The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-06-08
LOUIS or BAvARiA.
|Charncserisuc Anecdotes OF the Eccentric
Treubaaour ktns-ffis Palace M s,un,eh.

Cnaf"Ssef'suN A"eceoses os the eccentric
Treubadoar ksns-Iiis Palace nj Munich.
The solitary dreamer who governs Ba.
vana Is one OF the best rulers in Europe,
and one OF the most extraordinary person.
alltics OF our umc, says letter 10 the New
York Commercial advertiser.
1t Is sometimes said that this eccentric
King Is not beloved by his subjects. This
Is quite mistake. He Is truly loved In
. the country. and even In the capital he Is
sincerely liked. Who, indeed. could dis
like the Troubadour King, whose only
fault Is having been born In the purple.
No one could expect such man to be n
statesman or soldier, nor Is he. In 1866,
when Bavarlan blood was being shed for
southern Germany, he was basking quietly
In the delicious atmosphere OF his native
forests and lakes. Whilst the cannon was
roaring in the battlefield the King was
wandering IN the wood or rowing on the
lake OF Strarenberg, and when the Minis
tiers told him that Nuremberg was taken,
and that the Prussians were marching on
Munich, the hermit King consoled himself
by playing melody Of Schubertl 1t was
about this time that King Ludwig began
his devotion to the study OF Wagner's mu-
sic. IL was one OF his dreams TO become n
great artist. The Italians call him smu.
steal" Raphael without arms--that is, q
natural prodigy, unable TO execute the
melodies he dreamed VI in his hours OF soll-
tude.
Another OF his peculiarities is his dread
Of daylight, ard be rarely goes out by day.
He prefers night for his wanderings,
when. IL in q carriage, he Is preceded by an
outrider carrying lighted torch in bis
hand. The car.iage-wheels, also. are COW
cred with gutta percha. TO avoid noise.
The whole looks more like phantasm than
real royal procession. When be returns
10 the palace he walks close TO the wall,
more like burglar than king. His SER
wants are not allowed TO go near him unless
called, and then they must keep at dis
lance OF twelve steps. He gives his orders
by signs, for, though fond Of music, he
hates the trouble OF talking.
Everyone knows his mania for having
operas performed Cor himself alone; or, II
he consents to attend public performance
he shuts himself in his box like the sulta-
n mas in the yice-regal box at the Cairo Thea
tire. Sometimes, also, he takes a whole
company from q performance in order to
delight his ears IN his own theatre. The
manager has then to excuse himself rs best
he can to the public. and return all the
money taken at the doors. An excellent
supper is always prepared for the COM
pany as soon as il reaches the palace but
The performances do not begin before mid
night. The stage alone is then lit up, the
rest OF the theatre is dark, us II for re-
hearsal. The King himself is scarcely Wis
ible.
One day it was rumored throughout the
land that a young and fascinating singer
had succeeded in finding an inroad into
his heart. The King had opened the secret
doors of his park to her and had rowed
her on his lake. Everyone thought that
the King was caught at last. Even the
fascinating singer was sure that she had
the King safe in her net. She firmly be-
lieved herself loved in earnest. One eve-
ning-it was moonlight--she thought she
would further assure herself OF the truth,
so after singing q passionate l0ye-song,
with her eyes fixed on the eyes OF her
ROYAL rover, she pretended TO faint,
and fell in the water $50, at least, the
story goes), thinking that the King
would Jump after her and save her. But
the king was never known to laugh so
heartily before; and had ii not been for
the attendants the singer would have been
drowned. She never repeated the expert
ment. Bavarlans have lost all hope OF
seeing their King married now. In person
the King is perfect Hercules. He has
great NeneTdllOH iOT LOuIo Il =, vi is.hCS,
and has accumulated all the books,
memoirs. novels, and comedies ever writ.
ten concerning that period. He knows
all the customs OF the French court much
better than he knows the customs OF his
own time.
The King has two palaces at Munich
the old and the new. In the latter there
is large hall, built in the most eXtrava-
gantly rocco style. The gardens are as
beautiful as Armida's enchanted grounds,
and contain all the flowers OF the known
world. There is also a splendid pavilion
in them, with Oriental diyans placed all
around The walls. In the centre is lapis
lazuli table with Turkish pipe, studded
with precious stones, upon 1t. This pa
vilion is the Kings Delight" He
never enters it unless dressed III
Turkish fashion. He then winds up
a mechanical pianoforte, hidden behind
a screen, lights the pipe. aud stretches him.
self on the divan, where he smokes till he
falls off to sleep, luled by the strains OF
the invisible orchestra. Another OF MS
amusements is 10 play at being William
Tell. For this he has bad an imitation OF
a Swiss lake made near his " Delight"
and. by a curious contriyance, this lake
can be rendered as stormy as the toughest