My Four Years in Germany | Page 5

black uniform
surrounded by his officers, certainly looked every inch a king.
Although my predecessors, on occasions of this kind, had worn a sort
of fancy diplomatic uniform designed by themselves, I decided to
abandon this and return to the democratic, if unattractive and
uncomfortable, dress-suit, simply because the newspapers of America

and certain congressmen, while they have had no objection to the
wearing of uniforms by the army and navy, police and postmen, and do
not expect officers to lead their troops into battle in dress-suits, have,
nevertheless, had a most extraordinary prejudice against American
diplomats following the usual custom of adopting a diplomatic
uniform.
Some days after my presentation to the Emperor, I was taken to
Potsdam, which is situated about half an hour's train journey from
Berlin, and, from the station there, driven to the new palace and
presented to the Empress. The Empress was most charming and affable,
and presented a very distinguished appearance. Accompanied by Mrs.
Gerard, and always, either by night or by day, in the infernal dress-suit,
I was received by the Crown Prince and Princess, and others of the
royal princes and their wives. On these occasions we sat down and did
not stand, as when received by the Emperor and Empress, and simply
made "polite conversation" for about twenty minutes, being received
first by the ladies-in-waiting and aides. These princes were always in
uniform of some kind.
At the reception for the _hoffähig_ people Mrs. Gerard stood in one
room and I in another, and with each of us was a representative of the
Emperor's household to introduce the people of the court, and an army
officer to introduce the people of the army. The officer assigned to me
had the extraordinary name of der Pfortner von der Hoelle, which
means the "porter of Hell." I have often wondered since by what
prophetic instinct he was sent to introduce me to the two years and a
half of world war which I experienced in Berlin. This unfortunate
officer, a most charming gentleman, was killed early in the war.
The Berlin season lasts from about the twentieth of January for about
six weeks. It is short in duration because, if the _hoffähig_ people stay
longer than six weeks in Berlin, they become liable to pay their local
income tax in Berlin, where the rate is higher than in those parts of
Germany where they have their country estates.
The first great court ceremonial is the Schleppencour, so-called from
the long trains or Schleppen worn by the women. On this night we

"presented" Mr. and Mrs. Robert K. Cassatt of Philadelphia, Mrs.
Ernest Wiltsee, Mrs. and Miss Luce and Mrs. Norman Whitehouse. On
the arrival at the palace with these and all the members of the Embassy
Staff and their wives, we were shown up a long stair-case, at the top of
which a guard of honour, dressed in costume of the time of Frederick
the Great, presented arms to all Ambassadors, and ruffled kettle-drums.
Through long lines of cadets from the military schools, dressed as
pages, in white, with short breeches and powdered wigs, we passed
through several rooms where all the people to pass in review were
gathered. Behind these, in a room about sixty feet by fifty, on a throne
facing the door were the Emperor and Empress, and on the broad steps
of this throne were the princes and their wives, the court
ladies-in-waiting and all the other members of the court. The wives of
the Ambassadors entered the room first, followed at intervals of about
twenty feet by the ladies of the Embassy and the ladies to be presented.
As they entered the room and made a change of direction toward the
throne, pages in white straightened out the ladies' trains with long sticks.
Arrived opposite the throne and about twenty feet from it, each
Ambassador's wife made a low curtsey and then stood on the foot of
the throne, to the left of the Emperor and Empress, and as each lady of
the Embassy, not before presented, and each lady to be presented
stopped beside the throne and made a low curtsey, the Ambassadress
had to call out the name of each one in a loud voice; and when the last
one had passed she followed her out of the room, walking sideways so
as not to turn her back on the royalties,--something of a feat when
towing a train about fifteen feet long. When all the Ambassadresses had
so passed, it was the turn of the Ambassadors, who carried out
substantially the same programme, substituting low bows for curtsies.
The Ambassadors were followed by the Ministers' wives, these by the
Ministers and these by the dignitaries of the German Court. All passed
into the adjoining hall, and there