Williams news., 1917-08-23
The Grown Princes
 Amazing Adventure

SOHHOSE that none or you nave
 ever heard the name of Thyra
 Adelheid von Kienitz?
 She was funny little deformed person, aged, perhaps, seventy, widow of the great General von Kienitz, who had served in the Franco-German cam paign, and who, before his death, had been acknowledged to be as great a strategist as Lord Roberts.
 Countess von Kienitz was the daugh- ter of certain Countess von Borcke, and after living for many years in re- trement in her picturesque old schloss, perched on a rock not far from the famous wine district of Berncastel, on the Mosel river, became suddenly seized with an idea to re-enter Berlin society.
 With this view she rented a fine house not far from the Leichtenstein bridge and early in 1911 commenced series of wildly extravagant enter tainments with view, as it seemed to me, to attract the more modern and go- ahead section of Berlin society.
 One afternoon, seated by the crown prince as he drove recklessly his great Mercedes car along the Bismarckallee in the direction of Potsdam, we passed an overdressed old woman, very artifi- cial, with yellow hair and short stat ure.
 Look, HeltZendOrffi Is she not like Won Kenitz?"
 'Yes, her figure is very similar" I admitted.
 "Ah The old woman was introduced to me the other night at Bismarck Bohlen's house. Himmell What a freak! Have you seen her wig?"
 replied that I had visited once or twice at the Stulerstrasse and that the company had met there were certain ly amusing. mentioned some of their names, among them that of young Von Ratibor, Major Gersdorff of the Deaths Head Hussars, Van Heynitz of the konigsjager, well-known man about town, his friend Winterfeld, together with a number of ladies of the very ultra go-ahead set. At this his high ness seemed highly interested.
 She certainly seems very curious old person." he laughed. "Fancies that she's but twenty-five, and actually had the audacity to dance at Bismarck Bohlen's.''
 New Arrival at Court.
 Judge my great surprise when, about six weeks later, Frau von Alven- sleben, the pretty grand maitresse of the court of the crown princess, stop ped D1e in one of the corridors of the Marmor palace and, drawing me aside, whispered:
 "i have news for you, my dear count. We have a new arrival at court-Frau Yellow-Wig."
 She saw that did not follow her.
 Countess von Kienitz-a friend of yours, believe
 "Friend of mineI'' I echoed. i've only been in her house three or four times, just in crowd, and out of cu- riosity."
 "Oh, la Ia! We'll, she has told the crown princess that you are her friend and, in brief, has entirely fascinated her imperial highness."
 What the grand maitresse had told me was perfectly correct, for three days later dance was held, and as I entered the room saw amid that gay assemblage the widow of the long-for- gotten military hero talking quite fa- miliarly with her imperial highness. To my utter amazement, also, his ma jesty the emperor in the gay uniform Of the Third regiment of Uhlans of Saxony, advanced and smiled gracious ly upon her as she bowed as low as rheumatism and old age allowed.
 The fascination which the shrill- voiced old woman exercised over HCilli" (the crown princess) was quick iy remarked, and, of course, gossip be-