Evening star., 1918-08-02

one ana register IN compilAuc6 WIN
There was nothing to do but com.
ply, and 1t was nearly in the morn
ing before finally got to bed and
had to rise early to catch my train.
The consequence was that when I
arrived at Homburg was not only
tired but rather displeased. A big
Mercedes car. which was waiting for
me at the station, took me to the PAL
ace. where was given two rooms on
the ground floor, q bed room and a
sitting room. They were simply inr-
of the grounds Second breakfast
white bread old meats and cold
Mosel wine. y say here that all
the food ha2 iring the three days
I remained at The palace was of pre-
war quality and there was no evil
dence that the royal household was
suffering In the slightest degree from
the food shortage which was causing
the people at large so much distress.
Kaiserin Excuses Difficulties.
.. :, breakfast was conducted up
sta to a magnificent oriental room.
the )rs and walls Of which were richly
inlai. with old woods. and which con-
tanned a number Of oriental relics and
works Of art. A subdued light added to
the effect.
The empress came in and greeted me
moro cordially than usual inquirtng
whether had experienced any difficulty
in getting to Homburg.
told her what my experience had
been and she expressed surprise. stating
that she had given orders to Gen. Won
Kessel, the commander OF the province
Of Brandenburg. to see that everything
was arranged SO that / would suffer no
Inconvenience on the way. No doubt
the reason I had been overlooked by
that old generaEhe was seventy-six-
was because he was very much occu-
pied just then in his coming hupdals
with a young woman Of thirty-six.
I arranged a large upholstered chair
near a window overlooking the beautiful
park at the rear OF the castle. but the
kaiserin would not be seated until her
maid, Martha, had left the room. and
Of her servants should be aware >of the
nature Of the work I was doing for her.
"Majesty's' Table Communicated.
When 1t was found that / needed a
table in connection with my work the
empress summoned Martha loudly.
When the maid-appeared she was d.
rected imperiously to ''go to ma5esty's
room and bring the small mahogany
table which is there
I noticed that the empress always re-
ferred to the kaiser as majesty when
addressing the servants instead Of say
Ing his majesty" as is more CUSTOM
ary. but perhaps the supreme war
lord'' was entitled to less Difference in
his own household.
During the time I was there I could
not help observing how extremely timid
the servants seemed to be Of the kali
serin. One expected to find the utmost
servility among the kaiser's underlings.
but confess 1t came rather as shock
to me to see the maids walking SO
timidly and talking 30 fearfully when
in the presence OF their white-haired.
royal mistress.
l noted particularly how very gently
they knocked at the door before entering
and how. after knocking. they ilnme-
diately placed their heads against the
panel that they might catch the
kaiserin's low command to enter the
first time, and SO make 1t unnecessary
for her to repeat it. Their demeanor
was particularly noticeable, because the
kaiserin never seemed to display the
slightest impatience or illtemper when
dealing with her servants. Indeed, she
seemed to me to act no differently from
the humblest hausfrau in tine country.