The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-10-14
Boyal Heals With Brains.

we know good deal about the SOW
| ereigns OF Europe, but how few of us are
| aware of the fact that almost every one of
| them Is skilled at some trade and coud
| oouoties in case of necessity, earn a
livelihood thereby, An ingenius French
| gentleman has devoted good deal CT time
TO THIS subject. and We are indebted to
hin for much Of the following .nforma-
| ton:
PRESIDENT Faure, OF France, according
TO this gentleman. Is an admirable lock-
smith, and spends many leisure hours n
practicing his trade. No new invention
appertaining thereto escapes his eye, ana
no one is better able to Judge as to its
usefulness. In handling the necessary
tools the president is said to be exception
ally deft; indeed, those who have seen
| him work describe him as a frst-class
locksn1ith.
The tastes Of Gar Nicholas lie in d:f-
ferent direction. Farming IS mis- hobby.
There is nothing about the Russian method
Of agriculture which he does not know,
and this knowledge has come to him, not
from books. but through long and steady
practice. Before ne became Emperor he
spent some years in the Caucasus, and
| while there he devoted much of his time
/ to farming. The imperial estates there
are of vast extent. and nothing pleased
the heir to the crown more than to wander
| over them. watching the superintendent
and farm hands al work, and occa sionaily
| taking a hand at the plough himself.
Type-setting Is said to be the favorite
pas-ime of the German Emperor. This
restless dreamer says our informant, lis
a skilled compositor. Like the monks OF
old. who used 10 spend Nancy an hour
in Illuminating manuscripts, he loves 20
spend his leisure in picking out type from
the cases and in placing them in forms.
To give birth TO words in this fashion is
his supreme delight
King Humbert of Italy is a shoemaker.
No better judge of leather than he. and
apparently few more skilled at cutting
leather and at fashioning shoes therefrom.
We are told that he plies his tools with
uncommon dexterity, and that he takes
special pains 10 max shoes of an elegant
appearance. Utility, however, IS never
sacrificed to beauty. He believes in strong
shoes, and hence those which he makes
will wear to the last thread. Still, ne IS
an artist in his way, as is clearly shown
by the fact that he will never condescend
to repair shoes This IS work for a
journeyman, not for creative artist.
Like Mr.. Gladstone, King Oscar Of Swe-
den is very fond of cutting down trees.
In his dominion there are perhaps more
lofty pine trees than anywhere else in
the world, and nothing delights the mon
arch more than to take holiday and go
out into the forest with his destructive
axe in hand. He is known far and wide
as an expert wood-cutter, and this is no
small distinction, as any one who has tried
to fell tree VII readily admit.
1.-The Prince of Wales" says our French
guide as a fine weaver, and frequently
manages to kill time by fashioning cum
ming devices OF wool and thread. He has
already woven several fine carpets and
quilts, and, as he SHOWS much zeal in
the work as ever, he will doubtless weave
good many more"
Rope-ma king is the Duke of York's
hobby. He has a specious workshop, in
which he makes stout ropes for ships, as
we'll as hammocks and straw mating.
These he distrubates among his friends.
and it need hardly be said that the demand
for work from the royal workshop is con-
stan;ly increasing.
Every member Of the royal family of
Great Britain" we are told. ''is more or
less skilled at some trade. Such was
Queen Nictor1aS WISH, ana surely II was
a wise one. Though her children and
grandchildren will never have to earn their
bread, no matter what political revolutions
may occur. it is well for each and all of
them to know some useful trade at which
they can pass their idle moments profit
ably"
Another famous man who Is a sovereign
in his own way IS also a tradesman. Tolstoi
can make as good a pair of shoes as any
man in Russia, and there are few tailors
who can excel him in making a well-fittin
IL LII .lo-