AN EVENING WITH BISMARCK.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 95, 26 July 1879, Page 3

AN EVENING WITH BISMARCK.

The season is drawing towards its close. and 1 believe the Court-circle is glad to come to res', at last. The festivities followed each other, and the Carnival was, regardless of the many interruptions, a very brilliant and lively one. Particular interest is always paid to the so-called Parliamentary evenings of Prince Bismarck, which always take place on Saturdays. As 1 was myself fortunate enough to receive an invitation for last Saturday, the 4th Parliamentary soiree, 1 will give your leaders a sketch of how Prince Bismarck lecoivcs and entertains his guests in hi, own house, and how simply (he Prince and his family move among their guests. The invitations are for !) o'clock, and of course everybody tries to bo in time. The stairs which lead up to tie- looms are all of white, marble, the walls are white too. (Jo the first floor landing, behind thick curtains, are the dress rooms. After giving up cloaks and mantle,, the guest, enter the reception room where we find already several group, assembled. The Prince, Nho is the tallest, wears this evening the blue uniform of the Cuirassiers, with broad yellow dollar. Thu eves look

very lively, ami u merry expression plnvs round mouth ami no.se. • To every one of tin? arriving persons tliu Chancellor stretches out his right liuinl ami gives a gooc" shake. Many who arc for the llr.-t timo in liis house are introduced to him l.y (joueral ttath Tiedciuann, or by one of his sous. With persons whom he knows well he begins at once a conversation, which of course is never of long duration, as new arrivals bring soon an interruption. The two sons—Herbert, tall like bis father, and slim ; and William (or as his father constantly calls him, Hilly), shorter, and of stouter build —have a veiy friendly way of receiving and entertaining the guests. They are always standing near their father, and, so to say, receive those with whom the Chancellor is finished. At the feet, of the Prince we notice his great dog Tiros, wiio is never wanting in these friendly evenings, and who often rises to approach one or the other of the guests with many of whom he is well ocipiaintud. It is a large dog of the Umbergor race, ofn deep black smooth skin and short hair. In the course of the evening several smaller L iberger dogs arrive, and approach Tiros with friendly wuggings of their tails, after which they all ipiietly lie down, and behave most becomingly for the whole evening. The windows of the hall go to the gmien. The walls are painted in dark Pninpeyan colours. Large divans, upholstered chairs and tabourets, stand round the room, only to the right hand of the entrance i-. a broad cupboard, on which a whole regiment of glasses stands, and in the midst of them a large cup with a silver lid, a copy of an antique Clip from the sixteenth century. This cup is tilled with beer, and the servants, who otl'er first glasses to the guests, pour the beer out of this big cup which is continually Idled again. There is, at the sane time, tea for the ladies and hot punch for the gentlemen who do not take beer. In a smaller room, which is lit up by wax candles, Prinoess Bismarck receives the ladies. The Princess is m no way handsome, but her face has n very kiudhoartud and amiable expression. JJy her side is her onlv daughter, the ( ountass Mary V. RanUitn. She is too much like her'father to he called pretty, but both the sons are very handsome, and Count Herbert is even more than that. Countess ltniitzcn is also, in her manners, very much like her father. She goes to meet all the lady guests and leads them to her mother. Soon, ft largo oircleo older and younger ladies have assemble,! round tlu> two hostesses, and the conversation is as lively as it can be. I rinecss Pless, Countess Stolbcrg-\\ erntngerode the wives of the Ministers Magsbsck and Hofninn, with their daughters, are piesent and many of the first ladies of the wain.. Amongst the gentlemen we »« many Ministers and all the highest oil - ciole of the States, professors ot the University, artists, authors, doctors, architects • few olllcors. sou.egentlemau trim} the KmbuKsies, in short a drill co»J"v.",l of all the first elements of our society Next to the hall in "Inch the Princess

gn>ss, it i, even that Utah dndl b ttlnitted Into the badly of Btot*r. I'lii-. It tbaprMßßi aim ni tli- Miiuiiiin lead-is. \V liilt. tin- Mormon rlnnvli remains merely our of the peculiar institution-, subject Wholly to til.! dil-t Icreceives, lii tin- (ii.-Kt'Hall, which baa be- <■ mm famous through tbeOungresa, whose members had their moloui here. Abo lata tiiis ball atnoa of the gue ts entered, ami afterwards* lively i-iix-ulntiiiii began through th* three rooms. At about 11 o'clock, Mr. Tiedemaan and 11.-rr v. Hoistein invited the gentlemen to enter the dining-room, the fourth and last hall mi the same rt-■ >i-- To its western ihle is joined a hothouse which is very large, and offers tin- mint enay little alleys mid seats amongst splendid (limits ami dowers. In thu middle of the dining-room is erected a large table containing Humorous dishes with cold and warm courses, platag, glasses, napkins, knives and forks, ami all the necessary requisites. Round the walls are placed u largo number of smaller tnblcs all surrounded by chain destined to receive the guests niter they have provided themselves with what tiny like from the principal table. Thu little groups are soon formed, ami the servants circulate here constantly filling empty glasses witii beer, which is the Ohiinoollor's favourite beverage. The Chancellor himself had taken a tablo near the entrance door, with Piiiux Hohrnlobo, lien- v. Forkenbeck, and Hen- Volk. The three gentlemen are in lively conversation. Tiros is again at the feet of his master, looking up to him as though he understood every word that was spoken. To judge from s unesentonocs which reach our car, the coineis.ition does turn about political matters, but treats simple questions of an everdyay lite. Tits gentlemen reuiainc.l th about threo-uartors of mi hour al table, (hen returned to the reeeptiii rcoms. The ladies had, in the uieautimn, conversation and, after,

about ten minutes they wore begged t enter i> dm; „-n in Ho; Buicee lii ■

nwrek nut her daughter making the 'houneurs. The Chancellor led in the Princess I'less, the sons took < 'ountes Stolbergiind Countess ISethnsy in, and the liall wears .-ujuite a change I a-puet. Thu seats for the ladies arc arranged round the middle of the tabic, while' tie- gentlemen remain standing around. Now cluimpagiic is served, according lo the taste of the ladies, but many of the gentlemen likewise partook of it. Thu ladicf' supper did nol take longer than that of the gentlemen, and it was about half-past C2 when the whole partp assembled in the llrsl two reception rooms. The Clnnuellnr took is seat on a big round divan, several gentlemen bv his sides otvuw around lii.n on chairs and tabourets, Tiros on th- carpet berore him. I'ipce and cigars were ottered and the Chancellor spoke almost almio. Mrny of the ladies had thu gentlemen, and only smaller circles remained. At ■>. o'clock also the last guests rose, the Chancellor-Tiros bv ' his side--took leave of each with a "hearty shake of the hand and a mercy rarewell, and thus tee evening ended.—Herald's" Berin Utter."