Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1911-05-11

! mountains and forests for days at q
time. hunting wild boars, stays and
chamois or shooting feathered game.
A devout Roman Catholic himself,
he is not only tolerant of the religious
views of others, but lends a kindly
hand to the pastors of all churches.
It is difficult to realize what It
means to be as old as the prince re-
gent. When he was born Monroe was
president of the United States, Adams,
Jefferson and Madison were still liv-
ing.
Luitpold's father was Louis l., king
Of Bavaria, who was forced to abdi-
cate because of his infatuation for
Lola Montez. the notorious adven-
turess and beauty. At that time
Luitpold was thirty years old. He
was the youngest of three brothers.
The Oldest, Macmillan, succeeded to
the throne OF Bavaria; the second.
Otto. became king of Greece. only to
be driven from the throne by a mill.
tary conspiracy. On the death of
King Macmillan in 1864 his eldest
son, Louis, inherited the throne at the
age Of nineteen.
King Louis II. was q most exLraor-
binary man, and there can be little
doubt that he really was insane many
years before he was forced to abdi.
cate because Of his crazy actions. He
lived more in dream world than in q
real. The only man he gave any
sign Of loving was Richard Wagner.
For his family he had no regard. His
childhood was passed in castles on
the walls of which were painted
scenes from Bavarian legend.
BY 1876 his younger brother, Otto,
had gone hopelessly insane and been
put away in q private retreat. It Is
said that the old Kaiser William L
was the first to discover Ottos insan-
ity when the young man ordered the
regiment he was commanding in 1870
to charge a stone wall.
In 1886 the king shut himself up in
his mountain castle, refusing to see
his ministers or even his servants. A
family council sent specialists to ex-
anime Louis and on their report de-
cided that he must be deposed and
placed under restraint. He was COM
PEELED to abdicate on June 10, 1886,
and three days later his body and that
of Doctor Won Gudden, his attendant,
were found in Lake Starnberg. It is
probable that Louis, chatting under re-
straint, tried to escape by swimming
and was drowned.
Otto, also mad, succeeded him uD
der the regency Of his uncle. Luitpold.
Throughout the insanity of these
two kings their very sane old uncle,
Luitpold, has been governing their
kingdom for them. He reorganized
the army and made 1t splendidly eff
cient. He has gradually been paying |
of the almost fabulously large debts
left by Louis l., living IN the mean.
time on his own private income.
When he first became regent he was
the worst hated man in Bavaria, for |
the people loved their handsome, &C.
centric King Louis; they would not
believe he was insane; they believed
that Luitpold had had him deposed
and shut up in his castle out Of per
Bonal ambition. But they very soon
learned the contrary. Every time the
Bavarian parliament has wanted to
depose the crazy king and enable
Prince Luitpold to reign in name as
we'll as in fact, he has firmly opposed
the plan, saying the Bavarian consti-
tuition would not permit II.
And SO he has lived and grown old.
working for others. with
no recompense whatever for his serv-
Ices save only the deep love Of his
people and the profound respect Of the
rulers Of other lands.
A. n..H..t A-lm