Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-05-10
I re oldest ruler in Europe BIAS
just celebrated his ninetieth
birthday. And he is no dod-
dering, slippered pantaloon, but

vigorous man who loves moth.
ing better than to hunt barelegged In
the forests and to swim in cold lakes.
The prince regent of Bavaria is this
grand old man.
Prince Luitpold has been regent OF
Bavaria for Is years because two sue
cessive kings have been mad. Otto,
the present nominal ruler, was in
sane when he came to the throne on
the death of his brother in 1886.
Should he die, Prince Luitpold, his
uncle and next Of kin, would inherit
Tho throne. But Otto Is only sixty-two
years old and at latest reports was in
the best of physical condition, SO in
the nature of things he should out
live his nonagenarian uncle.
After the regent the next heir to
the throne is the latter's eldest son,
Prince Louis, sixty-six years old;
after him comes the latter's son,
Prince Rupert, forty-two years old,
and fourth in the line of succession is
Rupert's ten-year-old son Luitpold. a
handsome, jolly-looking little lad.
Thus Bavaria has the unusual dis
tinction Of having four heirs-presump-
tive to the throne In direct line of
succession.
King Otto, who resides usually in
the wonderful castle of Neuschwan-
stein which his mad brother built on
crag of the Bavarian Alps, spends
his time smoking cigarettes, talking
to the wallpaper, shooting at peas
ants from his windows with rifles that
are carefully loaded by his attendants
with harmless bullets. His beard Is
long, and they say that he is filthy
in his habits, which is no uncommon
thing with maniacs.
Prince Luitpold's life has been one
of the most extraordinary in modern
history, not only for it's length but
for the strange romance and tragedy
with which it has been filled.
The son of king, the brother OF
two kings and the uncle Of two kings
he has never been a king himself, and
| yet he has ruled Bavaria for q quar-
ter of century. He might have been
a king had he SO desired at any time
in the last twenty years, for the par
lament of his land has over and ove1
again besought him to assume the
name that goes with the duties he
has performed so long, and the Ger
man and Austrian emperors have re
peatedly urged the step upon him
But so conscientious is he that he has
always refused; and he has also 70
fused in all this time to take for him
self q penny Of the taxpayers money
| Again, he may almost be said t
have made an emperor, for it was hi
who handed the imperial crown t
William l. of Prussia at Versatile.
in 1870, and without him Bismarck
schemes to create the German EN-
pire must have come to naught.
Prince Luitpold is stockly bull
man of medium height, with a full
white beard and mustache that still
shows streaks of auburn, the ros1
complexion that comes Of exposure tx
wind and weather, and clear blu,
eyes behind largo spectacles under
bushy brows. His head Ia still
crowned with rather bristly hair tha
has grown bit thin on top, but tina
falls straight over a bull neck be
hind. His nose turns up slightly, 1t,
nostrils are wide and generous ant
it is big at the tip.
Unlike the German emperor, VII.
respects him almost like q father
Prince Luitpold rarely dons q mill
tary uniform. He goes about II
tweeds or the frock coat Of a civilian
and wears his many orders only OF
state occasions. He is happiest IL
the short kits Of the Bavarian peas
antry, with soft hat ornamented b,
a pheasant's or cocks feather, wit.
thick stockings ending below hi,
knees. In this costume he tramps tn,
mountains and forests for days at ,
time. hunting wild boars, stays an<
chamois or shooting feathered game.
A devout Roman Catholic himself
he is not only tolerant Of the religion,
views Of others, but lends . kindl!
hand to the pastors Of all churches.
It is difficult to realize what /
means to be 40 old rs the prince n
gent. When he was born Monroe VA
president Of the United States. Adams
Jefferson and Madison were still liv
ing.
Luitpold's father was Louis l., kim
Of Bavaria. who WAS forced to abdi
cate because Of his infatuation To-
Lola Montss. tho notorious adven