The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-08-31
A MAD KINGS FREAKS.
Some of Ludwig ITS Ways of Amusing
 Himself.

Himself.
 If Ludwig IT., the young king of Ba- varia, was mad, it was from excess of majesty The monarch of one of the smallest kingdoms of the world, his opinion of himself was magnificent be- yond all dreams of grandeur. Ordinary people were not sufficiently exalted to | be his companions; ordinary occupa- tions afforded him no qualification; all the chateaus and palaces which he in- herited when he came to the throne were squalid for one so great. Archi- lecture and building were his ruling hobbies, and he was thus able to grat- | fly the one delusien by building mag nificent edifices; the second by occupy ing his time in the most extraordinary fashions, and the third by stunning so
 ciety and escaping the inspection of ordinary eyes, either in his gorgeous retreats, or by retiring to one. of the more humble dwellings he erected on various mountain summits, where a few attendants awaited his unexpected vis- it's. Ludwig's mania for solitude took the most unexpected twists. He enjoy ed his own company best on those oc casons when people whose minds are less phenomena1ly balanced consider companionship most essential. It was his fancy to have dramatic and musical performances for himself alone Un- fortunate theatrical managers and in dignant musical directors, not daring to resist the royal whim, were driven to waste their talent by providing en- tertainments. The theater was dark ened, the orchestra, the chorus and the full dramatic company were grudging- | ly provided. one and all detesting the work of putting forth their best efforts | for the amusement of an empty house, save for the solitary figure sitting si- | lent and motionless in the shadow of | the royal box. Music Ludwig loved, and many of his widest extravagances | and maddest acts of prodigality were due to the influence of Wagner, his one | friend and adviser It was Wagner who prompted his most transcendent I folly, the erection of a huge theater at 1 Bayreuth for that composers glorifica- tion. One performance alone entailed an expenditure of G20,000, of which l lD,VuV WdS PGtfd ny tHt hihSt hiO iCSt
 being barely covered by the sale of | tickets.
 Reared from his childhood amid the
 most enchanting scenery, Ludwig dear loved the lonely mountains and the si-
 lent forests in which his possessions
 were so rich. Delighting to turn night into day he would order his horses af-
 ter dark, and the jingle of his sleigh
 bells and the big crack of the postil- lions whips would bring the peasantry
 to their bedroom easements to see a
 brilliant equipage flash by a phantom that vanished in whirl of snowdust, a dream of red and gold and blue
 and silver, and above the head of the
 silent occupant two crowns glowing
 with electric light. It was only the lsimple inhabitants of the Bavarian Alps
 who ever caught a glimpse of these fairylike vehicles. The front of one
 was formed by a gigantic shell borne by Tritons, with little cupids seated on
 it's edge, whose tiny arms carried back
 wreaths to the royal occupant. The or | namentation of another was so profuse
 that but three small spaces were left
 on the panels, and these were occupied by delicate mythological scenes painted by the hand of famous Munich artist
 The kings sleighs were never drawn by fewer than four horses. He appears
 to have been fond of these animals
 whom he called his dumb courtiers. '
 But, like everything else about him
 they were compelled to suffer in order
 to gratfy their masters fancies. Dur
 ing the winter of 1874 instructions were sent to the royal stables that the thirty
 best horses they contained were to be
 fed for several days on nothing but
 oats. The grooms imagined they were
 to be entered for a race. Though a
 blinding snowstorm was raging, Lud' l wig commanded some workmen to al
 once set about erecting wooden tower
 in the forest adjoining his palace, and
 around this tower gallery was to run | Finally. when his plans were matured he stationed an orchestra of wind in- struments near this erection. taking ur
 his own position on the balcony. IT
 the cornfields near he had scattered
 here and there drums, kettles, trumpets
 and soldiers. In an instant the mos
 internal hubbub broke forth. Eacf
 drummer vied with the others to beat
 louder. the trumpeters nearly burs
 their cheeks, there were powder explo'
 sions, shrill whistles and the most dia- ! holical howls. The terrified horse:
 broke their fastenings. Mad with ter
 TOT, they reared, wheeled, zigZaggeu
 plunging and kicking, they gallopec
 here and there; with blood-red nos
 trils and floating names they bolted il | all directions, to the jeopardy Of th'