The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-11
'RoYALTYs CHRISTMAS GIFTS
PRESENTS AT THE COURTS OF BEH-
LIN, ST. JAMES, MADRID AND
THE HAGUE.

The Empress of Germany Always
Gives Her Husband an Historical
sword, Spur, Pistol, Etc, and Will
liam Presents Her with an Auto
graph Copy of some of His Works.
The Royal German Children Trent
ed Like spartans by Santa Claus.
Sad Holidays Passed in the Family
of Queen Christian of Spain ana
by Ex-Empress Eugenie of France.
The Prince of Wales Invariably
Presents His Wife With n Rare
Animal Pet. and the Princess
Sends Thousands of Dollars Worth
of Gifts to Denmark.
Paris, Nov. 20, 1s9S.-Christmas comes
but once a year, and when it arrives the
Empress of Germany likes 90 be at home,
and up to her eyes in the business Of
preparing dozens of hobby parcels holding
gifts for various members of her family,
and scores of charity proteges she always
remembers. The wife of imperial VII
liam was so well trained in her youth that
she has rarely been known to foohshly
waste penny, and though her Christ
mas obligations include nearly a thousand
persons. she brings her bills for presents
down to a figure that would call a self
reproachful blush 60 the cheek of a
wealthy American woman.
Like a sensible sentimental German wo-
man, the Empress usually gives her imme-
date relatives some t.iae she has her
se.f embroidered. Ted or knitted, and
as her pet hobby is helping impecunious
! clergymen along she devotes a goodly
| share of her holiday allowance to buying
! plain stout clothes for the clerical progeny,
| which Is always numerous. In every
parcel of clothes is slipped a gay Christ
mas card, bearing the Empress good
| wishes in her own handwriting, and a
| small round cake, which is baked in the
| royal kitchen. Invariably a deal of SEN
timent and ceremony surrounds the pres
entation of her gift TO her husband, and
as every member of the royal household
| has an individual small Illuminated Christ
mas tree, the Emperor usually finds the
souvenir from his wife at the foot of the
candle-lighted fir he claims as his own.
For Martial william
With few exceptions her gift is sure to
be something that panders to Williams
martial tastes. Early in his youth no
began collection of arms that had been
the properties of famous warriors, and
since his marriage his wife has added to
1t, until some day il certainly will be
one of the most valuable and interesting
| private 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 hest
tate to pay any price for a sword. dagger.
spur or gauntlet, that is beautiful and
the genuineness of which can be vouched
Tor. One Christmas her gift was a hand
some pistol that Andrew jackson. had car
ried at the battle of New Orleans; again
It was pair of god spurs worn by the
great Condo she bought and this Christ
mas II Is very sure that she is bringing
Rome some precious relic of Saladin or Ha-
roun q Rashid from her Eastern tour.
In turn William usually bestows a
Jewel or something of his own making
on his devoted wife, such as a conv If
his symphony written out by hand on
parchment sheets, richly Illuminated
with airy faces and scenes supposed to
be conjured up by the symphonic bar.
, monies. On another Christmas she feU
heir to bound volume of his speeches
and again it was a very sumptuously
framed copy of his famous allegorical mic
lures.
As to the royal children their Christ.
mas is In sharp contrast to that which
! even the average American child knows
AhSy Fue MOI allowed 10 receive gifts
, from any one save their parents. aunts
uncles and grandparents. A box Of
sugar plums, few fruits, invariably &
selection of wholesome books, one toy
aud useful thing makes up the lisl
, Last Christmas Princess Louise founf
on her tree a set of knitting needles from
her mother and the youngest prince re
ceived a ball of string, a paper of tacks
and hammer from his father
! In woefuI Spain.
over in woe weighted Spain Christmas
= does not bring any especial festivitv /,
e the royal palace. The day is chiefly giver
e up to religious ceremonies, the youn.
Y King receives congra tulations and III,
$ Queen and her daughters personally DIS
s pense a good deal of money in aims. Il
s the early days of her life I'm Spain tn,
a Queen Regent tried to introduce the Ger
: man custom of the Chris mas tree. bu
p her Spanish courtiers rather turned III
e their noses and she wisely forebore to in
5 sist upon an alien custom.
Queen WilheImina's Christmas.
Q In very sharp contrast to the rathe
V gloomy Spanish court on the great dar
r in December is the jo,lity that reigns il
t the home of the little Queen of Holland
= Wilhelmna celebrates the festival vigor
e ously and delghtedly She has always ha,
n p" tiSC va NliA-9'iiieS eve, always uunS III
$ her stocking and she adores to give pres
n ents. While in Stuttgart recently, attend
h ing her cousins wedding, she went on
G shopping on foot every day, gave larg
: orders on London and Paris shops, an,
= there is scarcely poor child in the Hagu
S who is not remembered by the Queen.
s One of her chief joys on Christina
# morning is to follow the ancient Dutc1
s custom Of appearing suddenly at a door
G and, after fliuging a gift rolled in a bi
o ball Of straw, into the room, runnin
away as fast as she can. Another Christ
mas habit is that of driving about III
snowy streets and tossing handfuls O
p. bonbons wherever she sees group of chill
,s dren.
y The Holidays at SandrinEham.
d In England the Queen spends her Christ
II mas at Osborne. and rather more quietl
K than any other day I'm the year, while tn