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Read Ebook: The Sunny Side of Diplomatic Life 1875-1912 by Hegermann Lindencrone L De Lillie De
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Ebook has 1031 lines and 94440 words, and 21 pages
PAGE
NOTE vii
THE ALPHABET OF A DIPLOMAT ix
WASHINGTON, 1875-1880 1
ROME, 1880-1890 89
STOCKHOLM, 1890-1897 201
PARIS, 1897-1902 237
BERLIN, 1902-1912 277
SARAH BERNHARDT " 12
DOM PEDRO " 12
HENRY W. LONGFELLOW " 50
JAMES G. BLAINE " 50
OLE BULL " 82
QUEEN MARGHERITA " 102
KING VICTOR EMANUEL " 106
TWO YOUNG QUEENS " 130
THE PALACE, MONZA " 136
PALACE AND GARDENS " 136
NOTE FROM F. LISZT " 152
AALHOLM. BUILT IN 1100 " 168
INSCRIPTIONS IN ONE OF THE ROOMS AT AALHOLM, BEARING THE DATE 1585 " 168
FRANCESCO CRISPI " 198
KING OSCAR " 212
THE KING OF SWEDEN " 220
THE RIKSDAG OF SWEDEN " 224
FACSIMILE OF LETTER FROM GRIEG " 230
A LETTER IN ENGLISH FROM KING OSCAR " 234
JULES MASSENET AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS CAREER " 246
A NOTE FROM MASSENET " 248
LINES FROM "LA PRINCESSE LOINTAINE" WITH ROSTAND'S AUTOGRAPH " 260
BJ?RNSON " 270
THE EMPRESS OF GERMANY ON HER FAVORITE MOUNT " 280
EMPEROR WILLIAM IN THE UNIFORM OF THE GUARDS " 280
TWO VIEWS OF ROYALTY " 282
THE THRONE-ROOM OF THE ROYAL PALACE, BERLIN " 290
QUEEN LOUISE OF DENMARK " 296
THE ROYAL PALACE AND LUSTGARTEN, BERLIN " 306
COUNT HATZFELDT " 326
THE EMPEROR IN 1905 " 332
NOTE
MADAME DE HEGERMANN-LINDENCRONE, the writer of these letters, is the wife of the recently retired Danish Minister to Germany. She was formerly Miss Lillie Greenough, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she lived with her grandfather, Judge Fay, in the fine old Fay mansion, now the property of Radcliffe College.
THE ALPHABET OF A DIPLOMAT
THE SUNNY SIDE OF DIPLOMATIC LIFE
WASHINGTON, 1875-1880
Dear Mother,--After my hurriedly written letter of the 24th you will know that we have arrived here safely. My first introduction to my first post as diplomat's wife was made unwittingly by a gentleman walking with a friend just behind me. "Who is that gentleman?" said he, indicating Johan. "That? That is the Minister of Denmark." I, struggling with an arm-load of flowers culled from well-intentioned friends at different stations on the road, my maid and Johan's valet bringing up the rear with the overflow of small baggage, passed unnoticed. Now we are quite established here, and I have already commenced my diplomatic duties. There seems to be no end of card-leaving and card-receiving, and a list of rules on etiquette as long as your arm. I never knew of anything so confusing. I try to remember the things that I must do and the things that I must not do. How many cold shower-baths of reproval have I already received; how many unruly things have I already done! We are invited to many dinners, luncheons, and entertainments of all kinds. I am knee-deep in engagements, actually wading in them. The engagement-book you gave me is already overfilled.
We were very much amused at the collection of newspaper cuttings you sent us. Johan thought the one describing him as "a massive blonde of magnificent proportions, whose pure heart and clean hands had won all hearts in Washington" , was much too personal. "The medals were not his fault, and should not be laid up against him; and as for the gold key which he wears on his back, it is considered a great honor, as few Danes have had it conferred on them, being, as it is, the key of the king's own bedchamber, and giving the wearer the privilege of entering there when he likes."
It was very nice of Norris, your Cambridge grocer, to placard the fruit in his shop window in our honor. "Lindencrone beauties" and "the Danish pair" show a certain amount of humor which ought to be applauded. Such a pun goes to my heart. I hope you encouraged him by buying them all and can tell me what a "Danish pair" looks like.
It would take more than one letter of mine written on foolscap paper to tell you of our colleagues and friends. I can do it in sections when I have time. But, oh, when can I get the time!
Johan read his speech, and the President answered by reading, with some difficulty, a paper which Mr. Fish handed to him at the last moment. After this exchange of formalities Johan shook hands with the President, and without further ceremony he left the room, the door this time being opened by a white servant in black clothes. Mr. Fish at parting casually observed that the weather was fine.
After dinner we darned stockings. This sounds queer, but nevertheless it is true. The Schiskines had just bought a darning-machine. They paid eighty-six dollars for it; but to darn, one must have holes, and no holes could be found in a single decent stocking, so they had to cut holes, and then we darned. The Grand Duke was so enchanted with this darning that he is going to take a machine home to the Grand Duchess, his august mother.
WASHINGTON, 1876.
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