New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-10
HIS MAJESTY'S BARBER.
ny THE LATE E. c. GRENynLE MURRAY

known as Minister TO the late King OF Swa0ia !
Int had made an lncautloIs use Oh SJ, sTTveiI
pu' ~ US living ia exile under police sutNouL
SIt's- All III vas always dressed in anlteSs lrock
aat n white cravat a glossy new u9O, "'. L. a.,
- gloves; and when be TOOK MS ""'iS 'a,tr |
gray -at,r;, No us.d to he followed AT twenty |
20. distance bv "a muscular servant III HNo.S'
Thnt large class OF people WHO spoih .. 1ncIare
1nt,nr On ,hat they say were WON ~ uo. ~
iecunT oN footmau was a detective who held lhe
HT",.terI in perpetual custody but ile suIeWuea
AI'Il3?o y, tpe thoughtful vent 10 snow that nc
- mere bod r. Cuardsman OF mast WI"
wa 49, obroad unattended. The Minister 90 |
uod had handsome suite OF aP35 li i pbonn
- bn,tllng street OF the CITY the hlu u ~ -, ~
HoS' ou''ii - he lei was hv means one OF re- |
:ocnt lie was accustomed 10 uIne a. .no ne |
Ttofc of the numerous holels & r;Tb nassing
- .il,rclv engaged IN conversation VIZ, p,;on17
N....us' Fngi,h French. RUSSIAN or AMIR cau !
T"t bc avoided Germans ana tneI' Coua, l,,, t
Unit that there mystery IN ms -
3oHpe 'o, Uni never receive anybody privately al
H. rooms and nothing cculd per9uao NM a., ~ f,o
H'S-,,f,"a,. rain "A boat. carriage. lie oIteh |
"a" ha tbsatrr but if ii raned or showed as he
con,ipg out he returned home on lo't Snel'cIrI
rnd.r his foOtmans umbrella; once ne ~! ~ anu
IaG to send for a doctor, hut that meulcai man
10" ~ him alone. A middle-aged oWi-laceu |
Ion.krep.r IN silk dress, used 20 remain tli.
SCH rOOm and the door OF me cnall,uSS' r,o,
aiar so that tie patient might by d WoIu piia
90 footulan on duty in lhe ante-room ! ne sci |
mi who held guard over HE Minister al nun n
was no, the same who attended hlm auroal. Po.HH
-. stalw9rt active. Ohedlent men, VINO nau
iecn well trained 10 their work, anu KEPT pcI,cC.
watch over their tonencs. ne Pc! "u "a f,+
~ tne nolf'9 door servant who used to sit in
IEe vestilule while Tho Minister was al taoe'
iut they mad never ELECTED from nm any lni0ima-
non beyond this that ms master VIZ hdd, loI
schwartz a kind worthy gentlemHh' VINO WaIheu
about with AN attendant hecanse II p.eaNeu , n.i ~
IN 90 A few weeks ago. however baron C-"a'."
s,.l1enI- died ana then. some OF Ms PAPERS nav
inc fallen INTO the hands OF persons who saw 10
motive for preserving silence a TO their contents
H. ,erv strange story OF The Minister'S past lie
pt Ia rpi name WAS not Baron Schwartz. but
if.a Y "A 1 ~.
- nrIer beeu Prime Minister Ia Swsnld' bHt
.implv barber to otto King OF that country lie
NOS of barber 20 his Ma esty. howe' I'D us way
a verv imrorant one and many statesmen A Wen as
courtiers eu1i-d Monsieur LOul-eolNe piNHeSe
Of chatting halt an hour daily IN tIeed0u WIN lhe
KIM Otto waSa great gossip ana Tue leu'u "a'i
User Wa. lust the man TO SUIT HIM. lie retalled
all tlie small talk of Hoistadt, the capaIt hroHGu'
e.rlv news of impending scandals, AMI t"ld His
Naie,fv " bat the Hoistaatcrs thought ON pol tIeal
Subjects A. his situat on OF Court c'V'V anu ms
, -, t,,.,c,- With the King caused him 10 be
n,trorizrd by the Swablan arIstocracN, ne wa III
nostion 10 collect much of that conhdentla iu-
teiIueuce which goes 10 make up secret IneIi'IIS
aud Is DOT ALWAYS de>pl~ed uy grave historians.
But though Monsieur loDii-eo!s Aue" o.''o. tI'1
most men what the little strings mat set great
events motion. ne was very IeseL.eu ~ aotI
use OF this knowledge except 10 entertain H.s VA
muster Tie klng trusted him very nearby ana
i-.os was ~ lsr enough not 10 abuse que l""u
enc he possessed Tor i"oush puTPoS's nc WI WI !
- INT a withdrawing and benehcent barber. !
