It is in this palace, haunted, one might almost say, at every point by memories and by the spirit of the most famous of Prussian kings, a monarch distinguished as a general, as an administrator and as a philosopher, that Germany’s future emperor will from henceforth make his home until he in turn, on the death of his father, will migrate, as did the latter, from the so-called Stadtschloss to the “Neues Palais,” two miles and a half distant.  The crown prince is also to have a residence of his own at Berlin, where he is to occupy the Bellevue Palace during the court season.

Among other characteristics of the young crown prince is his fondness for animals, and the extraordinary influence which, even as a child, he has always seemed to exercise over them.  He succeeded in training his ponies, his dogs and other domestic pets to perform such clever tricks that on several occasions he managed, with the assistance of his brothers, to organize very creditable circus performances, usually in honor of the birthday of his father or his mother.  There was one instance especially that I may recall, which took place some years ago.  This particular performance began in the afternoon at three, with a prologue spoken by Prince August William, in which he mentioned the different items of the programme.  Then each of the royal lads led his pony in front of the box in which the imperial couple sat with their guests, and the crown prince put his horse “Daretz,” through all kinds of tricks, of a high school character, winding up by making the horse kneel in token of salute before the emperor and empress.  More trick riding on another horse named “Puck,” belonging to the crown prince, followed, and thereupon there was a comical intermezzo, in which Prince Adalbert and Prince Eitel took the part of two clowns.  Later on, the crown prince’s dogs were brought on the scene, and his favorite “Tom” went through some extraordinary antics, walking about all over the ring on his hind legs, tolling bells, driving other of the prince’s dogs with reins, and jumping through hoops covered with tissue paper.  The whole affair lasted over two hours, was very entertaining, even to grown-up people who did not happen to be related to the organizers of the entertainment, and did great credit to the cleverness of the crown prince, and above all to the marvellous influence which he exercises over animals of every description.

Military tastes in the royal lad have been developed by the games and pastimes in which he and his brothers were encouraged to indulge; hence, in the grounds of the Bellevue Palace at Berlin, as well as in a corner of the great park of the Neues Palais at Potsdam, the boys constructed full-fledged forts with water-filled moats, and cleverly constructed bastions, which were stormed from time to time in due form, and being defended with the utmost tenacity, hard knocks were ofttimes given and received.  The playmates of the crown prince and his brothers have been not merely the sons