having been in six countries in as
many days.

We walked a great deal in the beautiful country round Darmstadt, and I
sometimes rode over the miles of charming bridle paths. We made
expeditions into the beautiful Taunus country, all gold and scarlet in
autumn. The delightful custom of having _Wald Haeuse_ at convenient
distances in every direction round the city, makes these expeditions a
great pleasure. The coffee is usually good, and the cakes always so.

Darmstadt is on the Bergstrasse, almost a highway through that part of
Germany, and we were pestered one year with a constant stream of
beggars. They were usually ex-theatre people they said, and I found they
only came to me and not to my colleagues, so word must have been passed
round that an "easy" and extremely rich American lived in the town, who
was good for at least a mark.

The strangest stories circulated about us, and why we should choose
Germany to live in. One was that I was the illegitimate daughter of King
Edward, therefore a cousin of the Grand Duke, which explained a likeness
to him which I could see myself. They said my sister and mother were
really no relation to me, but simply paid to take care of me.

As I have said we had several picturesque privileges because I was a
_Grossherzogliche Beamtin_--an employee of the Royal house. I used to go
on certain days to the old Schloss near the theatre, no longer the
residence of the reigning family as it was too old to be comfortable. I
passed under shadowy arches and through cobblestone courts, surrounded
by aged windows, till I came to where the _Schloss Kellermann_ lived. I
went down a steep old stone stair into the bowels of the earth, where I
was greeted by the Head Cellarman, who wore a white apron and took
orders at a candle-lit table. I told him just how much Rotwein I wanted,
or perhaps a bottle of champagne for a treat, and paid a ridiculously
small sum for it all. The Grand Duke got it duty free and at special
rates, and we, as his employes were entitled to this rate too. For a
small fee two large flunkies in _Grossherzogliche_ uniforms would
deliver it to my apartment later in the day. I believe the cellars were
very wonderful, but I never was asked to investigate.

I think only the principals had this privilege, neither the chorus nor
the ballet sharing it, but I may be mistaken.

Our ballet was rather pitiful. Kind-hearted directors hesitated to
dismiss faithful servants of years' standi