The Washington times., 1917-04-29
CONTINUED from First Page.)

/ well as the Order of st. elizabeth ana
her magnificent rope of matched
pearls, which went twice around her
neck and reached to her knees his
toric set which had once belonged TO
Marie Antoinette. ..-
The story the Crown Princess Told.
As we stood chatting in a corner Of
the room, watching the scene of I'M
usual brilliancy because OF the
Kaiser's presence, the princess, turn
ing to me. said suddenly:
"Do you believe in omens. Count
Won Heltzendorff?"
"Omens!" 1 exclaimed. Really, m
| afraid / am. a little too mattcr-of-
| fact to take such things seriously,
your highness."
"wen. curious thing happened
here about a month ago." she said.
81 was" At that instant the EN-
peror in the uniform of the Second
Regiment of Saxon Grenadiers, of
which he was chief, and wearing the
order OF Crancelin of the House OF
Saxony, strode up, and, standing be-
fore us, exclaimed:
"Well, Luisa? What is the very in
teresting topic OF conversation, eh?"
He had evidently overheard her
words about some curious thing hap
pening, for, laughing gaSly, he asked:
''Now, what did happen a month
ago."
Her Imperial Highness hesitated,
as though endeavoring to avoid an
explanation. but next second she
waved her lace fan quickly and said:
well, something remarkable. I
will tell your Majesty IL you really
wish to hear it,"
Heard Mysterious sound.
by all means. Luisa, by all means"
replied his majesty.
We'll, recently Friedrich-August
and myself have moved into rooms in
the older wing of the palace-rooms
that have not been occupied for near
ly forty years. They are old-world,
charming, and remind me constantly
OF Augustus the Strong and the times
in which he lived.
"Just about a month ago the King
and Queen of Roumania wer- paying
US a visit. We were at dinner, and
while we were all laughing and talk
ing. for Carmen sylvia had been telll-
ing US on of her stories, we heard a
great clatter OF horses hoofs and the
heavy rumble of wheels, Just as
though a stage coach was crossing
the small courtyard --......-. =.
"All OF us listened, and in. the ST.
lence we heard II receding quite dis
tinctly. / at once sent my lady-in-
waiting to ascertain who had arrived
or departed, four-wheeIed coaches
being quite unusual nowadays. II
seemed just as though the coach had
driven out OF the palace gate. The
message brought back from the guard
room was that no carriage had enter
ed or left. told this to those around
the table, and the. Queen of Roumania,
who had taken much interest in omens
and folklore, seated opposite me,
seemed much impressed, and even per-
turbed."
ssTroubIe to the ReIGnInE Family"
"Then the noise you heard must
have been an uncanny one. eh?" ask
ed the Emperor, deeply interested.
quite. Two OF the women at the
table declared that it must have been
thunder. and then the conversation
proceeded I. however, confess TO
your majesty that was very much
puzzled. and the more so because only
two nights ago, while we sat at dinner
Frederich-August and myself en- famille.
we heard exacly the same sounds
again"
Really" laughed the Emperor.
quite uncanny. ] hope, here in Dres-
den. you are not believing in spooks.
as London society believes in them.
Not at ALL" said the princess earn
estly. 81 don't believe in omens. But,
curiously enough, the King told me
yesterday that his two old aunts. who
formerly lived in our wing Of the pal
ace, had sometimes heard the clatter
of horses hoofs, the Jingle of harness.
the grinding OF brakes, and the rum
~ raFrfaua NyhRpla
Hin" Erunted the Emperor. I've
heard that same story before, Luisa.
The departing coach means trouble
to the reigning family"
Treasured by the Count.
THAT is exactly what the King
said to me only last evening" an
swered Luisa frankly. Does IL mean
trouble to me, l wonder"
Certainly not" I declared. Your
imperial highness needsnot worry for
one moment over such things. No
body nowadays regards such phe-
nomena as presage of evil. There Is
no doubt some perfectly natural ex-
PLANTATION OF the sounds. Every old
palace. castle. and even private house,
has it's traditions"
Quite right, Heltzendorff." laughed
the Emperor. especially in England
and Scotland. There they have white
ladies, gray ladies. men with heads like
stays, lights in windows. the sound OF
mysterious bells ringing. and all sorts OF
evil omens. Oh. those dear. superstitious
English! 80
Your Majesty does not believe In
opens?" / ventured 10 remark.
"Omensi" he exclaimed. NO: none
but towards and old women believe in
them"
Then turning to the princess. he
smiled, saying: "If ! were you, Luisa.
1 would give your chief OF police orders
to question. all the servants. Somebody
ratified some dishes perhaps. You say
It was during dinner"
The KaIser's Merry Mood.
Then the Emperor. after acknowledge
ing the salute OF Baron Georg Won
Metzsch. controller Of the royal house
hold-a tall. thin crafty-eyed man. with
hair tinged with gray. and wearing a
dark blue uniform and many decorations
changed the topic OF conversation.
The Kaiser was in particularly merry
mood that night He had gone to Dres-
den against his inclination, Tor he had
long ago arranged an Easter review on
the Tempelhofer Field. but the visit was.
/ knew, for the purpose OF consultation
in secret with the King of Saxsny. A
week before. in the Berlin Schloss. had
been sent by the Emperor to obtain a
paper from his table in the upstairs