T6ouob not very ScrupulOus a to whose reputation
lie -rked at 20 long be could make Ills MAJESTY !
i"r,b aloud while his Royal couutenance was |
covered with lather. he would often eAeTl hNise4i
To- bring legitimate grievances before lhe is nI ana
sometimes succeeded IN getting piece OF oIhciaI |
1ir.tt.p ouiefit r-fucdlcd Tor such uoIn-5 LODI !
l,eois was not loved log placelnen. lie uid beeu |
suecrcd at IN newspapers as one "noNe '.s'on ~
Cont reflected no great credit Oh Tue NM ana !
more sins were lad 10 hl- dooI ibau he had ever /
corluitte but for this he cared little, ~ ne nade
good deal Of money aud was treated WIN more /
r,.tact that generally fall, 20 members OIL MS pro-
fe.,lon OTTO the First was not eAactlN an eA- !
,,I.r,. .,onarch knowing that kings more /
tf.tfft ON ID.
abundant al lowances Tor himself and never rOutlcd
himself To inquire whei her his sun ects were I
pleased with his dongS He W As obstinate WIN his
&,',.ters cool towards the cierg, OF his kingdom
and martinez with his soldiers: hut he Mas very
aiabe toward ta' laiie, Who composed Tue 'IoHp
of his faNOnte theatre. ana never eruaged lde
money of his people IN bringing hrst rate singers,
act~e,-e. and dancers from atar 10 dlspoIt them
selves before hun. IN course of time II happenci
1lat by dut of enjoying himself Ills Majesty became
fat unhealthy. and short OF temper. his mar
turned gray preuaturcl}. and he developed fond
mass for " ne which clothed his nose III Imperial
pyrple. L0legeoIs vs. tie only man who couid
coax him INTO good humor; and often ne would
keep the barber in conversation for hole morn
lug asking for MS ADVICE on az ,oIts vi '"'
connected with shaving and halr-cutuns
This was fatterinE - the barber, but dsqueths
n the same time for lOblcuOls began u lear ihat
thr klnus ST. stem was breaking up he was there
fore very glad 10 learn one morning on arriving AT
he palace that HIS Ma esty hal iaien ia love over
night. and was eylncIus quite i ne" anu uheA-
NV dear Lob said the King as the barber
rI.-o,r nv hair to its natural color. 1t is absurd
Tor man 10 wear gray hair al my age ,,..,
Lobl.eois thought - too. 1our MAJESTY ha7
very line hair lie said a little dye viii soon
/. he the gay out. ,
tuued the King of Swaba. This discoioratlon
of tuy nose anl the swei ing Of my clrth are not
due TIL a man is past fifty. aud am barely forty,
They can bee removed too, sire. answered. the
larler % wing his brush. and as his Ma esty mouth
WIS nov covered with soap he was Iain TO keep 1t
sf'ut yhii4 oh lceoi- delivered short lecture on
N,.. IN inc nj ~v. AIlI nr1 de-
clarrl that dieting WAS mOon,hine : but having
fallen in love he was disposed to take different
Il suppose shall have 10 be more careful about
my food lie remarked presently: thOugh really 10
woIla surprise YOU 10 see low little cat have
hardly auy appetite leit.
''Tnat must be tie cooks fault, sire replied the
FrucAmau, with his usual tact. Perhaps Il he
were less sedulous to tempt your Majesty with
curious dishes he would und that You had an ap-
petite Tor plain food.
.Humph, | don't know. said his Majesty
frankly. To tell you the truth, Lob, think "a
good deal Of my fat comes from those scOuudrelly
French Wines. l have heard that no ever
grew thin on champagne
.lriukiug so moderately as your Mai
rstv does there must be something wrong
about the wines if they produce any .inur-
ion, effect upon YOU replied the courtly barber.
believe that occasionally. OWING o rcumstInces
in the weather grapes of the finest vintage get
saturated W properties which promote adIDose
tlssue-sugaT for instance.
but always drink dry wines said the King.
Certain dry wines contain more sugar than the
others reoIned the barber. not III tie least en-
barrls>ed. Tie sweetness has gone out of 1t but
lie remains and is the starch that tatens.
However nobody would describe your Majesty
as fat: the slight encumbrance of which you com
plain and which merely comes from superabund-
auce OF health, eau be made 70 disappear III a few
weeks
Truth has TO be conveyed 10 kings In very delicate
Dc ses and carefully wrapped up as above. How
ever the King OF SwaDIa. who Ike most men kne
as much as any doctor could tell him about his
constitution. entered voluntarily into new course
Of diet. and, thanks TO the ardor oil The passion
within him. perseyered IN II. In about three
lnnnfLs M he'd red1ced Llmsrlf 10 q convenient