Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-03-31
BAVARIA'S KING.
A Romantic Ruler of Odd and Ex
travagant Tastes.

travagant Tastes.
All reports agree that the present king
OF Bavaria, Ludwig H., is an extremely
eccentric and extravagant gentleman of
most romantic turn of mind, even ex-
ceeding in kingly oddity his royal grand
father, Ludwig l. There have doubt
less been a great many false tales told
about the astonishing freaks of King
Ludwig H., but it will be admitted by
all who glance at the picture of the Won
derful sleigh in which he is accustomed
to take an airing that simplicity of style
and an aversion to royal display are not
among his virtues. If anything more
elaborately gorgeous has ever been noun
ted on runners than this winter carriage
of Bayaria'S king, no record has been
kept of the fact. And this is only one
of coach-houSe full of sleighs, the gor-
geousneSs of which furnishes theme
for the gossip of Munich, while in ac-
ton they are at once the admiration and
terror of the peaSantry of the surround
ing country as they dash through it at
full speed, the royal passenger within
taking his pleasure alone after his Gu.
rious fashion 1t is no secret that the
owner of this bewlldering turnout is
to-day hOpeleSSly bankrupt, and that the
wiSeSt men in his kingdom are rackina
their brains to discover means to extri-
cate him from his difficulties, and to
prevent him from running every body
else. Propriety under these circUmstan-
ceS, would seem TO indicate something a
trifle less magnificent than this chariot
on runners as suited to the kings sleigh
riding demands, but propriety has never
played conspicuous part in the lives of
| the Ludwig's of Bavaria. The present
monarch's taste for sumptuOus vehicles
IS naturally connected with the report
that he is about to marry mOrganati-
cally widow of carriage builder in
Nuremberg.
King Ludwig was born in 1915. and
has thus far had merry life of it. In
addition to his very evident advantages
of birth, he was favored by nature Will
! handsome face and commanding figure.
More than six feet in height, with well
propOrtiOned limbs, broad shoulders.
with well shaped head, covered Will
clustering black ringlets, he was by
common consent acknowledged tht
handSOmest man in all his kingdom.
There are many artists here in New
York, who, while perusing their studies
at Munich, frequently saw the young
king, and they all agree Ia most unusual
occurrence among New y Ork artists, byI
the way that lie was, eight or ten years
ago, an extremely dashing and hand
some young gentleman. At that time
his eXceentricities or reXtravaganceSw Were
not as marked as they have since become
and he might be seen on any pleasant
afternoon StrOlling down LudwigStTspsSC
the finest street in Munich) with very
tall silk hat perched on his head, and a
fashiOnably cut OyercOat tlapping in the
breeze for he always walked fast, and
with a rolling theatrical motion like that
of 4 pOmpous tragedian surprised into
haste. lie invariably carried Il slender
walking stick, and bowed affably to cv-
erybOdy he met. 1t was in those DAYS
that the influence of Wagner over the
young king was most prOnOunced-Ju
influence which it will be remembered
was at one time so strongly resented by
the kings subjects in Munich that the
great musicians life WAS placed i'm leo
pardy by the fury of Il mob.
On the roof of his splendid palace il
Munich the king caused to be cOnStruc.
ted 4 miniature lake bOrlered With over
hanging and sweetly scented Shrubbery.
An artificial sky, containing a luminou:
moon which could be made to rise or set
formed a canopy over the lake. render
ing any interruption Of the kings plea.
sure by wet or stormy weather impOSSl
BILE. 1t was land Is said still TO be- the
kings delight to float out upon the pla
cid surface of this romantic bath tub il
a Luxurious gondola, and there surrOun.
ded by beyy of stately white SWANS
which had been trained to rest cOntiu |
ually in this little pond, to listen to aria.
from his favOrite operas sung by SOmt
famous prima donna who had beer |
placed in hiding behind the bOughs OF
the waters edge. 1t is recorded that OF |
the occasion of one of these keatS-night. |
ingale concerts, the fair singer, doubt
less IN her anxiety TO reach high note. |
pushed over the enormous flOwer-pot he. |
hind which she was cTOuching, and |
tumbled head first into the pond, and
the king gallantly rescued her, and af. |
terward presented her with a trOusseaU
more extensive than that of any bride &c
atone for the injury that had been done
to her gown by the indigo with which.
in order to give it deep sea-like color.
the pond had been richly Salted.
There is no denying that the present
King of Bavaria has done much to adj |
vance the cause of music, and that tC
his eXtravagant enthusiasm is due the
fact that Munich is to-day musical as
well as an acknowledged art center, but
at the same time it cannot be denied
that his methods have been and are al
least questionable, and his extravaganza
ruinouS. FOrmany years it has beer
the delight of this romantic sovereign tC
take possession of the Royal Opera house
and insist upon the giving of a complete
Operatic performance for his own exclu
sive delectatiOn, paving handsomely fOi
the fun. On such occasions the auditO
rum is darkened, and no one save the
performers and the king is permit.
ted to enter the building. The king.
having established himself in SONS
COAliCl VI lllC SiNetl iiOuot. Nltlt iiOIit Oi
those engaged upon the stage can see him
the performance begins.
In the construction OF his two new
castles in the mountains between Nun.
ich and Oberammergan the same reck.
less extravaganza has been shown by the
king that characterIZes all his acts, and
the people of his kingdom are left tC
wonder how the bills will he paid, and
what the king Will do next. His debts
now amount to 81 900, 900 and his most
recent freaks have been such, in the
opinion of his subjects, as to pass the
line that separates eccentricity from
downright insanity.
AGES will come and go: but woman
will not be perfectly happy until she
can have eyes attached to her shoulders,
co that aha rsaau lOOlr anI