The Washington herald., 1911-04-12
BAVARIAN PRINCE
NINETY YEARS OLD

HAL press teemeO WIN lduudlOry diti-
cles describing the reign and character
OF this venerable and popular ruler,
Prince LUitpold always has avoided noisy
| and snowy display. He has found his
| greatest pleasure among hunters or ar
| lists rather than among sycophantic
courtiers. Military pomp and the ac-
Carnations of a crowd he has always
avoided. His desire was that his birth
day shall be kept in the quietest fashion,
and that should mis- people feel gratitude
TO him for anything he may have ac-
corplished during the forty-three years
of his regency, they might rather give
expression to this feeling in works of gen.
eral charity than in personal gifts to him.
He began life without any prospects of
filling his present high position, and 1t
was only after the death of his two
elder brothers, the tragic fate OF his
nephew, Ludwig III, and the hopeless
lunacy of his other nephew, the present
King Otto. that he was proclaimed Re
gent During his regency Bavaria has
notably advanced all along the line, and
although the power of the clerical party
apparently has increased the kingdom
still remains more democratic than Prus-
sia. and its government more ConStitu-
tlonaL Many years ago. when the Kali
ser, as young man. visited the mag
niticent town hall OF Munich. he wrote in
the Golden Book ''Suprema lex regis
voluntas.' Some years after the Prince
Regent was asked to write something.
He wrote. 'Saus publica suprema lex"
] The incident. though little known. was
not without its siSnifica nee.
From the lonely Castle of Furstenried,
where the insane King Otto is interned,
no news leaks out Physically the King
/ is said to he we'll: mentally his light is
gone out forever Fifteen thousand mem
hers OF the Bavarian Singing Club sere-
naded the Regent in front Of the palace
at Munich. The British Order Of the
Garter has gained a most democratic
member in the Regent Of Bavaria. who
was made a member by King George on
his birthday
Prince LuitpOld performs his duties with
becoming dignity. hut his hours of re-
Taxation are spent with friends chosen
for brains rather than rank. Nearly
every day some members of the artistic
colony for which Munich is justly cee-
hrated are included among his dinner
guests. He is member of the Allotria
Club. and for many years has spent a
considerable portion Of his time there.
When he passes the club threshold he in
ssts on being treated without ceremony.
and smokes his pipe and plays cards or
billiards with any Of the members he
meets.
Talking about bavaria reminds me that
the Prince Regent when in the city of
Nuremberg is a steady frcCuentcr of the
''RratwUrstGloeckIein" Giterally Fried
Sausage RilI'D. a quaint OLD inn. and
that "kneipe' possesses one Of the
qua 'ntcst drinking vessels The building
itself has heen a "wirtsha Is'' since the
year 400 Sausage. sauerkraut. and beer
arc the on'y commodities ohtainabo and
III" limit Of accommodation is reached
WHOM ten Gust omcvs are present. Yet soy
eral fortunes have he"n made out of the
house. for it was the fav0ritr haunt OF
NbTecht Duerer. and the pewter he drank
from still is treasured.
This j. a doUh!e vessel one tankard
hitting neatly into the other, and was
reserved for pucrer and his wife. Ac-
C0rding to tradition. Nh.n the artist was
in a good humor he used 20 fill the in
side tankard for his Wife and they would
Ciinh lovingly together. When domestic
storms were brewing h" kept tho tank
ards to=ether and let his wife 90 dry.
Many other celebrities besides Duerer
hav" drunk from this tankard. and Of re-
cent years a reCO~d Of their visits has
hecn kept. Among the latest names are
those Of Queen Carmen SYLVIA. OF the
Crown Prince OF Germany. and OF the
Austrian heir presumptive.
Emperor Franz Josef of Austria. who
has hold the sceptar of his empire during
nearlytw" generations. is the doycn among
The crowned heads Of Europe Nature
and dssting have allowed him to survive
man. changes among European thrones.
while decades have passed. leaving him
little c,anGei At the age of eighteen
he asCendel the throne upon the ahdica-
tion of his uncle Emperor Ferdinand
and when he then sighed. "Adieu. my
youth" he probably fOressS that work
conflict anxiety. and care sternly awaited
him. Eut at fOursco-e he j. still strong
and vigorous.
The Emperor rarely allows two DAYS
to pass without enjoying the pleasures
of the chase. Neither wind nor weather
nor pouring rain. so frequent in the
Salzkammergut. can keep him from the
forests. ! have been asked why those
near to his majestys person do not
exert their influence to prevent mis- eX-
pOsure TO the elements. The question
IS natural. as all his subjects tremhlc
for his health Representations would
he. however, quite useless. and fortunate
ly his maiestyS constitution is so
safe in risking his. favorite pursuit of
deer stalking. The daily cold water cure
he undergOeS also materially rejuvenates
him. This he commenced after his Sc
riOus illness three years ago. In the
early morning he is rubbed with cold
water into glow. This treatment doubt
less assists him in supporting the con-
stant changes of the weather.
When at Ischl the Emperor leaves
his simple iron bedstead at 1 a. m. when
his bath attendant awaits him, and he is
enveloped in icy. wet wrappinCs. and
after a satisfactory glow is reached his
majesty completes his toilet. that is. he
dons his oldest uniform and an over
coat of so ancient a date that it arouses
the scorn of his chamberlain. whose elo-
quence upon the subject always fails to
separate the coat and it's master. His
breakfast consists OF coffee and kpfeln
"a kind of thin. curled rolD. From 5
until S:45 the Emperor peruses his cor
respondence then either rides or walks
until S.
On his return to the imperial villa he
is awaited by the courier from Vienna,
with his many documents. Work con-
tlnueS until o'clock. with the Interrupt
ton of a slight lunch of bouillon and
some kind of meat. No document is
overlooked; everything is thoroughly eX-
amined before the Emperor's signature
IS affixed. His majesty bestows special
attention on matters connected with NOM
nations. promotions, and decorations,
and every minister who has served MIN
during the last sixty years knows that
the information given rarely IS suff1cient,
and that often It must be supplemented