Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1918-11-22
The kaiserin.


time on she visited me more or less
regularly.
Without going deeply into her his
tory, it may he sufficient to recall that
when the kaiser married her, in 1851
sire WIS the Princess Victoria or
Sch!eswig, -Souderburg Angus
tenberg. She was year older tnan
her husband. She commanded no par
ticular wealth and was not as prepos-
sessing then, perhaps, as she became
when, some years later, her halr
turned white and softered her rather
large features and too highly colored
complexion.
Ny first introduction to the kaiserin
occurred one Sunday afternoon at the
Eerlin 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, II hope
haven't spoiled your Sunday afternoon,
but 1 assure you it was not for myself
| sent fer YOU but for my wife. She
has been suffering for several days and
we are going to have state ball on
Tuesday and I want you to get her in
order, 40 that she can attend it, as 1t is
one of The most important social func-
lions Of the season. Follow me, and
will take you to my wife and introduce
you.%
We accordingly entered q very large
Sitting room. The empress, in a negh-
:. . of her favorite royal purple, en-
tered and shook hands with me cor
daily. She looked very worn, and it
was plain that she had been suffering
considerable pain and loss Of sleep.
she had q handsome figure and was
stately in her carriage, but her crown
ing glcry was a profusion Of white
hair. She was then tifty-four years old,
bat her hair had tarned white many
years before.
It was said, indeed, that the change
had been brought about rather sudden
ly as a result Of certain drugs she had
taken IL I'LL ClLOil " avert q lShuSA<J
to avoirdupois which had developed.
know the kaiser loathed fat wom-
en-. On more than one occasion ne
had said to me as 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
a walk through the Tiergarten just the
same" and then he would add disgust
edly, "where I presume I will have to
greet all the fat Jewesses In the
park"
But to return to the kaiserin: The
kaiscrin'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 -physl-
clan explained to me in low voice
that it 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
anaeSthetic. She is not in condition to
stand pain without. The only anaes-
thetic her majesty will take is chloro-
form. I've administered it to her eleven
times and l know just what it means.
Tn afraid of her heart at this time.
Indeed, Just as soon as l can get her
into condition l want her to go to
Mannheim for the cure"
His alarming words caused quite
furry among the maids and they
crowded around the empress and
begged her to have nothing done that
day but to endure her suffering little
longer in the hope that relief would
coale without the necessity of an oper-
q ;nn at that time. Their pleadings
prevailed upon the patient to postpone
tho treatment.
THIS made the kaiser very angry and
Re walked up and down the room i'm
patiently. p.
Here" he said, give got Doctor
Da"is to come in on Sunday after
noon, and you want to be in shape for
the ball on Tuesday, and now you
won't have anything done! That's the
way with the women"
Then he turned to me and said:
"yVell. Davis, I'm sorry to have spoiled
your day" And he dashed out of the
room, apparently much provoked.
felt I had almost witnessed family
quarrel, but the incident indicated to
me that whatever hopes the kaiser
might entertain of one day dominat-
ing the world, he had not yet acquired
undisputed dominion in his own house
hold!
I did not see the kaiserin again for
nearly a year, when she came to my
office with a lady-in-waiting.
She arrived in her own car. It's ap-
proach was heralded by the imperial
"Tadi-Tada" without the concluding
'Ta-Ta," which latter was reserved
exclusively for the kaiser, and not
even the kaiserin was allowed to use it.
The kaiser's "Tadi-Tada-Ta-Ta" was
the subject Of much sarcasm among
the proletariat, who satirically put IT
to the words: "Celerie-Salat-Ta-Ta
an allusion to the luxuries OF the royal
table which contrasted most unfavor-
ably with the simple meals to when
they were accustomed; while the So
cialists showed their sentiments very
plainly by improyising the words:
"yon Unsern Geld-Ta-Ta," meaning,
From our money-ta-ta," referring to
the royal immunity from taxation