The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-09
THE KA|SER'S CONCE|T
No Other Monarch Surround
ed By SO Many Flunkeys
FREAKS OF ETIQUETTE

Birth or High Position i'm Army,
Navy or State-Nhen Strangers
are introduced Their Antccedcnts
Are Investigated.
Some $50 noblemen are chamber
lains of the imperial household and
40 men of the highest birth are gem
tlemen of the household.
Apart from this vast array of aris-
tocratic satellites the emperor has an
exclusive military suite, a naval
suite and a secret military cabinet of
two generals, two colonels, five ma
jors and AZ other officers. Another
department is the secret civil cabi-
net of the emperor, headed by His
EXcellency DR.. Won Lucanus. The
medical suite of the emperor con-
sists Of three physicians, The en-
press has her own household, con-
sisting of q chiefest mistress, chief
mistress and a half dozen mis-
treses, all of whom are princesses
and countesses, besides n chiefest
master of the houshold, a master of
the household and two vice masters
of the household a master of cere-
monies, vice master of ceremonies,
and medical suite. Each one of
the kaiscrs six sons has also his own
household and his own suite of at
tendants, though on a much smaller
scale.
These high noblemen, of course,
are not permanently in attendance,
but the kaiser is always surrounded
by large group of them wherever
he goes and. whatever he does.
When he rides out they follow him
in the order of their ranks. One of
them assists the kaiser to mount his
horse and another afTixes the STIR
rups. A third carries the kaisers
overcoat and a fourth a spare hand
kerchief for his majesty. The en-
peror is thus continually in an envir-
onment which tends to increase his
haughtiness and imperial pride and
| his sense of his own supreme import
| ance
Ladies who are admitted to the
presence OF the kaiser must curtesy
so low that they almost lie upon the
! ground at his feet. All persons, men
and women alike, must kiss the hand
of the empress when they are pre-
! sented to her or when she addresses
! them. When the emperor desires
! strangers to dine with him he does
not invite them, but the marshal of
| the court informs them that his maj
esty commands their presence at din
ner on such and such a date and at
such and such a time. The guests
assemble and are escorted into the
dining room where the vice-marshal
OF the court shows them their places.
They must not, however, take their
seat until the kaiser has taken his so
that they have to remain standing
round the table until the kaiser en-
ters the room. The kaiser invaria
bly, compels his guests to wait for
him on such occasions, frequently as
long as 10 or 20 minutes. Two her
aids then advance from the direc-
tion of the kaiser's private apart
ments and take up their stand on
either side of the door through which
the emperor will enter. The master
of the ceremony then appears in a
ing his wand of Office with which he
strikes the floor three times. This is
the sign that the emperor is at hand
| and a moment later his majesty be-
comes visible, marches briskly into
the room, acknowledges the profuse
bows of his guests with a slight in
clination of his imperial head and
takes his seat. Close upon his heels
follow those of his military, naval
and personal suites who are doing
duty for the occasion.
No one at the imperial table may
| begin to eat or drink until the kaiser
has set the example. No one is al
lowed on any pretence whatever to
leave the table while the emperor re-
mains sitting. When the dinner is
over the emperor rises, bows slightly
and disappears through the door by
which he had entered and after his
departure his guests are free to dis
perse.
There are very stringent regula-
tions regarding the dress which must
be worn in the presence of the en-
peror. Officers of the army must in
variably appear in full parade uni
form with their swords dangling
at their lefthand sides and wearing
on their breasts all their orders, dec
oraticns and medals. Ministers of
state, high administrative officials.
and gentlemen who move in court
society are obliged to appear in court
in civilian dress consisting of the
black knee breeches, silk stockings
and buckle shoes. All male persons
who do not belong to high society,
but who happen to be in the pres
ence of the emperor for any particu-
lar occasion. are compelled to wear a
full dress suit, with silk hat, patent
leather boots and white tie.
Women are obliged to appear at
the imperial court in extremely low
cut dresses. displaying the largest
possible proportion of their bodily