Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-02-07

To the Editor Of the Democrat:
In the recent pomp and pageant
Just closed, over Queen Victoria, EN-.
peror William Of Germany has played
q conspicuous part. He has paid his
last tribute to his maternal grand
mother, just as he WAS performing
q similar sad duty In Berlin, eleven
years ago. when another grandmother
passed away. Many may have for.
gotten that the death Of Empress Au-
gusta occurred, like victoria's, In the
month Of January. She had been In
Berlin but short time. preferring. In
her later years Of invalidism. the
palace at Coblentz, or for few weeks
of summer, the charming seclusiOn OF
her castle at Babelsberg in Potsdam.
Sauntering down the famous street.
"Unter den Linden" one cold, grey
afternoon towards dusk, I was at
tracted by the crowd assembled in
front Of the palace Of Emperor Will
liam I. Royal carriages were driven
up hurriediy to the entrance, or passed
into the court. Count Won MoItke step
ped from one and entered the palace.
There appeared to be u public. func,
tion of some kind, and, thinking re.
ception was being held, passed on,
not having observed the flag hoisted
on the palace, which announced the
presence Of Empress Augusta. Reach
ing my pension" on Lutzow Ufer, n
friend informed me that the Empress
had died at 4:30 pm. from an attack
Of the influenza, which ragged all over
Europe that winter. Flags were soon
placed at half-mast In every part OF
the city, and an order was issued by
the Emperor, that all Germany should
wear some emblem of mourning for
sixty days. For two days the body of
the Empress lay in the old "Schloss,"
where she died, and where, two years
before. Emperor William I had passed
away. Then It was removed little
farther up the street to the palace OF
the present Emperor. There, In the
Royal chapel, the body lay In state
before the altar, until January ii, the
day Of the funeral. A report wns CIR.
culated that Visitors would be allow
ed to enter the chapel the next day.
Accordingly. three or four American
friends accompanied me early In the
morning to the palace. After many
futile attempts to find the right en-
trance to the stairway leading to the
chapel. and several rebuffs from the
guards, stationed at every gate, n po,
ilceman yielded to the unfailing offer
OF a little "Trink kgeld" and escorted
us to the great doors leading up the
grand staircase. Statueslue servants
In uniform Of white and gold, noisless.
ly threw them open, and we found
ourselves alone, climbing stairway ar.
ter stairway, between motionlcss
guards. who lowered above us In such
grandeur, and looking 30 stern, that
was quite terrified and began to
suspect we were intruders. who would
be promptly elected AT the point OF
their bayonets. did they but know we
were only plain American citizens,
without title or rank and having no
authority for being there, but an In,
satiabie curiosity to see all that waa
going Yet, to retreat, would only
make the situation more embarrassing
SO we mounted on up, up to the top
OF the palace, then falling In. with
q line OF black-robed people who slowly
moved along the hallway, into the
circular chapel. Some one at the right
was registering each one as he passed
In. On the left, were high officers and
guards, sitting or standing about the
altar. Mourning women sat before
the bier, which was banked high with
n profusion OF roses and many rare
nowers. In robe OF white lay th,
--------------------------------