The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-09-06

manlfeStS desire to be considered as
astute and smart, rather than as king
ly, and, although it cannot be denied
that he is one of the most shrewd and
long-headed monarchs in Christendom,
yet, curiously enough, he has been sin
gularly unlucky in the majority of his
ventures, differing in this respect from
King George of Greece and King Oscar
of Sweden, both of whom assembled
their thrones as poor men, and are
now enormously wealthy.
LeopOld's constant ill-luck and con-
sequent financial necessities have fire.
quently driven him into the arms of
hnanciers by no means of good stand
ing, since the Rothschilds closed their
doors against him, and some of his as
sociations have in consequence been OF
an exceedingly extraordinary. charac-
ter, notably his intimacy with the late
Colonel North, the so-called Nitrate
King" a man of the most appalling
vulgarity, who was. nevertheless. per-
mitted by Leopold to pat him on the
back, and to invite a very mixed party
of his own city friends in London to
stay for a week as the Kings guests
at Clergnon during the shooting sea-
SUI, bAle OOloHeI pTdCtlCdiIy OOlIS t1C
honors and officiating as master of the
entire establishment, with all its army
OF royal servants and retainerS.
If the Belgian newspapers are to be
believed, Leopold is interested in sew
eTal of the gambling establishments at
Ostend, Spa and elsewhere, and it is
certain that he has gone out of his way
to visit his displeasureS upon those Ju-
dicial and magisterial officials who have
distinguished themselves by their too
strict enforcement of the laws against
gambling at Ostend; and, although
married to an Austrian ArchduchesS,
with two of his daughters settled at Vi
emma, yet he is in the worst of odor in
the metropolis of the dual empire in
consequence of the firm belief which
prevails in court circles there to the eff
feet that he has sQuandered in Specula-
ton, notably in his Congo Company, the
whole of the immense fortune OF his
only sister, the ex-Empress Charlotte of
Mexico, of whose estate he is the trus-
tee, and who, if popular rumor is TO be-
! lieved, is completely cured of her de-
mentia, and merely kept under restraint
because her brother is unable to give a
proper account of her property.
STORIES TOLD OF THE BELGIAN
KING.
In conclusion, two little incidents, tri-
vial in themselves and yet characters
tic, may be given here as indicating the
nature of the man whom Japan wishes
to name as arbitrator in her controversy
with the United States. 1t is customary
at the various courts on yonder side OF
| the Atlantic for each foreign diplomat to
receive from the sovereign parting
| gift on presenting his letters of recall,
which mostly takes the form of jew
elled cigar case or snuffbOx. Four years
ago foreign diplomat, while attending
i a farewell banquet at the palace, re-
ceived from King Leopold a superb gold
cigar case studded with costly jewels as
memoir of his sOjourn at the Court of
Belgium. On the following day note
arrived from the Aide-de-C amp-ln-
waiting begging that the case might be
returned for some inscription to be ad-
ded to the interior. OF course, the diplo-
mat consented. After waiting not mere
! ly for several days, but actually several
weeks in order to get it back, and writ
| ing repeatedly to the palace, he was
| finally forced to leave Brussels without
it. and has never seen it to this day.
Recently, however he met mis- successor,
who, in turn, has just left Brussels. The
latter was full of enthusiasm about the
King. Leopold" Inc exclaimed, sis a
capital chap; presented me with a splen-
did gold cigar case, heavily incrusted
with magnificent gems, when 1 took my
| leave of him. I would like to have
showed it to you, only they asked to
] Oh E, RI AL
teration of some sort" The smile that
developed on the features of the other
diplomat became both broad and event
ually loud, and further investigation
brought to light the fact that yet other
| diplomats had been treated in the same
manner; that is to say, presumably the
/ identical gold cigar case had done duty
! for them all.
! On another occasion Leopold was
about to present an English gentleman
with a gold cigarette case as recognition
| for some services rendered. The man,
| however was so Drofuse in the ex-
preston of his gratitude at the honor
conferred by the King in receiving him
| that Leopold came to the conclusion
! that the cigarette case would be super
| fuous He accordingly did not present
| it, but actually retained it inclosed in
the third and fourth digits of his right
hand, while he extended the first and
second of his fingers in an effusive fare
we'll to the worthy Briton. The King
made no secret afterWard of what he
! had done, declaring that it would have
/ been too stupid to waste SO pretty a
piece of jewelry on a man already so
well -Attache in New York
| Tribune