Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-26

command" Her Excellency to his
table. On such occasions the Em-
peror and Empress invited their
company by sending a page to the
favored ones, Her Majesty selecting
the men, and the Kaiser the ladies'
most to their liking.
At the Court balls Her Ladyship
was likewise much in evidence. Be-
ing rich in her own right, and hav-
ing increased her fortune enormous"
ly by marriage, madame ranked as
one of the smartest dressers. she
was good tallSer, quick at repartec,
and full of Gallo wit.
And This Is Court Refinement!
I Your Royal Highness's inspec-.
teuse des jambes reports for duty"
i With these words, Madame Won
Kotze greeted William at the begin
ming of the second carnival ball as
he stood conversing with some dow
ayers on the steps of the throne in
the White Hall.
/ should not believe it possible had
not heard the words myself; still
confess the jolly mockery of the
woman's voice, the innocent look on
her face took away much OF the
coarseness of the expression.
/ William had seemingly not been
in the happiest of moods until then.
At the approach of Madame Won
Kotze, his face lit up, and, taking
the pretty woman's arm, he bowed
with n little sneer before the elder
ladies as he withdrew with his fair
escort.
! Intellect of "Divinc Ruler"
And so they strolled along, he in
his gold-braided Hussar uniform,
the fur-edged attila over his shoul-
der to hide his poor left hand; the
woman, who set herself the task OF
amusing the King, walking brisKiy
by his side, laughing and gesticulat-
ing.
IAN oriental face" said the Prince
Won Salm- -Horstmar, and dozen
people seconded His Grace's re-
marks. 1t was all over the brilliant
hail. with it's crystal chandeliers ana
purple and gold hangings, lit up by
thousands of wax candles. An orl-
entail face-but so was that OF Cle2-
patra.' The simile was far-fetched'
Where was the Caesar, and where
was Antony, not to mention Caesar
Junior?
| During the war this same Salus-
| Eorstmar distinguished himself py
advocating utter ruin of Belgium and
| II rance. IIlheNlSS lllc uiiA VA A<'Ao
land by invasion.
The couple walked through all the
rooms quite alone, for His Royal
Highness had hinted TO his adJu-
tants that they were de trop. At
supper, in the Koniginnen Zimmer,
was seated at the table reserved
for the Princess Imperial, who, how
ever, had decided to go home at the
| last moment. Near by was Prince
Williams table. at which Madame
Won Kotze presided, and where all
the Princes and "bloods" present en-
| joyed the heir presumptive's hospl-
tality.
I How they laughed and joked:
"Why don't you dance?" asked one
| of the cavaliers.
Because it gives me palpitations."
And then somebody told the anec.
dote of Marie Antoinette, who, one
! evening, when waltZing at Petit Trl-
anon with Count Dillon. the beauti-
! full Dillon, as he was called, stood
still and said: "You should feel my
heart"
"Pst. not so loud" said Frau
| Won Kotze, with a side glance to
another part of the room, whero
Baroness Won Reischach, nee Prin-
cess Ratibor, was supping with the
Countess of Hidveg, both stars OF
many tableauX vivants. -.
But your report, Madame inspec-
| teuse," began Prince of Ratibor,
now dead, the same who turned
housebreaker for the love of an En-
peror's daughter. I'VE insist upon n
report, and n minute one"
We'll" replied Madame Won Kotze
with comic grandezza, I'VE were not
overpleased with the new fashion,
were we, Your Royal Highness?"
William nodded. Your ladyship
will proceed" he said "do not keep
these studious young men waiting
ct is deemed ADVISABLE to expur-
gate the rest of this royal conversa-
tion ~ Hl
You may be sure Auguste-Victotia
learned all about this talk, and per-
haps a little more than was actually
spoken, but to no other purpose than
to instil impotent rage in the un-
| happy mother, and make her even
more suspicious of and disagreeable
I to good-looking women in and out
of the palace.
Low Intrigues
One of the chief agitators against
Madame Won Kotze, and every 9TH
| CT IdHuSOIIlc ldCet LOT lildl
was the grand mistress. Countess
Brockdorff, who once betrayed her
practices to the amusement OF tho
whole Court. Shortly after we had
| moved from Potsdam to Berlin
| Schloss, an informal note addressed
| by the Countess to Her Majesty fel!
into the hands of of one of the
house maids. 1t happened in this
way: Her Majesty, as 1 have ex-
planned, was in the habit of writing
orders and complaints, intended for
| the officials, on small bits of paper
which she tears from a block. Now,
Her Excellency's note happened to
be written on u similar sheet, and so
| it got mixed with the rest.
The note contained the names of
persons who had handed in requests
for audience. Last on the list was
the name of Madame Won Kotze,
and opposite it the remark, three
times underlined: Refused" Then
followed this sentence: "Alps well
that ends WELL" (Sisned) Theresa
| Rrockdorff.
OF course, this note, indicating
exactly how the wind was blowing
in the upper regions, had no sooner
been read in the marshal's office
than it's contents were on every
body's lips. Most of the courtiers
were honest enough TO see the point
of the attack (for, after all, the mix &.
ing up of papers was not wholly ac-
cidental). hut the Schrader fo oction