Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-11-12

was restless and aggressive. The old king
was Bismarck's friend and Princess Fred
I erick was the open foe of the chancellor.
l Two strong factions were actively at work
i in the royal palace, and IL developed that
( Prince Frederick was absolutely dominat-
ed by his ambitious wife.
. Young William was the third party and
; all Europe waited with expectant interest
! to see which faction he would espouse.
He finally Joined Bismarck and his grand
father and from that time until he was
proclaimed emperor he and his royal
mother went at it like hammer and tongs.
When the aged emperor begun to show
infallible signs of senility and general de-
cay his son. Frederick suddenly devel-
/ oped cancer on his tongue. There were
| two sick men in Potsdam palace and the
people who then did the fighting and
quarreling were the mother and son.
After the long 40 years of waiting and
desire 1t seemed as If she was to be de-
feated and the old emperor would outlive
her husband.
1t was an actual race, with death as UNI
pire. If her husband Outlived his father
he would leave to her the power and sta
ton OF dowager empress with large
share in the imperial fortune. If Freder-
ick died first she would be only bis wild
ow with comparatively a small estate.
The best doctors i'm Europe were consult
! ed. Every days symptoms were noted.
| She fought like a tigress for what she
hoped would be coming to her. She was
determined to win, and as the law in Ger
many forbade the ascension to the throne
of any man afflicted with incurable dis
ease. she procured an English doctor who
said the cancer was something else.
Then Bismarck took hand. He put in
I 4
the young man was presented to the coun-
try in a most unfilial attitude, but the
blame rested on the ambitious mother,
who kept everything in a hot stew to win
for herself the title she longed for.
At last death sided with her, and the
old Emperor William passed away. Frede-
rick was crowned emperor with deaths
hand resting on the crown. He was so
IN that the German nation had pity on his
condition and made no fight on him, but
there was deep and growing contempt for
the wife and mother who fought of the
claims Of her own first-born because of
her selfish desire for fame.
| She fought against German doctors, and
Kept her husband a virtual prisoser in the
! imperial palace under an English physi-
cian\
In less than six months the son follow
ed the father to the grave. and the
widow forbade an autopsy, but young
William overruled her, and the report as
virulent cancer became known when Ger
man surgeons published their post-mor-
tenn findings.
Empress Frederick won her title and
additional money, but she was despised
woman among her sons closest friends
The last years of her husbands life were
Swallowed and sorrowed by the strife and
chickering's between his wife and his son.
She became an invalid and IL has been
said that she was afflicted with the same
incurable malady that carried of her
husband.
Here is a family history in what is
known as high life in royal circles. Am
bition. greed. love of display. rivalry. and
envy made the chapters of a published
book that was eagerly read in both hem
ispheres.
Was the game worth the candle?