The St. Louis Republic., 1900-12-09
BAR ONESS Won KETTELER.
AMERICAN. HONORED BY KAISER.
She Will Have the First Place - ,. -
After the Empress at Berlin. - >. - ;" -
e repast be set for 1 o'cl
Table Regulations.

I even IL the repast be set for o'clock in the
| afternoon.
| Table Regulations.
| Yet where an American woman is con-
| cerned the question OF dress sinks into in
10 the While 81 ibe Is nn
| an excessive drinker himself. he fairly piles
| liquors on his official family and guests.
/ Madeira. port and sherry set before
| them with the soup: oysters and fish must
! be washed down; German champagne,
Rhine wine-Steinberger cabinet and
Johannisberger exclusively-go with the en-
| trees and batteries Of burgundy are Drawn
: UP with the roast. Then come French cha m
pagne Heidsic Royal; while, with the des-
| sert old Tokay and Muscat Lunel Is drunk.
| And all this In the space of an hour. OF
! course, no one at table is actually COM
/ PEELED to drink all these wines, but no enc
can help making at least show at doing
! SO.
The Great Entry"
The beauty and youth OF Baroness Won
hetteler viii show best on state occasions
when the Kaiser loved to revive the splen-
DOR OF past ages. One of the reminders OF
these o!den days is tho great entry" so-
called. After the friends ana guests of their
majesties, sometimes from five to six thou
sand In number assemble in the brilliantly
couple enters. preceded and attended by her
aids. great dignitaries of the crown. swarmS
Of courtiers, high officers and pages. while
the Chancellor of the Empire, the gentlemen
responsible TO people and Parliament for his
MaJestys official acts, walks at Williams
SIDE the Mistress of the Robe attends the
The MantiIln.
This IS her Excellency's supreme oppor-
tunity. From the back OF her powdered hair
hanSs the 'mantilla." the mark of her high
office. The manti!la is a black lace shawl
OF exquisite workmanship. held In place by
big diamond pins. IL falls down to the bot
tom of the skirt. ending where the mantle
begins. The latter Is nye yards long ana
embroidered with the royal misIress's arms.
After the majestieS are seated on the
throne. the Mistress of the Robe occupies. a
most conspicuous position. directly opposite
10 her the ladies Commanded for presenta-
ton.
Among the functions of the Mistress of
the Robe that Of fastening the crown on her
Majesty's head is perhaps the most envied
The crown and the rest Of the regalia be-
long to the people. not to the sovereign.
Robe responsible for the jewels loaned. If
a diamond. pearl or other jewel is lost 1t
must be replaced; The resaiia is. there
lore, most carefully examined before use
and pieces having loose or Insecure stones
are invariably sent back by the mistress.
This, TOO, might give rise TO friction II the
functionary is not the soul of discretion 4
royal lady who has set her heart upon wear
ing certain bracelet. necklace or coronet
10 do so, can hardly be expected TO listen to
arguments. She wants her sweet will or
nothing, and 1t takes no end OF good jnds-
ment and diplomacy to persuade her that
she is well served for all that.
Baroness Won ketteler will be the Kaiser
ms chief adviser I'm all matters appertain-
Ing To dress; indeed. she will be Mistress
of the Rohe In name as well in fact-at
least the Kaiser hopes so. His Majesty, you
must know, concerns himself with every
detail of his vast household and has most
decided opinions on women's apparel. He
often quarrels with Countess Brockdorff
about selections she makes, telling her OF
tasteful toilets he saw worn by American
and English ladies'. So the grand mistress
viii probably be glad Of the chance to shift
American colleague makes no claim TO the |
perquisites of the Office namely. her Majes- |
tys cast-on dresses. As it comes from tn
shop- an Empress wears a dress only once; |
for a second appearance it is altered; after
that the Mistress of the Robe, or the grand |
mistress, may have it for her own use or |,
out OF the disposal of from three to four !
hundred imperial gowns per annum.
Social Duties.
While some of the more important social |
duties OF the Mistress of the Robe have al |
ready been set forth. the list was not eX- |
hausted by any means. You must remem- |
per mat an Empress burst never go out |
alone; That she burst Fever be alone, and |
that she burst neither pay nor receive yis-
IT'S unattended, not even those of her near I
est relative. One OF the Hofdamen accom-
panies her Majesty on ordinary occa sIons
when she goes to take the air. visits stores |
or charitable institutions. These ladies' als1 |
suillce when her Majesty calls on her sis
,ers; cousins and aunts. or when they come
TO the palace to see her. but the Mistress |
OF the Robe or the Grand Mistress must be |
on hand on all occasions OF state or semi
state. II a Queen visits at the palace the
Mistress of the Robe receives her at fine
mead or the stairs and conducts her to the
Empress remaining In the room with the
TWO great ladies'. whether they have conf
uehces 10 exchange or not. A Queen saws
the unwritten law to which royalty must
Row, may have no secrets before the Mis- |
treSs of the Robe
At the reception OF delegations and chs |
IKE the Mistress of the Robe Stands at the |
ioot or the throne to conduct the exchange |
OF courtesies. If her Majesty has to make |
answer 10 some address. the Mistress of !
the Robe writes her speech beforehand
ana II her Majesty is unwilling to receive !
other oHlclaiS or private visitors. the Mis- !
tress OF the Robe takes her place And il
She makes answer or promises. they are as
phdinS as II the Empress herself had
Spoken of the several hundred audienc
granted by her Majesty In the course of a |
year Iully one-half came off without Au- |
suste Being present, though the fact is mo-, |
alWays mentioned in the published ac- !
counts whether a request for audience is
granted depends upon the Mistress of the
Hohe and Grand Mistress. who decide each !
case separately after consulting with m. |
proper authorities S
The Mistress of the Robe may use tho |
royal boxes at the opera and playhouses AZ |
pleasure. She has the entry there Whether
her Majesty be of the party or NOT wbiIa |
ne other ladies' must be Conten, with :.
seat i'll the "court-box." SO called rbc
i,alser and kaiserin learned with much |
grdtiiication that Madam Won Ketteier is |
a fine musician. She will have nlentv ~
% 40 heard - /