William IV. and William I., wandered at one time
in the forests, and made their food of wild berries. They amused
themselves by making wreaths of _cornblumen_,--blue flowers answering
closely to our "bachelors' buttons,"--which grow wild everywhere in
Germany. Thenceforward the _cornblumen_ were dear to the young
princes, and they were "the Emperor's flowers" to the end of his
Imperial life. So devoted was he to the memory of his mother, that
when in his later years he saw a young girl whose striking beauty of
face and form reminded him of Queen Louise, he persuaded her to allow
her portrait to be taken, that it might remind him of the mother whom
he remembered in her youth. This beautiful portrait is bought, by many
Germans even, as that of Queen Louise, and may be known by a star over
the forehead. The finest actual portrait of this Queen which we saw
was, at the time of our visit, in the Old Schloss at Berlin, and
showed a mature and lovely woman, every inch a queen. The exquisite
reposing statue, by Rauch, in the Mausoleum at Charlottenburg, over
her grave, is well known by copies.

The life led by the aged Emperor was simple and methodical to the
last. Rising at half-past seven, he breakfasted, looked over his
letters and papers, and was ready by nine or half-past nine to begin
his reception of officials or other callers, which lasted till after
midday. After lunch, he usually drove for an hour or so in the
afternoon, often accompanied by a single aid, bowing right and left to
the populace, who thronged for a look and a smile. His plain military
cloak enveloped him in cold or rainy weather, and his was often one of
the plainest equipages on the brilliant street. "I do not think," said
General Grant, after having visited the Emperor, "that I ever saw a
more perfect type of a soldier and a man. His Majesty went off into
military affairs. I was anxious to change the subject, as I had no
interest in the technical matters of war. But the Emperor held me to
the one theme, and we spoke of nothing else. I fancied Bismarck
sympathized with me, and would have gladly gone off on other subjects,
but it was of no use. The manner of Bismarck toward the Emperor was
beautiful,--absolute devotion and respect. This was my one long talk
with the Emperor. I should call him the embodiment of courage, candor,
dignity, and simplicity; a strikingly handsome man."

Sometimes the Kaiser would hold up to the palace window his eldest
great-