The times., 1898-12-11
ROYAL CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
Presents Exchanged at the Courts
of European Rulers.

Paris, Dec. l0.-Christmas comes but
once a year, and when II arrives the
Empress of Germany likes to be at home,
and up to her eyes in the business of pre-
pairing dozens of nobby parcels holding
gifts for various members of her family,
and scores of charity proteges she al
ways remembers. The wife of Imperial
William was so well trained in her youth
that she has rarely been known to fool
ishly waste a penny, and though her
Christmas obligations include nearly 1000
| persons, she brings her bills for presents
down to a figure that would call a self
| reproachful blush to the cheek of a
wealthy American woman. g..
| Like a sensible sentimental German
woman the Empress usually gives her
immediate relatives some trifle she has
herself embroidered. painted or knitted
and as her pet hobby is helping impecu-
| nious clergymen along she devotes a
goodly share of her holiday allowance to
buying plain stout clothes for the cleri-
cal progeny, which is always numerous.
In every parcel of clothes is slipped a
gay Christmas card, bearing the Empress
good wishes in her own handwriting, and
small round cake, which is baked in the
royal kitchen. Invariably deal of sem
tIment and ceremony surrounds the pre-
sentation of her gift to her husband, and
as every member of the royal household
has an individual small Illuminated
Christmas tree the Emperor usually
finds the souvenir from his wife at the
foot of the candle-lighted fir he claims
as his own.
With few exceptions her gift is sure to
be something that panders to Williams
martial tastes. Early in his youth he be-
gan a collection of arms that had been
the properties of famous warriors, and
since his marriage his wife has added to
it, until some day 1t certainly will be one
of the most valuable and interesting pri-
vate museums in the world. All the year
through she has her agents busy hunting
down some antique and beautiful trophy
of battle, and she does not hesitate to
pay any price for a sword, dagger, spur
or gauntlet that is beautiful, or the gen.
uineness of which can be vouched for.
One Christmas her gift was handsome
pistol that Andrew Jackson had carried
at the battle of New Orleans. Again 1t
was a pair of gold spurs worn by the
grand Conde she bought, and this Christ
mas it is very sure she is bringing home
some precious relic of Saladin or Harun
AL Rachid from her Eastern tour.
In turn William usually bestows jewel
or something of his own making on this
devoted wife. such as copy of his SYM
phony written out by hand on parchment
sheets, richly illuminated with airy faces
and scenes supposed to be conjured up by
the symphonic harmonies. On another
Christmas she fell heir to a bound vol
ume of his speeches, and again 1t was a
very sumptuously framed copy of his fa-
nous allegorical pictures.
AS to the royal children, their Christ
mas is in sharp contrast to that which
even the average American child knows
They are not allowed to receive gifts
from anyone save their parents, aunts
uncles and grandparents. A box Of sugar
plums, a few fruits. invariably a selec-
tion of wholesome books. one toy and a
useful thing makes up the. list. Last
Christmas Princess Louise found on her
tree set OF knitting kneedles from her
mother. and the youngest prince received
ball of string. a paper of tacks and a
hammer from his father. =s,s "a. =,
Over in woe-weighted Spain Christmas
does not bring any especial festiyity to