The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-07-22
SOVEREIGN or THE CONGO.
Poeuilarities Of King Leopold. o. Dss.
giun-IIIi ysrious Accomplishments
~ ~. o..

Poenilafitles 81 King Leopold, % Eel.
gigm-iils Various Accomplishments.
lSrr YORK Fanl
Every day the king either ridea or
drives 10 Brussels, accompanied 6y ono
or Two adIutAnts In the palace Of the
capital he gives his audiences. The
salon Rot spart for these ceremonies Is on
tie groundfo0F. opening on the gardens,
and Is reached BY another drawing.
ROOM where thu olicGr on duty
IS In Attendance. The king Is most
accessible, aud easily grants an
interview. He Is alIahle, and enters
freely into conversation, apparently in.
terlsted and eager forintormations The
walls Of the audience chamber are
literally crowded with paintings, so 9
Of great value and merit, both ancient
and modern. Leopold II Is ut once q
connpisseur and IN amateur, and has
ae ,uhe1 come priceless pictures by
an Dyck, RuJens, Ho,lema, and
other artists The magnificent ceiling
represents lay driving away Night. by
1eRn FRANCOIS hillet. Near this salon
is the Cabinet dc Travail, 10 which be
retire, immediatel after tho visitors
have departed. He resumes work I'll
il is time 10 return 10 aekcn for dinner.
y hen he tertnins civilian guests, the
king iTpears In black evening suit,
with The order Of The Golden leeee-
otherwise always in uniform. After
dinner he reads the evening papers
dips into new books and publications
and rGtrcs early.
is tastes, idiosyncrasies and antipa.
thies are strong and decided. As al.
ready said, ho dofs not care for vine,
he Is not fond Of II usic, dlslikes hunt.
ing and shooting, and hates tobacco.
whIle,hisbr0ther isan lnyetaratesmoker
and sportsman. EedOes not even swim,
although al Cstpnd during the bathing
season be spent an hobr in the sen. Re
is fond OF walking and riding but his
horses nrr trained fOf him while tue
queen trains her own. lie has ne or
worn gloves even in uniform, and re.
fused 10 wear the hat, which his father
used to think the proper headgear at the
opening Of parliament, prOnOuncing the
speech from tho throne liartheaded.
His dominant passion is architecture.
and his fayorite taste laying out grounds
and planting At his own expense he
gave 10 the parish Of t. Giles a splen.
did putlic park and another to the
township OF Lacken. In the Bots de Ia
Cambre, the Rois de Boulogne of Brus.
sells, he purchased for 100000 francs a
piece Of land which he converted into a
$ ,uare so as to preserve for the holiday
makers the magnificent panorama Of
lXellrs.E tterbeeE, In the Ar ennes he
rebuilt the castle and created Tierson.
At Stend he erected a palace called a
chalet, made Of wood, marvel Of com.
fort and elegance, planned and con.
Strncted entirely at lOwestoft in ng.
] nd, brought over in sections, and put
together at his favOriie seaside resort.
lie takes a lively interest in all in.
ycntions. His hot houses and winter
gardens are heated by the most ap.
proved sytem. lie has repeatedly
visited the model dwelling houses Of
Oudon, in order 10 found similar nc.
tommodation for the working classes in
Belgium. He speaks fngl SD, French.
and terman alike uently, as well as
lemish. lie is courteous, amiable, and
Of a most equable disposition. II
slightly skeptiCal, he is neither hittcr
nor severe, and seems to have taken as
q motto the words Of Napoleon at It.
Helena, ITO IN Grstand all is to forgive
all PG is persoyCring to otstinacy,
and rursues an aim with unllaggingzeal
and energy. His reign will be marked
by two great and noble efforts. lie
has yirtua ~ abolished capital pun.
iSlment, as he has consistently
refused to sign death warrant
and no has founded on his private
fortune q pri 0 of % . pounds sterling
for works Of intelligence 1t must,
however, lie confessed that, save on one
occasion the pr o has never been
awarded by the ury, who found none
OF the numerous yearly candidates
worthy OF obtaining it.
Tie king has no counscllOrs. A few
old and trusted advisers Of his fathers
can hardly be so called, although he
coniers with them on momcntuuS occa
SiOns. lie is himself first rate diplo.
matiSt, and has repeatedly had oppor
tunities of using this acquired or natu.
raj gift, and with cOnSummatc, vet un
OstCntations skin contriycs TO avoid the
influence Of conflicting parties at home,
and domineoring preston abroad. To
this self contained and suhtle power he
owes in n great measure the success Of
the long, hcriShed heme resulting in
the sovereignty OF thu Congo.