Savannah morning news., 1886-06-17

tae priests who were his instructors and
aLowed no juvenile companions. Tue
Solleglate course which it was intended
NC should pursue was prevented by the
ueaVh OF his father and his own accession
" tue throne. He came to power as an
opponent of the growing asceDdancv of
RUSSIA In German affairs and took part
win Austria in the war of 1866 against
russia Consequently when the allied
ioreeS were defeated at Koni2gratz and
os1owa he was obliged TO part with a slice
ol baVarian territory to the conqueror as
tne price OF peace and forgiveness. But
when, in 1870, Napoleon declared war
upon Prussia he made full atone
ment by being the first of the Ger
man powers TO offer an army TO King
william, although the French Emperor
had iulIy counted upon his assistance, or
at least his neutrality, supposing that
Ludwig would seize the opportunity to be
reVenged for his reVerses OF 1856. The Ba-
Narlan troops went TO the field without
lheir King and contributed Immensely 20
tue German victories. Although Ludw dwig
had already begun the life Of u recluse,
ne took the initiative in the measures
winch led to the establishment of the Ger
man empire, writing to the King of Sax
ony and other German Princes in behalf
OF the consolidation of all the States under
the King OF Prussia as Emperor. In con-
slderation OF his part in this most impop-
tant movement Bavaria was permitted to
retain to herself special rights as to her
domestic autonomy, the control of her
army and representation abroad.
The mad Kings intimacy with Richard
wagner, which was destined to color his
whole after life, began at a meeting in
Berg, the place where ne met his death
n ha ~ H. 4
to the appeal OF the composer to afford the
theatre the public patronage bestowed
upon It by the ancient Greeks by spend
ing vast sums upon the opera and drama
and shOweTing favOrs on Wagner and the
actors and singers "LOhengrin" was his
ideal knight, and in his diseased brain he
came to fancy himself the modern proto-
type of the Wagneriau hero. In each of
the many castles and palaces which he
built there was a theatre, wherein
he would have performances
which he witnessed alone
from his box, the vast and empty theatre
.darkened, with the exception Of the stage,
in order that his face might not be seen
by the actors. In this way he witnessed
the final rehearsal OF the great trilogy,
the 'Ring der Nibelungen," and then
made magnificent gifts to all the singers.
Schiller's ''Maid of Orleans" was one OF
his favorites, and he had il mounted and
produced for himself alone at a cost Of
over 100000 francs. When he desired TO
see "Narcisse" he sent to Vienna for
Charlotte W WOlters to play the principal
role and presented her with diamond
bracelet. Similar exploits he repeated
innumerably, and no oremonstrances could
stay his lnfatuatiOn.
HIS MANY PALACES.
In such freaks and with castle building
he passed most Of his time. He erected
palaces and hermitages at enormous eX-
pense, one OF helatter being exactly in
the fashion described by Wagner in ''Die
Walkure" Hohenschwangan, from where
he was taken prisoner, was an aTchitec-
tural wonder, on the roof of which he had
constructed a reproduction Of the gardens
OF Semiramis. Near by he had nearly
finished still more imposing pile In the
legendary home of the Swans and the
Swan Knight, while still another palace
on the Chiemsee was being built in imita-
tion Of the Versailles pile and finished in
the style Of LeGrand Monarque. One OF
it's features is bed which cost 1915, 600
The "Blue'GrOttO'' cave in the depth of an
adjacent mountain he had made an arti-
ticial lake to resemble liquid gold, on
which he would sail in q golden swan
shaped gOndola.
This isolation this royal lunatic was
unique. From one TO another of his pal.
aces and his chalets perched on dizzy
mountain heights, he would ffit by nighi
on horseback or in gorgeous sleigns, at
tended by a retiuue dressed in costumes
OF the court of Louis XIV. His Minis
teTs would chase him from one place to
another to procure bis attention to pub
lie business, while he as persistently
avoided them. Sometimes he would ride
at headlong speed on the mountain paths
his attendents carrying flaring torches,
This fancy he got from the "Erl King"
Five years ago he fell and had narrow
escape from death, but 1t only deepened
his idiosyncTacies. His private purse
and his civil list vanished under the drain
of his enormous extravaganza and he
would have bankrn pted the government
il it had not refused him further advances
A few months ago there were rumors OF a
marriage with widow who possessed q
huge fortune, but he was never welded
He was engagsd to Princess Sophia, sister
Of the Empress of Austria, but broke his
troth in one af his wbims after writing
her a love letter in which she figured as
Elsa and himself as IOheuQrjn.