The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-11-21
CHAPTER xl.
The kalserIn.


Although l had frequently seen the
kaiserin In the company Of the kaiser
I did not actually meet her until she
became my patient, In 1912, from which
time on she visited me more or less
regularly.
Without going deeply into her his
tory, 1t may be sufficient to recall that
when the kaiser married her, In 1881.
she was the Princess Victoria OF
Schleswig- MISUNDERSTANDING Angus
tenberg. She was a year older than
her husband. She commanded no par
tlcular wealth and was nOt as prepos'
sessing then, perhaps, as she became
when. some years later, her hair
turned white and softened her rather
large features and too highly cOl0red
complexion.
My first introduction to the kaiserin
occurred one Sunday afternoon at the
Berlin palace. where l had been In
structed to be at three O'clock. / was
conducted up the stairway and, on the
first landing l met the kaiser, who was
waiting for me.
well, Davis" he said, IL hope /
haven't spoiled your Sunday afternoon,
but / assure you II was not for myself
I sem for you, but for my wife. She
has been suffering for several days and
we are going to have a state ball on
Tuesday and / want you to get her In
order, sc that she can attend II, as It Is
n Of the most important social func-
lions Of the season. Follow me. and I
will take you to my wife and introduce
you"
We accordingly entered a very large
sitting oom The empress, In a negli-
gee of her favorite royal purple, en-
tered and shook hands with me cor
daily. She looked very worn, and 1t
was plain that she had been suffering
considerable pain and loss Of sleep.
She had a handsome figure and was
stately In her carriage, but her crown
ing glory was a prOfusiOn Of white
hair. She was then fifty-fOur years old.
but her hair had turned white many
years before.
1t was said, indeed, that the change
had been brought about rather sudden
ly as a result of certain drugs she had
taken in an effort to avert n tendency
to avoirdupois which had developed.
! know the kaiser loathed fat wOm-
en-. On more than one occasion he
had said to me rs he babe me fare
well: well. Davis. you have kept me
here talking SO long you have almost
spoiled my morning walk, but I'll take
q walk thrcggh the Tiergarten just the
same" and then he would add disgust
eddy, where I presume ! will have to
greet all the fat Jewess1 in the
park"
But to return to the kaiserin: The
kaiserin's physician Joined us. and
there were several maids--very supe-
rior young women--in attendance upon
their royal mistress.
After / had examined the empress
and had given my advice. the physi.
clan explained to me In a low voice
that 1t was necessary to be cautious
and not do much, as he was afraid of
her physical condition.
Anything you do for her majesty
he explained, "would require giving an
a%naesthetic. She Is not in condition ia
stand pain without. The only anaes.
thetic her majesty will take is chioro'
form. I've administered 1t to her eleven
times and l know just what It means
I'm afraid Of her heart at this time
Indeed. just as soon as ! ear get her
into condition I want her to 60 tc
Nauheim for the cure"
His alarming words caused quite a
furry among the maids and they
crowded around the empress and
begged her to have nothing done thai
day but to endure her suffering a little
longer In the hope that relief would
come without the necessity of an oper
alton at that time. Their pleadings
prevailed upon the patient to postpone
the treatment.
This made the kaiser very angry and
he walked up and down the room i'm
patiently.
"Here." he said, 1--WE got Doctor
Davis to come In on a Sunday after
noon, and you want to be in shape fol
the ball ON Tuesday. and you
won't have anything donel That's the
way with the womenI"
Then he turned to me and said
swell, Davis, I'm sorry to have spoiled
your day." And he dashed out of the
room. apparently much provoked.
felt I had almost witnessed a family
quarrel, but the incident Indicated to
me that whatever hopes theN kaiser
might entertain OF one day dominat
ing the world. ne had not yet acquired
undisputed dominion In his own house
holdt
/ did not see the kaiserin again for
nearly a year. when she came to my
ONCE with q lady-in-waiting.
She arrived In her own car. Its ap-
proach was heralded by the imperial
ssTadi-Tada" without the concluding
''Ta-Ta," which latter was reserved
exclusively FOR the kaiser. and not
even the kaiserin was allowed to use II.
The kaiser's "Tadi-I ada-Ta-Ta" was
the subject Of much arcasm among
49, --1sk--a~A ~yk = c<i~scon1w r,,k a.