Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-04-03

Kaiser's residence at home, and.
finally the expenses of the kitchen
were reduced two thirds, because the
Empress took meals privately with
the children.
civilian the Sudden"
But the Kaiser, sometimes all of
sudden, burst anew into the midst
of our humdrum existence, having
left his friends abruptly, or his busi-
ness unfinished; occasionally, 1t was
said, press criticism brought him
back earlier than anticipated. Hence
he employed a day or so despatching
the most urgent affairs of state, and
Immediately set the ball of courtly
entertainments rolling. He wou d
order a dinner of hundred covers
or more for next day, and again,
while that was in progress, invite his
guests, or part of them, to accom-
pany him on q yachting expedition on
the Havel lakes.
Gun-charger Riger, who, in his
gold -em broidered dress, stood behind
the kaiser's chair on festive occa-
sions, often conveyed a brief COM
mand of that kind to the House
marshal on duty in this fashion: His
Majesty's yacht Alexandra and SO
and so many auxiliary yachts must
be ready at such and such an hour
usually at four or five, If the meal
began between one and two.
Regal Extravagance.
TO execute this imperial wish, tele-
graph, telephone, and mounted mes
sengers were plentifully employed in
an effort to drum together officers
and crew, hire vessels, and secure a
band. Furthermore the personnel of
the coffee and tea kitchen and con-
fectionery had 10 be sent to the
steamer with their outfit, for each
of the five meals to which their Ma
jesties were accustomed must be
served punctually.
Promptly at the hour named, the
marshal on duty submitted" that
carriages were waiting to bring their
Majesties and the company to the
vessel left, the official took heart to
ask his master where he commanded
that supper shall be served.
Maybe His Majesty answered,
carelessly: ''Pfauen Insel," or, Park
of the Marble Palace" lat eight"
The first is small wooded island
in the Havel, containing a semi-fur-
nished royal villa that affords a GER
tain amount of space, but little else,
for the accommodation of guests
The castellan of the place selected
for the invasion was now hurriedly
informed, and the stable-master set
about getting ready ten or more so.
called kitchen vans to transport all
that was necessary; refrigerators and
hot-c! osets, table linen, basketfuls of
silver and plate, china and crystal,
wines. meats, vegetables and delica-
cies, lamps and candelabra, and a
thousand and one accessories.
All these things were under the
care of certain officials and servants
and, the staff being thoroughly or
ganized, the whole train was equip
ed in an incredibly short while and
started for its destination, the Court
marshal following in his carriage to
superintend the arrangements nota
bene if the Kaiser had not mean
while made up his mind to so else
where.
Servants Driven Like Cattle.
For the places of rendezvous were
changed with alarming frequency,
and before a cavalcade started for a
certain castle or park. the men usual
ly offered to lay wages that upon
their arrival they would find a tele-
gram ordering supper in some other
lodge or villa, or on the borders OF
some lake five or ten miles to the
south, or east, or west, as the case
might be.
Once they were chased in this
manner from Charlotten Hof to
Wildpark, and from there to the En-
tenfang, far out in the royal hunt
ing grounds. The Entenfang is a
romantic spot, such as young lovers
might select for a picnic; but mag
inc the tumult and work which the
impromptu establishment of a royal
table of from twenty to one hundred
covers must occasion, when the
nearest castle or royal villa is ten
miles off.
The vans had to be sent back to
the Neues Palais for tables, chairs,
carpets, and a little tent for the toll
ct, while the nearest military post
furnished field cooking-apparatu
and a dozen or more horses were
driven lame travelling to and fro
with heavy loads The damage
caused on occasions like this by
broken crockery, crystal, and ruined
furniture also reached high figure.
A Wild Whim Uncontrolled.
Foreign visitors at our Court fire.
quently wondered how it was possi
bic for one man to give employment
to three hundred and fifty horses in
driving and riding, as the Emperor
did. The story of these whimsical eX-
cursions explains that point, for, aside
from the horses Qeeded for the serv
ice, carriages Cor motor cars). must
be sent to fetch their Majesties and
suite and company from some dis
tant place, perhaps, while others
were col Getting the ladies and gem
tlemen in Potsdam and neighbor-
hood, or from incoming trains, who
had been commanded" to be pres
ent at supper at some place where at
the time stipulated no sign of life
existed.
At twelve or one o'clock in the
morning, when the imperial master,
his titled suite and his friends, had
forgotten. in several hours sleep, all
about the forty-five minutes of enter
tainmeIt that kept a small army of
men, women, and beasts on the run
since lunch, the vans and carry-alls
returned to the palace, often awak-
ening many a noble lord and lady
who wondered that any living Great
ure dared disturb their august slum-
ber.
When the Kaiser was at home, his
conversation perpetually turned on
the subject of future outings, and his
secretaries and adjutants were kept
"a