The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-08
continued Prom FuSt Pdg'.

Emperor liked to have his daughter
with him and he would do tricks to
amuse her, sometimes in public places,
as, for instance, once when he took a
conductors baton at concert given by
the band of the Iotsd,um Guards and
beat time, to the great amusement of
the Princess, who, with her brother,
marked time with her finger.
Some members of the band looked
little surprised at having no less than
four conductors and four different time
beats to follow. hut after a time they
settled down again, and keeping their
eyes firmly fixed on the music, played
triumphautly to the end.
His Majesty has not highly culu-
waited taste in music lie likes some
thing military in style. with well marked
time and rhythm, and Wagner makes
no appeal to his tastes.
Ills patronage of the art has been
singularly unfortunate. and all the OPP
cratic pieces to which he has stood god
father are always played to very thin
houses lie comforts himself by in
Weighing against the want Of musical
taste shown by Berlin audiences. The
critics treat these pieces with contempt,
ignoring their existence, and the news
papers publish bare announcement
that they have been performed and
make no further comment"
\ chapter is devoted to the descrip-
tion of Christmas at court:
"On Christmas eve the Emperor, as
is well known. has a habit Of walking
abroad his pockets, or rather those OF
his accompanying adjutants full Of
gold and silver coin. These coins he
distributes in a promiscuuus manner
TO whomsoever he may chance to meet;
II may be to a gardener, or a sentry
on duty at the gates, or a little school
boy or girl. or even an officer may he
the recipient of this Christmas dole,
which is always highly priced by those
who chance to receive II.
zone Christmas the Princess was
walking with four of her brothers down
the wide drive of the Neuer Garten,
when in the distance they saw the En-
peror approaching accompanied by his
adjutants. knowing the errand which
had taken his Majesty abroad. Prince
Fritz laughingiy suggested that there
might be a chance of receiving som"
Christmas money, so under his orders
they ranged themselves in military
formation beside the road standing AZ
the salute Cat least the Princes did
the ladies' merely kept eyes front
as the Emperor drew near. He re-
turned the salute but said in a grun
voice as he passed, speaking in Eng
lish, NO. you won't get anything-all
labor in vain and gave an emphatic
nod, while the woud-be recipients gig
gled at each other and felt rather
foolish.
"'He might have given us a mark
each complained the Princess.
christmas dinner at the court is
served at o'clock. 1t is given thus
early so that the guests may still be
in time for their own private festivities
at home. After the dinner khe En-
peror walks around and shows his own
gift, usually a very beautiful fur,
where 1t lies on each persons table;
but one Of his great charms Is that
he has no stereotyped line of conduct
IL he doesn't feel like walking round
and making himself agrc' able ne
doesn't do b.. He is no slave To prec-
edent SO then We find his present on
our tables by ourselves, and 60 up and
curtsay and thank him as opportunity
offers.
"All the adjutants and generals re-
ceive something handsome and ~ubstan-
tial, one has a Turkey rug, another
bronze bust of the Emperor third
pair of silver candelabra. But what
ever else they get, a large plat" Of nuts,
cakes and chocolates accompanies each
table-and those gentlemen who have
to return to Berlin early may presently
be seen, aided by footmen, pouring their
nuts and gingerbread into large brown
paper bags, which they carry away
under one arm, for all the world like
children from a sunday school treat.
This procession Of gray haired generals
and officers in uniform going off like
schoolboys with their booty seems to
afford the Emperor much pleasure"
The Kaiser not only has a hand in
every department of his Government
but he even made himself felt IN do
nestle arrangements, and one of his
customs was 20 choose the hats of the
family.
The birthday Of the Empress, which
occurs in November, was always c"l"-
bratcd ar the New Palace. The most
striking among her presents were the
dozen hats given by his Majesty, in
varably chosen 10y himself They We're
arranged on stands on the billiard
table Of the room whore the birthday
table was crcctcd-a table beautifully
enwreathcd and Earandod by autumn
leaves .n'crmiXcd with fruits, lunches
OF tiny red crabappes, clusters OF
green and black grapes, small melons
and gOurds
at Is a pcrilous business for any man
to set out to buy dozen hats for his
wife without consulting her tastcs and
wishes on tn" subject but the German
Emperor is not a man to rocoil from
even such an enterprise. Though the
hats were always very beautiful and
obviously the most expensive Of their
kind they always raised I found, GER
tain doubts and queries In the mind OF
the feminine observer"
Miss TOpham devotes n chapter to
tho personality of the Kaiser and
Kaiscrin. OF the Emperor's converse
ton she SAYS:
"The Emp"ror's conversation at its