The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-05-18
KING GEORGE OF GREECE.

NtN0 0EOna6 VI 0n6CSes
biographical and Historical Information
Not Found In Encyclopedias.
The information that Mr.. George (no
relation to Henry, the gentlemanly
and affable King of Greece. contem-
plates retiring from the reigning in
dustry, makes it desirable to cease from
the maddening whirl of everyday life,
and look up his record.
George comes of family which has
had considerable experience in the
monarch line. The old gentleman,
Georges father, Christian TX, is King
of Denmark. His big sister, Alexandra,
married the Prince of Wales, and has
been in training for the position of
Queen of England for good many
years; and another sister. Miss Dagmar,
is now officiating as Czarina of Russia.
The Kingdom of the Hellenes Gas the
natives call it) is not very large
country, as countries go, but 1t is really
the biggest Greece spot on the map.
The people use. even on week days,
a handsome alphabet of the Doric style
OF architecture, which is, however, all
Greek to those who have never stud
led it.
There is great deal of history at
tached to Greece in one way and anoth-
or. Some of this history is quite old
and shelf-worn. After the Western
Roman Empire met with a backset at
the polls. and gave way to a change of
administration, the Eastern, or Byzan-
tine Empire, struggled along for about
athousand years in semi-comatose state.
In 1893. however. the Turks secured
the title to all the corner lots and some
other real estate in Constantinople and
several sadjoining counties, including
what is now Greece, and ruled the
country with their own peculiar brand
of tyranny for $50 years.
This rule failed to give satisfaction,
and the Greeks yearned for reform and
tidal wave. 1t came at length. The
leaders of the opposition were Marco
Bozzaris, Esq. Mr.. Michigan Ypsilanti
and other influential gentlemen; but
their efforts at reform were discouraged
by a reprehensible habit the Turks had
Of massacreing patriots. Finally sew
eral European nations took hand in
the game. and assisted the Greeks in
throwing off the Turkish yoke.
The selection of a monarch was the
next thing tn order. Prince Leopold.
of Belgium, was nominated, and his
pull was sufficient to secure his cleo
ton. He disliked the situation. how
ever, and threw it up. The Greeks
then tried an interregnum, but this did
not suit. Mr.. Ohio. of Bavaria. was
then imported to officiate as monarch.
He was seventeen years old when he
began to reign. and held the situation
thirty years. Arevolution getting ripe
about that time. he abdicated.
The Greeks then offered the throne
to Prince Alfred, an Englishman,
promising to re-upholster it and white
wash the palace; but Alfred was in the
hands of his friends. who refused to
let him go SO far from home. Another
attempt to get some one to undertake
the job resulted in the selection of Mr..
George, the subject of this sketch.
This was in 1868. Having been en-
gagged in the arduous and absorbing
labor of ruling for twenty-five years,
George now wishes to retire to secure
much needed rest He has con-
tracted the abdication disease. which
sooner or later attacks all Grecian
kings. and it will soon carry him off,
w. H. Siviter. in brakes Magazine.