Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-04-21
Thompson Feature s
Continued From Saturday,

TllCGSS II SO anu NOh iNOSuSl :
rooms, so the Empress might not see
them when she paid her daily visits
to the Duchess.
Adelaide used to indulge in the
wash craze twice daily, before sec
ond breakfast and after supper:
sometimes, on her critical days,
she rose as early as half-past four
to commence operations. One day,
the mania seized her at a. m
She jumped out of bed and, without
taking time to put on even petit
coat. ran into the corridor. shout
ing for the girls TO bring water. The
noise awoke the Princess Fec and
Roeder. who tried to persuade Her
Highness to go back to bed, but
the old woman turned upon them
with a flood of invectives that would
have done honor to a fish-wife
When, finally, the overseer of the
corridor arrived, he found three
half-naked women engaged in
fierce battle, the two younger ones
trying to force the other to re-enter
the apartment, while she clamored
for hot water at the top of her
voice. Water, water, am dying
for water. Only nine pitchers are
filled! Give me twelve pitchers of
hot water"
The Ungrateful Child
In the Empress's room conVersa-
tion once turned upon the subject
of compleXions. ITO what, do you
think, does Fec ascribe her muddicd
skim" asked the Duchess in her
usual blunt manner. and all of us
began to look sharply to our needle
work. Her Highness repeated the
question. and then answered 1t her
self: Because" she grinned-"that
won't let her sleep at night, and
awaken her early in the morning.
Now | should like to know whether
| am not entitled to my daughters
company while engaged in my toi-
let? Roeder and the girls have to
sit up while | wash, but Fec is
allowed to so to bed, or remain
abed. where / visit her from time
20 time for snatch of talk. L
mean to entertain her, as well as
myself, and this ungrateful child
says 1 am muddling her complex
lon.'
If for some physical or mental
reasons the ablutions fail to quiet
Her Highness, she has paroXysms
of rage that seriously threaten her
surroundings. Then she smashes
furniture, howls like mad, and falls
upon her maids if she gets the
chance. AS a rule, though, her
girls are selected with a view to
bodily strength. and it has been as
serted that they give tit for tat
whenever their mistress essays to
maltreat them. 1t would not be the
first time that a royal lunatic was
. subjected to violence. George III
of England was soundly thrashed by
his valet, whenever, during his in
-
Got a chance to even up things. For
every fiStCuff the man had got when
his master was in seeming possess
sion of his senses, he kicked George
thrice when the, latter was strait
iaCketed. Such is human nature.
on one of her visits, the Duchess
brought in her retinue two newly
engaged maids; they were to do
night service for the first time at
the Neues Palais, while another set
had to attend Her Highness's morn
ing wash Whether these girls had
not been properly prepared for the
ordeal, or, performed their work
badly | do not know; there was an
awful rumpus toward twelve o'clock,
and next morning it was learned
that the girls had run from the
building, never stopping until COM
manded to do so on pain of death
by a sentinel.
Then they threw themselves on
their knees, and screamed for
mercy. The poor creatures thought
they were in a Bedlam: their royal
mistress. finding herself short one
pitcher of water, had suddenly met
amorphosed into a fiend incarnate,
had assailed them biting, scratching
and throttling.
Managing" Kaiscr's Mother
Miss Won Roeder alone knows how
to manage the Duchess. She is very
energetic. strong minded and strong
limbed, and capable of enforcing
orders at all hazards Once the
Duchess Adelaide expressed a desire
to have her groom in the parlor.
Roeder replied with her usual NO.
thank you"
But l will have John in the salon.
or anywhere else, if / see fit. Am
| not the Duchess of Schleswig-H -Hol-
STEM"
81 know" answered Roeder, dog
gedly, but that Notwithstanding,
Your Highness will not entertain a
hostler where I am"
You impertinent cat" cried the
Duchess. You think you can give
me the end of your tongue because
that tu-penny son-in-law of mine
encourages YOU" At the same
time she carried a chair to the
window, opened it, and placing one
foot on the sill, added: Now will
you let me have john"
why now?" asked Roeder.
Because, unless you ring for him
at once, l will jump out"
Roeder never quivered. Noncha-
lantly waving her hand toward the
window, she said. "Jump. Your
Highness, and I will enjoy a holiday.
l will have my salary for life, YOU
know" Her Highness did jump. but
onto the floor. Damn .you," she hiss
ed, L would rather live forever than
do you a good turn"
There is no denying the Duchess
was at times rather eccentric vet
in some respects she showed good
judgment FoS instance, she always
referred to her son-in-law as that
d Pig-Dog, Kaiser"
And how she loved the Prussians,
Here follows specimen of her table
talk on that subject:
AT the Princess of Courland's"
heard her say to the Kaiser ar
luncheon one day, "I saw the
Countess Sobieska and recognized
her at once as an old friend, Though
1 haven't seen her for thirty wears
and more.
MY dear, I said to her, I think
L first met you at the Empress Eu-
genie's in that dear Paris, befor,
those confounded Prussians drove
In frrs11 hnV