The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-18

marries and it is exactly 20 years stree
they were last given
The simplicity of the wedding will be
in contrast to the gorgeousness of the
guests. No Prussian wedding ever saw
such preparations, and Berlin dress
makers are having a record profitabla
time.
Enormous sums are being spent on pres
ents for the bride Already presents from
public bodies account for $4,000, and from
private individuals the princess will re-
ceive at least $4,000 in gifts. These sums
would be simple" enough in Fifth ave-
nue. New York, but for Prussia they are
unprecedented, and pious people are talk
ing sadly about the growth of extravd-
gance. Rich persons who claim friend
ship and propose to give costly gifts are
Prince Christian Kraft Won HOhenlote.
the Krupps, the millionaire banker, Men
dellsohn. another millionaire. Herr Fried
lander Fuld, and the King of Saxony.
The King of Saxony will present Dresden
china. This is the first time the krnDps
have ever been allowed to give a wedding
present to a Hohenzollern. The former
Krupps we're never ennobled, and as Il
person without the won is not "hofae-
hig." he cannot give wedding presents.
Now that Bertha krupp has married n
baron she can present what she likes.
Rumor says that the Guelph Hanoveriaa
party, which has the closest political and
personal bonds with the Cumberlands.
will give no present. The Hanoyerian no
bles are wrathful at what they consider
the dukes betrayal of their cause.
So far as is known court preacher Dry
ander win conduct the ceremony, and he
will deliver his usual lecture TO .the pair
on the true intent and purpose of matr.-
mony. Ii is a notorious fact that when
Drydaner (whom Americans here call
. 1r.I
couples prematurely go to sleep. This
will be Princess Victoria Louise's secoiift
religious ceremony on the same day. At
in the morning the Kaiser will hold his
customary "Familientagn family
parliament" an unofficial and private
gathering at which only the Kaiser. the
Kaisern, Princess Victoria Louise AMI
her six brothers will be present. The
family parliament" will be held in
Kaiser Wihelms worluoom. Wilhelm
will say something touching, and all nine
present Will be expected to pray. Prince
Ernst August will not be present. Then
Princess Victoria Louise will kiss her
father, mother and brothers and go to
dress for the wedding.
Some apprehension is felt as to what
Kaiser Wilhelm will say in his wedding
breakfast speech There is no precedent
for this, except that 1t always begins with
the formula: MY dear -, my dear
the bride being first named The appre-
hension is felt because 1t is imagined that
Wilhelm may feel bound to refer to his
bonds of reconciliation with the Cum
berands, or otherwise 20 refer - the
quarrel, and 1t is well known that tho
fierce old duke hates that sort of talk.
and officially denies that he has ahan-
doned any of his claims. He has merely
become good friends with Kaiser VIII
helm personally And when the duke
says personally" he emphasizes the
world and wrinkles his brows. 1t is said
that the duke wanted TO draw up pro-
tocol of the I<aisers speech, as is always
done in the case of toast speeches of mon
archs. but Kaiser Wilhelm said mo" The
wedding, as the duke himself has said Is
purely a personal affair.
OF course the inevitable trouble is GO
ing about the garter This trouble
crops up every time any Hohenzollern
weds. The practice is on the wedding
night to divide the brides garterNamong
the guests Kaiser Wilhelm. who is not
prudish, sticks up for this ancient prac-
tice, but the Kaiserin dislikes it, ara for
years past the practice has heen to dis
tribute symbolcal pieces of pink ribbon.
The present fear is that even this may be
too much for pruddish Queen Mary Of
England who will be present The 1ais-
erin fears that the shocked queen viii re-
ject her piece of ribbon. Kaiser Will
helms view is Let her" king George
he says. made Queen Mary a Knight of
the Garter; why shouldn't 1?"