The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-03-28
CHAPTER VIII.

came stag gerlnB into great ne1oQuaI-
tiers with information that .penetra-
ted even that composite Prussian
, skull: the women of Germany had
risen en- masse and effected revolu-
! ton. 81
"Of course they refused to. believe
the worst-that every. ounce and inch
of war material had been destroyed:
and the entire staff, escorted by q
thousand troops-all they had on
hRnd-started for Berlin.
| They did not omit to wireless in
| both directions for troops to march on
! Berlin at once: but, needless to say.
| these messages were neflected. AS
! the tracks were torn up they were
obliged to travt by automobile, and
as the bridges over the KloonitZ canal
and the Oder tributaries had been
blown UP. they were unable to ameli-
crate what must have been an apop-
lectic impatience. No doubt a few OF
them are dead. OF course their prog
ress has been watched and reported
every hour, but they have. not been
molested. We want them here, Only
their small air squadron. has been shot
down"
They felt their way along Unter den
Linden by the trees and entered the
| Opernplatz. Two biplanes awaited
them before the arsenal There were
lights in the great pile Of the Hohen-
zollerns across the bridge.
Uneasy spirits prowled there, no
doubt, but none OF the women OF the
imperial family had made any at
tempt to escape, accepting the assur-
ances OF the revolutlonists that no
harm should come TO them. and, know
ing nothing OF the thorough methods
taken TO reduce the army to impo-
tence, awaited with what patience
they could muster-and royal women
are the most patient In the tworld-the
invincible troops that must come
within a day or two to their rescue.
The two biplanes few over the streets
east OF the Emperor's palace and how
cred Just above the house tops until the
eyes OF GIsela and MRriette. now accus-
toned 20 a darkness unpierced' by moon
or stars, made out long Hne Of NOV
ing blackness in the narrow gloom OF
the Konigstrasse.
The forward cars entered the palace
from the Schiossplatz, and as lights i'm
mediately appeared In the .eourtyards
Glsela saw eight or ten men alight stiffly
and hurriedly enter the inner portals.
Hardened Soldiers CrinEe.
The other automobiles ranged them
selves in an apparently unbroken line on
all sides Of the palace. Gisela had ANUS
ed herself imagining the nervous specu-
lations Of those war-hardened potentates
and warriors as they crawied through
the sinister darkness of the capital
proud witness Of a thousand triumphal
marches; Of the sharp and darting gaze
above the guns Of the armored cars. eN-
pecting an ambush at every corner. How
-
without precedent.
Gisela almost laughed aloud - she say
the purple flag, denoting that. the en-
peror was in residence, run up on the
north side Of the palace. However,
automatic discipline worked both ways.
Once more Berlin was az silent as IL at
rest forever under the pail Of darkness
that seem to have descended from the
dark and threatening sky.
But only for a moment
BehIin suddenly burst into a binding
glare OF light Inter den Linden from
end to end-excepting only the royal
palaces-with its long line OF imposing
public buildings, hotels, and shops, the
Kaiser FranE-Joseph-P latz, the Zeugplatz.
the Lustgarten-the Schlossplatz-all
the magnificent expense from the Bran
denburE gate TO a quarter OF a mile
beyond the river Spree-had been strung
and looped with electric lights, and the
scene looked as IL touched with royal
Eairy's wand.
The side streets from. the Royal
Library and the old Kaiser. Wilhelm
palace as far as the Schlossbrucke, were
also brilliantly Illuminated.
silent, Determined Army.
And in all these streets and squares
women stood in close ranks, silent,
acknowledgements with pistols in
their belts and rifles with. fixed bay
onets on their shoulders, the steel re-
fecting the terrible downpeur OF
light with a steady and menacing
glitter.
These women wore gray uniforms.
and there were shining Prussian he'll
NETS on their heads.
In every window was a double row
Of women, armed; and the housetops
were crowded with them. There
were also machine guns on the roofs,
pointing downward or toward the
roof Of the palace.
Marietta laughed. Theatre enough
to please even his taste? Our last
tribute. Let US hope he will enjoy It
A moment later the expected hap
pened. A window of the palace over
looking the great Schlossplatz opened
and the Emperor stepped out into the
narrow balcony. His uniform was
caked with dust and mud, and his face
was drawn with mortal fatigue: but
as he stood there scowlinE haughtily
down upon that upturned sea Of wom-
ems faces, the most singular vision
that ever had greeted imperial eyes.
he was an imposing ngure enough TO
those who knew that he was the Kai.
ser wilhelm ii. King of Prussia and
and Emperor Of Ger
many. --.r-~-- .-.
II was evident that he had no in
tentIon OF speaking. but expected this
Rrotesque mob to be overwhelmed by
the imperial presence and dissolve.
Frau Katiae Meyers. with the fg-
ure Of an Amazon and the voice OF
Regaphone, stepped forth from the
ranks and lifted her placid red face
10 the balcony,
Demands EmperOr's Abdieation.
You will abdicate, William Hohen-
Eollern.' she announced in tones that
rolled down toward the BrAndenburg
gate like the overtones Of death
symphony at the front.
Germany is a republic And the
palace Is mined. II your soldiers fire
one shot from the windows the palace
goes up to meet the ghosts of every
arsenal and every ammunition fac
tory in what two days ago was the
Empire OF Germany. Your armies
are helpless. You will remain a pris-
oner within your palace until We have