughs and wait for Frederick to
come to his breakfaStrOom window to
listen to their pleas. From the window,
inst q little above and beyond them, he
would answer them and dispense justice
mercy and favor as it seemed rght TO HIM.
The old tree is as green and fresh now as
when its leaves ruStlcd with the signs and
prayers OF those long G-acO petitioners, but
il is no longer the sign for those who haye
wrongs to right or mercy to plead fOr-the
old palace. full OF living memories, is de-
serted except for the ghosts, few serv-
ants SightseerS and occasional visits OF
the Emperor to review the troops.
The rooms are small and exquisite rather
than MAGNIFICENT. The walls are hung
with old flowery brocade or of tinted wood,
with frescoes and wreathed panels of cum
ningly-carved flowers painted in their own
coiorS There are tables Of tortoise shell
and pearl paintings by Watteau, and
wonderful candelabra of silver wrought
with roses, doves and frolicking cupids,
and all manner OF fine and beautiful
ornaments.
There was one tiny roOm--a secret room
with huShed wallS--where Frederick and
his chosen ones held their councils. In
the room is Il curious usly-contrived table
whose center can be let down TO Il room
below, filed with good things 10 eat and
drink. and sent back again without inter
rupting the secrets and as the guide said
with evident pride in he bit OF democracy.
then the king and his mobiles served
themselVcS-the guide told us this twice;
to him it seemed to be the most noteworthy
thing about the room that king served
himself.
In the reception room, a room all pale
blue and silver, cupidS and roses. dainty
enough for bOudoir for an exquisite girl,
was a writing desk all covered with
Frederick the Great blOts and having q
scar where Napoleon cut away a bit OF the
velvet covering for Il souvenir. We heard
of Napoleon souvenir hunting again at
San Souci Frederick other palace.
There we were shown Il little clock which
tradition says stopped at the moment OF
the old monarch S death. The guide told
us. THE clock was carried to Paris in
1906 by Napoleon and brought back IN 1915
by Butcher This bit of compressed
history made us all smile, and We were
glad that the faithful little timepiece was
where it belonged. There are plenty
in all the palaces, but at POtSdam
there was one everywhere we went, hand
some, tall timcpieces all glorious in red
and gold. and all the gifts of Madame
Pompadour to Frederick. Just why that
great beauty should have given him five
or six clocks, all more or less alike, and of
II, s.t,. Ia. Ia
is also a lonesome little mirror which was
a POmpadour gift-but the clocks are
everywhere. The faithful one that stop
ped was none of these, but homeIy little
affair.
In he palace a e several pictures painted
by Frederick when he had the gOut-to
take his mind off the pain. He must
have suffered tortureS. One big repre-
sentation of a leathery-loOking young
woman with a doubtful anatomy generally
and with two left feet in particular is
evidence enough Il en-, too, we left the
palace by Frcderck's "gout Staircase"
winding SteEl, SIS inc ire where he was
wheeled up and dow n when his old enemy
would not let him walk up the steps OF
the great staircase. Speaking OF walking
up steps, we have seen just one elevator
since we left America. That was in Ber-
lin. and the Germans, having heard of the
American prediction for elevators, laugh
at it and say we build houses without
staircaseS, and some days the steam gives
out, the elevator won't 90, and we have to
wait up stairs down till it is fixed.
Near the old castle is Frederick kirche, ="
and from its towers every hour the chimes
that Frederick brought from Holland ring
out the DOxolOgy in the sweetest tones
and measure. Like the linden tree, they
are an ever-vivid memory of the king, and
seem n bit of the long ago living in the
new time.
Sans Souci" is little palace built by
Frederick as a retreat from care, and here
he had much delight. Although knowing
that only God can build a place without |
grave, saying "Quand ie serais lei, ie
serais sans souci" cWhen | am there, l
shall be without care'D. However, Sans
SOuci' among the trees and fountains and |
flowers, with its many windows looking |
over terraces, fowery places, and into |
deep forests, with its exquisite library all |
lined with sandal wood polished and in
laid and filled with bookS-chief among |
them VOltaires books, of cOurse-the |
cosy rooms and the picture gallery, all |
windows on one side and hung with Wat |
teau and Laucret pictures on the other, |
Sans Souci" seems one of the most de- |
lightfuI abodeS Imaginable. 1t is big |
enough to accommodate king and his |
friends, yet is cosy; is royalty rich and |
beautiful, and yet never overrOwerlng, and /
the music of fountains, the scent OF many |
roses and the delightful depths OF green
forests are all about.
The stories say that Frederick used to
tramp up and down his little gallery, then
rest on the narrow sofa, fall fast asleep,
roll off, wake up when he met the floor,
begin his tramp and pondering again,
and repeat the program time after time un
til he had thought out some perplexity to