Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-08-08

king dropped the oars to listen the more IN
tantly aud - they hnated in the moonlight
by the sha,Iowy, howery shore. The singer,
seeing that handsome, romantic and munn-
cent monarch bending toward her, with tears
of emotions in his eyes, mistOok the emotion
saw. perhaps. diamonds i'll the tears-sud-
denly flung her arms lovingly round the royal
neck and thought she had him! But he IN
stantly broke from her embrace, then lifting
her high in his arms flung her into the lake,
calmly commanding his servants, who were
waiting on the shore, to Fish out the lady,
adding that she had "seemed 10 be too
warm"
Poor Louis was several times on the eve Of
marriage but always lost courage before
coming in full view of the altar Once it was
n Russian princess whose musical accom-
plishments captivated him. He hoped for
harmonious uniou-wediock blessed OF Wag-
ner-but one day he left in the ladys hands
composition Of his own, for her to study and
/ be able to sing and play for him on his next
visit He called early the following day, all
/ impatient for a pleasure SO dear to an artist
| The princess was not in her salon, but on the
piano lay his song, rolled up and sealed with .
| his royal seal, just as he had left It, He took
| II and his final leave, wounded TO the heart as
musician and monarch. OF imagination all /
| compact" King Louis was an executive poet,
a practical idealist; he was that anachronism,
a fairy prince in the Nineteenth century. HIS
! extravagances and eccentricities were OF the .
romantic and legendary sort; his costly hang
ing gardens; the unheard OF luxury OF his
bedchambers; his throne Of gold and precious
stones; his fantastic coaches and sledges; his
\ banquets that came up through the floor; his
masked servitors. The Bavarians, who de-
l. llaf
to a severe early training from which he
wildly reacted.
His mother, Maria Of Prussia, princess OF
strong mind and stronger will, insisted, they
said, on his being educated with great sim
plicity and entire seclusion, without recrea-
ton, childish games or playmates HIS
father Maximilian ii, was commonplace
enough, not a bit of a fairy prince. l saw
him many years ago at Rome, when ho was
travelling for his health, under some trans
parent incognitO. 1t was at ball at the
Doria palace | remember him a slight,
male. plain gentleman who carried his head
very erect and stiff and did not on the whole
look as though he found it particularly jolly
! to be a potentate He was my first king, and
took that peculiar, stiff -necked bearing as
, the regular royal style, and not till since the
tragical death Of his son, when several fan-
ily skeletons have come tumbling out or the
royal closet did know that a certain spinal
malady, which caused the neck TO give way
and the head to lop about in a most uncOm-
Portable manner, compelled the poor king to
wear under his white cravat a close collar OF
/, iron or steel 1t is not safe to judge from ap-
: nearances. neither is it wise to envy any
BODY. Some months after meeting the king
saw him again in Munich, at the opera, the
: first night after his return from his travels
He was accompanied by his wife, and re-
: member that the two walked over from the
new palace followed by only one gentleman
and one lady Of their household. The opera
. in that primitive time and quiet capital be-
;, | gan before and ended before 10. The royal
| pair were Loyalty cheered, and seemed TO like
;. il. The queen was dressed very simply In
white, with a rich red Grape shawl on her
: | shoulders-worn threc-cornered fashion--and
a red rose in her hnIr for all ornament, no
, Jewels; Yet she looScd very pretty, very
: happy and very proud, as she stood up with
: the king to acknowledge the acclamntlons OF
!. their subjects NUT confess enVicd her
\ not exactly her ailing and stiff-necked hus-
a band, but her royal state, her beauty, her
II popularity, even her becoming red shawl
a but for many years past who has cnvied poor
. ex-Oueen Maria, widowed and with two mad
= finds the problem of her troubled life too hard
. and wants to give it up and SO into Il con
!, | vent
:. | Isuppose that the final and irrefragablt
proofs of the poor kings dementia are known
= TO most readers OF American journals Som,
. of them bore that touch OF the ludicrous which
u marks so often the most tragic and patheti'
- cases of insanity-such as the clause added Il
= his orders given TO his valet or barber, FOL
"a the execution of his ministry, that the muci
!, offending minister Of finance should first b
: put to torture. Another was for the massacr'
. Of the medical commission, with the claus
that each of those scientific old gentlemen
In was to be first deprived of an eye, for having
II seen what he should not have seen. One o
his attendants WAS only allowed TO appea
:, before him with seal upon his forehead, "a
= : the sign Of an imprisoned brain" II all roya
:, officials having confined and constructs
y brains, should be compelled to thus decorat
), their brows-what "a corner" in scaling wax
= II is strange, the long suffering of loyalty
w After years OF wild extravaganza and sense
na less prodigality, of misanthropic ISOLATION am
"a stupendous egoism, this man had plenty o
\, subjects who loved him and blindly serve
him OF curse, most Of those about hir
- were merr sne .ies-liying on his weakness
III anu crazy tOuilll, LAC NJ hithg Po1 aa4s
70 swarming over a sick hon-but they wer
n funkies, ,s well, and really believed in hi
\. divine right 10 be ~as mad as March hare,
r. sid it SO please his gracious majesty
,a After all, it was u question OF money, not c
- national dignity or governmental decency
Vi II the royal spendthrift's debts-emountin
at 10 only Il3, oO0 600 marks-could have bee
a paid, he might have been reigning and ravin
vet 1t is true there was a discussion in th
at ! secret session OF the state commission owe
ch the act of recognizing as sovereign the othe
M | royal incurable. Some members were fo
- setting him quite aside-as God had done
Ie arguing that it was unworthy Of reaSoi
an able people to go on acknowledging fealty
sT- madn,en; but the old sentiment Of bin
ne LOYALTY prevailed, and several grave ol
be mobiles waited on poor Prince Ohio, and 50
no emnly informed him that he was king
a. Bavaria As, when he first found hinse
% sequestered, he had, with a flash Of divini
III ton, exclaimed: why do you shut me nj
an NV brother is far more mad than lp 30 nov
M after twenty years, he h6d an inspiration
to reason for he said: Then we must cut dow
er- the army" That was all He took up aga
,o the tangled thread Of his unreal hfe and wei
l.; on with his madness, while those self-stultihs
old gentlemen rose from their knees al
lis backed out Of the presence.
ms GRACE GREENWOOD.
he ---
,ns MOTHERS-IN-lAW.