The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-19
Court Gossip of Interesting
Epents on Two Continents



tcopgrisht 1913. By A. D. Jacotsou.)
Heinrich XIV. Prince. of Reuss cadet
branch, or "Juensere Linen. u dead at
his castle of schleiz at the advanced
age of eighty-one years. He was the
ruler of one of the smallest states OF the
German Confederation. his domain COM
prising scarcely 700 English miles, with
a population of lbs. 752. But he was never
theless a "Bundefuerst'' as much as
any of his fellow-sovereigns. and his
vote in the Bundesrath Just as weighty
In proportion to the size of his realm.
He served as a general in the Prussian
army in the war of 1856 against Austria.
and also In 1870 against France. and was
a particular friend OF the first Kaiser
wilhelm, and especially SO Of the latter's
son, the Inflated Emperor Friedrich
(.'Unser Fritz.
throne of Reuss Greiz, Reuss Schleiz.
and Reuss Lobenstein by his son. Helm
rich XVII, whose mother was Duchess
Agnes of wuretemberg. The late prince.
after the death of his first wife. entered
a norganatic union in 1880 with Frederike
Graetz at Leipzig. BY patent royal OF the
King of Saxony. the lady was ennobled
under the title of Frau Won Saalourg.
She was born in 1s5l at Frankfort as
years ago at Dresden
Those Flaneur readers who may be
surprised that the fourteenth Heinrich
should be succeeded by the twenty
seventh of that name no doubt will
remember how, on a former occasion. 1
explained that in either of the two
branches of the House of Reuss all male
progeny Is given numerals consecutive
not only in one particular family, but
In each and all of them. SO that all
sons that have been born to all the
princely parents Of that house since
Heinrich XIV was christened, were
tagged with consecutive figures, thus
showing that since the latter came into
the world there had been twelve male
newcomers among all of his kin before
his heir, the present ruler. saw the
light. The two Reuss houses are the
only ones among the dynastic families,
where this queer notion prevails. The
senior branch starts afresh with each
beginning century, while the Cadet
House runs on until the absence of
a male child stops the direct succession.
The new ruler Of the Cadet house of
Reuss also is regent of the older prin-
cipality of Reuss CGerd) owing to the
fact that the reigning Prince Heinrich
XIV is insane and confined in a sana-
forum.
The inhabitants of the Reuss country
are as quaint and Anticipated as they
are queer. They are still patriarchal in
the little Thuringian land and the
sovereign even in more recent years
was known to walk the streets of his
residence and to dispense justice with
his rattan. Their pursuits are mostly
agricultural and / remember well some
tracted spell of drought. when no rain
would come to the parched land that
the court preacher C'Hofprediger'O one
Sunday, in the Schloss kirche, led in
the following prayer:
Lieb Gott sieb Resen und Sonnenschah'n
FGer Gra'E, Schla'E und Lobenstshn,
Und wollen de annern auch was haben
So sollen sic Dich selbeT fragen.
Which, translated into plain English,
means: Good Lord. send rain and sun
shine to Greiz, Schleiz, and Lobenstein.
and If the others want some, too. let
them ask you for 1t themselves"
The House OF Reuss is one of the most
ancient of German dynasties. They were
originally "Wends,'' an offshoot OF the
Slav race that settled in the Oder Basin,
the Lausity and part of Saxony in the
eleventh century. Eckebert Won Weida
appears TO have been the founder. They
received their first grant from the Ger
man Emperor, Henry VI, and ever since,
in honor of his memory, the sons of the
family have borne that name CHeinrich).
The name Reuse" was adopted by
Heinrich the First on the occasion of his
marriage with Russian princess,
Reuse CRuthenus) being the medieval
name for the great Russian Empire, the
rulers of which to this very day are
spoken of in Germany as Kaiser aller
Reussen."
The cadet branch Of Reuss is in exist
ence since 1880.
Lady Shaftesbury has resigned her Of
fee as Lady of the Bedchamber to the
Queen OF England, and she will be sue
ceeded by Lady Fortescue. At one time
there was a rush Of candidates for house.
hold posts of this description, but now
them. Lady Shaftesbury is a sister of
the Duke of Westminster and OF Lady
Beauchamp. Lady Fortescue is a sister
of Lord Harlech and OF Lady alfred
Egerton, who is a lady-in-waiting to the
Duchess of Connaught.
The best suite of apartments at Hamp-
ton Court Palace has been placed at
King Georges disposal by the death OF
Lord Wolseley. These apartments were |
occupied for many years after her mar
rage, in 1880. by Princess Frederick of |
Hanover. They were granted by Queen |
Victoria to Lord Wolseley when that |
pected that this residence will now be |
granted TO either the Duke of Teck or to |
Prince Alexander of Teck, whose resi- |
dence Henry the Third tower at Wind \
sor Castle has been for some years past
The Rangers Lodge In Hyde Park a /