American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-11-19
CHAPTER xf.
The Kaiserin.

Although / mad frequently seen the
kaiserin in the company of the kaiser,
/ 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-Holstein -Sonderburg Angus
tenberg. She was a year older than
her husband. She commanded no par
ticular 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 colored
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. 1 was
conducted up the stairway and, on the
first landing 1 met the kaiser, who was
waiting for me.
We'll, Davis" he said, 81 hope 1
haven't spoiled your Sunday afternoon,
but / assure you 1t was not for myself
/ sent for you, but for my wife. She
has beer suffering for several days and
we are going to have a state ball on
Tuesday and l want you to get her In
order, so that she can attend 1t. as 1t Is
one of the most important social func-
lions of the season. Follow me. and I
iii n wr4. - -,- rnN nnd Introduce
you"
We accordingly entered a very large
sitting room. The empress, in a negii-
gee 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 a handsome figure and was
stately in her carriage, but her crown
ing glory was a profusion Of white
hair. She was then hfty-four years old,
but her hair had turned white many
years before.
1t was said, indeed, that the change
had beer brought about rather sudden
ly as a result of certain drugs she had
taken II an effort to avert a tendency
TO ~avoirdupois which had developed.
1 know the kaiser loathed fat wom-
en-. On more than n occasion h
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
eddy, where I presume l will have to
greet all the fat Jewesses In the
park"
TT to return to the kaiserin The
kaiserin's physician Joined us. and
there we're several maids-very supe
rior young women-in attendance upor
their royal mistress.
After had examined the empress
and had given my advice, the physi
clan explained to me In a low voic'
that 1t was necessary to be cautious
and not do much. as he was afraid o.
her physical condition
Anything you do for her majesty,
he explained, would require giving al
anaesthetic. She is not in condition t.
stand pain without. The only anaes
thetic her majesty will take is chloro
form. I've administered II to her clever
times and 1 know just what II means
I'm afraid of her heart at this time
Indeed. Just as soon as 1 can get he
INTO condition I want her to go Il
Nauheim for the cure"
His alarming words caused quite
furry among the maids and the.
crowded around the empress ant
begged her to have nothing done tina
day but to endure her suffering a littl,
longer in the hope that relief woul'
come without the necessity Of an oper
alton at that time. Their pleading
prevailed upon the patient to postponI
the treatment.
This made the kaiser very angry AM
he walked up and down the room i'm
patiently.
Here" he said. "rve got Docto
Davis to come In on a Sunday after
noon, and you want to be in shape 70
the ball on Tuesday, and now yol
won't have anything done That's tn
way with the women!"
Then he turned TO me and said
well. Davis, I'm sorry to have spoile'
your day" And he dashed out of tn
room, apparently much provoked.
felt l had almost witnessed a famil
quarrel, but the incident indicated {
me that whatever hopes the kaise
might entertain of one day dOminat
Ing the world, he had not yet acquire
undisputed dominion in his own house
holdl
did not see the kaiserin again 70
nearly a year, when she came to m
Office with a lady-in-waitlng.
She arrived in her own car. Its az
proach was heralded by the imperia
"Tadl-Tada" without the concludin