National Republican., 1886-12-18
A MAD KINGS PALACES.
A Description of the One In Which He
Never Received a Guest.


A very interesting private letter, written
to Washington lady by former resident
Of this city who has been travelling In Eu-
rope, dated at "0bernais bel Meran, In the
Tyrol," Oct. 90, describes the last Of the four
palaces built by the late mad King Ludwig,
of Bavaria. The authorities have opened the
four palaces to the public at charge Of so
cents a ticket, and have realized 10000,
and with It are paying Ludwig's debts. The
Chinese palace, at which the king never re.
ceived a guest and which even his own
mother had never seen until after his death,
copies the style of that built by Louis XIV
at Versailles, and the mad king seems to
have taken the extravagant French mon
arch as his model. The entrance hall is a
miniature copy Of the entrance to the grand
opera in Paris, the walls encrusted with fine
marbles and ceilings superbly frescoed. BY
means OF grand staircase OF white marble
series Of sumptuously decorated and fur
nished rooms are approached.
The first is hung with maroon velvet
embroidered In gold, trimmed with a
knotted gold fringe; the curtains, portieres,
and upholstery of the heavily gilded chairs
is III Of this velvet, and In the walls superb
paintings in gilt frames form panels: The
second room Is Of turquoise blue, with gold
embroidery. In this are six Sevres porcelain
tables, each with a large painting. In the
center, bordered with turquoise blue por-
celain, put tog, ther with gilt bronze, and
having a pedestal Of the blue porcelain.
There are also red and gold room, green
and gold one, and throne room OF purple
and gold
The state bedroom is of Gobelin tapestry
and gold. The bed Is on dals and the bed
stead covered with decorations In bas'relief.
The frleze Of this room, three feet wide, has
on II Cupids In full relief the size OF babies,
made Of carved wood gilded with 19.carat
| gold. Small crescent-shaped windows, with
| pink.glass panes, temper the light OF the
larger windows, topreyent the glare so much
| gold would produce. In every room are two
or more immense chandeliers, each holding
| $50 candles. The kings bedroom Is deco.
rated with lapls laZuli, blue and gold. On
the Gobelin tapestry forming canopy
| over the bed Is depicted the cruciaxlon and
| above II white dove. From the center OF
| the gilt foot.board arises a pedestal, on
which rests the large ball of lapls lazuli
which held the night lamp. The approach
| to the royal couch was guarded by a gilt
| fence across the room. The toilet articles
Of Sevres china are In blue and gold aud
| the dressing glass is draped by point lace
veil, which falls to the floor on either side
held above the mirror by a gilt cherub.
| Satin hangings, trimmed with fine point
lace, cover the toilet table.
| This chamber Ludwig used but twenty
nights. Adjoining II on one side is a dress
iDg-room copied from Maria Antoniette's
and bath room on the other, elaborately
| fTescoed with meTmaids and sea nymphs
Twice day he used large swimming bath
OF marble thirty feet In diameter and
six feet deep. The smoking room is hung
with white satin embroidered with baskets
Of flowers and birds. The mantels and
mirror frames and chandeliers are of lnC
white china decorated with china flowers
The door panels have lovely pictures OF
china, The dining room of red and gold
was so arranged that the table could bC
lowered and spread, then raised, and nj
servant need be In attendance In that room
| The grand salon, or hall of glass, contaInt
| chandeliers and candelabra, holding 2,50l
| candles, which are reflected many times II
| the mirrors. 1t took twenty men one houl
TO light these candles, and all OF them ant
the $500 In the other rooms were lighted
every night when the king slept at thu
| palace.