The Washington herald., 1913-02-15
FOREIGN GOSSIP.

Copyright. 1915. by Court Goaip Syndicate,
never Qrite knew the text or mean
ing Of the prophecy of the Abbot OF
Lehnin Abbey. near Potsdam, but SUPER
stitious folk in the Fatherland have dug
up the old story. which predicts for 1913
dire catastrophy for Prussia and the
Hohenzollern dynasty. 1t Is known that
such a prediction was made by monk
named Brother Hermann, who lived
about the year 1900. and that first 1t
was made. public in the eighteenth CEN
tury. / have been told often In years
gone by that the kings OF Prussia, In
the archives at the old :'Palais." in Pots
dam. have a manuscript copy OF that
prophecy" among other antiquities.
charms. and treasures, but do not know
OF any one who ever has seen 1t or read
Its contents. There Is rhythmic version
of 1t in print, but its author. Theodor
Fontaine, was a poet. whose genius
mostly turned to legends and tables.
Hence as q historic authority this Is all
but Salueless
Nevertheless the "Lehnin prophecy" at
present furnishes the topic for numerous
vagaries and dire" anticipations at the
''Stammtische" Of the favorite resorts.
where citizens and officlaldom congregate
of an evening for their "seider' beer and
congenial pipe.
Fact is that, II the Balkan embroil-
ment does not, after all, light the torch
of an European war. the year 1913 Is lated
to be round of centennials, celebra.
tions. and festivities. 1t will he 100 years
next October since. at the terrible
''Noelkerschlacht" OF 14eipsic. the fed
Grated German nations fc-~-~" threw OF
the domination OF the Corsican con-
queror, a terrible Coup dc grace to the
''Grande armee" after its crushing de-
feat at Borodino on the retreat from
Moscow. marked by superhuman efforts
and sufrerings OF the French soldiers.
who, used to n southern CLINE, sue
cumbed in the deadly snow and ice of
the Russian winter.
Perhaps there are some F1aneur readers
who recollect Heinrich Heine's sad. but
so very beautiful and touching verses:
Nseh Frankreich znSen zivd Grruadier.
Sic warren IN husband rcfsnrcn;
Dcch ais sic Eamer, in : DeutS-le Quarter,
Ia liessen die Kocrfe sic hangrn.
Da hocrten sic beidc die traurisc Mach,
Dsss rankrech verioren geGangcn,
EcSiegt and vertriebsn das tarfere Hoer.
Ipd der kaistcr. der kaiser getangen.
Then there is the twenty-fifth anniver-
sary of the reign of the Kaiser and
speculation at this early day already is
busy with settling to the satisfaction of
Berlin society and clubdom who will be
fortunate enough to be mentioned on the
imperial honor list" Der Roland"
Berlin's satirical society journal, tells
us in its inimtably jocose fashion. that
in the Berlin Westend there are families
which delay to have their initials or
monoSrams embroidered on new table
wear or napery. i'll order to be prepared
for certain events" Oh. vanity! King
Solomon, whom tradition credits with
tho expression that "all are vain," must
have been not only a profound student
of human nature. but no doubt he was
confronted by like conditions at his
magnificent court in Jerusalem many
centuries ago.
But the prediction OF catastrophes has
been a welcome morsel 10 the jinEo
press. Such idiocy seems unbelievable.
but l have actually read what was al
legged to be "a special cable dispatch from
our own correspondent in Berlin" in a
New York daily. that German military
officers talk publicly Of being in Paris
in thirty days, If war should be declared"
What rot l should like to see the Ger
man officer who. under the iron rules and
discipline Of that army, would be sense
less enough to make such a remark un-
less 1t were the irresponsible ramblings
OF a man in his cups. I should hate to
be in that mans shoes when he has to
face his superiors, or the Kaiser
Under reversed conditions, the writer
is living witness to a similar fallacy.
Before war was declared by Napoleon
III. in 1870. there appeared IN more than
one Paris paper the satirical remark
that this or that lieutenant had written
{" Berlin ordering his quarters TO he
in readiness for him within week"
Poor fellows. No blame attaches to their
innocent Dragging. for they were misIed.
as well as the entire army. by command
ers puffed up with the pride Of achieve
mentS that did not belong to them but
to the glorious deeds Of the Crenadiers
OF another Napoleon. They paid for their
folly,
The Kaiser always has realized that.
heavy as are the burdens Of armaments
"A necessary evil under present volcanic
conditions in Europe-the cost of war
would he vastly greater. His twenty-five
years of peaceful, though explosive and
''saher-rattlinG' rule have impressed his
&c rmans with the conviction that he
desires no war. This fact cannot he en-
pha sized too strongly. a. counterpoise
TO the iinEoism of Frederic Harrison. os-
tensibly a British philosopher. but in
reality one OF the most bitter German
Crhobes of modern times.
There is another prophecy of evil con-
reCted with the year 1918.
1t was made in 1879 To the first Emperor
William. then "Prinz Won Preussen'' and
h'lr prTSurnptlNe to his ChtdlesS brother,
King Frederick Wilhelm ", on the oc-
C&sion of his visit to Petersburg. For
his entertainment an old Russian sooth- |
sayer read his future. He was told that
three of the most important events in
German history would take place, re-
speCtively. in 1871. 1883. and 1915. In 1S7I
Germany defeated France and became an |
empire. The year 1SSS was the three
kaisers' year. when the old Emperor
died. only to be followed TO the grave 100
days later by his son. Emperor Fred |
eriCk. In 1913 the soothSaycr said Ger
many would he embroiled in a tremend- |
Gus European war. As the predictions of
ISL and 1855 came true, many Germans |
the less evenly balanced be- |
lieve that 1913 is to bear out the prophets
forecast.
The Prir- Of Capua, a scion of the |
House of Bourbon. septuagenarian. it |
has been found, for forty years has lived |
a hermits life in his villa at Campa- |
noon. An apoplectic attack has deprived !
him of his power Of speech and of hear |
ing.
lie Temps tells this of the daily routine: |
Every morning at a servant knocks |
at the door of the princes bedchamber |
and places the breakfast tray through |
a sliding window into the room. The |
prince jumps out of bed. throws a toga |
around his shoulders, and hides till the |
domestic has disappeared. He cannot |
bear any one to see him. He has neither |
had his hair cut. washed or cut
his nails in years. Formerly, il he saw