The Washington herald., 1912-03-11
A BOOK ABOUT KINGS

WOuio not De any less RoOd IN EshbiSa-
It believes that the name given in the
London edition is a misnomer. The
crowned heads, about which the author
the well known French secret Service
man of the Rue Jerusalem. whose duty
~ was to guard royalty on their jour-
neys through France-writes, were not
Mr.. Paolfs clients. They could not have
been that in the circumstances. Here
is an interesting instance that In his
memoirs has escaped the astute detec-
tive:
At the Theater des Capucines. in Paris.
one evening King Edward managed quite
successfully not to let King Leopold, OF
the Belgians, catch his eye. Both, OF
course. were travelling incognito. The
delicate situation seemed to have escaped
| the ''palicier' though this avoidance
might throw a unique sidelight upon GER
tain cause and effect" Evidently Mr..
Paoli was not aware of the chase Leopold
started and continued after his British
confrere to lead him into giving social
recognition to certain lady in whom
the Belgian ruler took great interest.
A dinner at Voisin's, where both Kings
dined. but at different tables, preceded
the play at the Capucines. Leopold had
received police information that his
cousin had ordered a table to be reserved
for him. and at once telephoned to have
another as near as possible TO II. Thanks
to the restaurateur's factor was II
divination-the King of England was
enabled to dine in another room. and to
slip away by a private door without be-
ing seen by Leopold.
Socially speaking, the hte King Ed
ward exercised a fine. compelling grace.
and could interest any lady with a fash
ionable prestige. Leopold never could.
Let tho former accept an Invitation to a
house with a historic past, but for some
seasons now deserted. and the next aft
ernoon's tea would see there all the tip
top ladies and clubmen assembled
Mr.. Paoli's intercourse with kings was
too narrowly professional to enable him
TO form anything like distinct judgment
Of their true character. Members OF
royal families are born. bred, and trained
under such peculiar circumstances that
| IL would be miracle II they were not
profoundly different from the rest of man
kind. Just to quote one thing: The law
OF the survival of the fittest does not ap-
ply to them as II does TO the whole ami
NAL and vegetable world Tho most that
| can be said is that the unfttest are oc-
casionally weeded out by despotism or
dsSdSslIdllOn- WHICH process IL
pugnant to our modern delicacy. They
are descendants of marriages generations
after generations between cousins. and in
few cases. such as the Duke and Ouch
ess Of Aosta, between uncIes and nieces.
Not only are they born with a silver
| spoon in their mouths, but thai spoon is
never taken from them. and as many
| spoons as are required for their descend
ants are provided also.
Marie Ann NJ Nauherr oure n ounen NJ
Spain. was haunted by fears of dying of
starvation or Of poverty. As this feeling
could not have been founded upon fact.
II can only he regarded as a survival OF
| some barbarous instinct OF r remote an
cestor of the same blood. Among MEM
bers of royal families women are inclined
| TO hoard, while men are given to gamb-
ling at cards. races. or the stock ex-
change. Why? When any one CANDLES
he expects 10 win. and royalties as is
well known, always are after the su-
premacy.
Listen to this story about King. told
by another King in a gossipy hour. The
royal visitor had suggested a game of
cards. The host accepted and won. No,
ticing that his august visitor seemed dis|
pleased he asked an aid-de-camp TO make
| inquiries about the cause Of his royal
was supplied by members OF the guests
| suite; II appeared that he was disgusted
at not being allowed TO win. Thereupon,
the polite host gave orders TO his cour-
tiers to let the royal visitor win. We
should be only too glad TO do So" they
| replied, "Only our salaries do not permit
us to play the high stakes his majesty is
accustomed to-" Never mind" was the
answer of the hospltable host. "play as
high as he wants, and let me settle the
BILL
Next to gambling the most common
foible Of kings is to pass or for men of
more than encyclopedia knowledge. Be
ii said that more military disasters can
he traced to this mania than TO any other
cause. And no doubt most OF us are ac-
quainted with the yarn of how Dom
Pedro. the Emperor of Brazil tried 10
pass himself off for a Hebrew scholar be-
fore the late Able Renan.
The memoirs of NJ. PaoIi have caused
an enterprising French publisher to
make the rounds among retired railway
guards who served on express trains:
also to hotel walters who attended royal
ties while being whisked through France
or stopping at some hostelry, to collect
their impressions of exalted personages.
He believes that he can out-Paoli PaoH.
Why not appeal also to hotel chamber
maids for their souvenirs and impress
slons?
1t struck me- when perusing Paolfs
book. that he is a good bit of a dreamer.
especially when describing King Leo
pold, OF the Belgians, not as a railway
traveller, but in solitary walks through
| the boulevards of Paris. SOLITARY" Is
| wrong and directly misleading, for
| ''Popold'' Chis Partisan music hall name)
| never went about unaccompanied. He
| feared blackmailers (he certainly had
cause to fear them, and took good care
| to have at his side during his walks
person of consequence. but also of some
physical strength, upon whose arm he
could lean, for, owing to a deformed
| foot which his hootmaker disguised so
| well, the King soon tired without such
support. With II he was, however, inde-
| fatigable. and was known 10 tire out
| the ineffable Baron de Snoy, though the
latter might have won the first prize at
| a pedestrian match.
As is often the case. Paoli is "in the
right church but in the wrong pew" For
the able man hunter OF the Rue Jeru-
salem no doubt means the Kings BROTH
er, the late Compte de Flandre. when
he speaks OF Leopold as being engaged
in still hunt for brochures and old
prints in the streets and on the quais
Of Paris. The compte often used to go
to Paris to rumage the stands and book
stalls, for he was quite a litterateur and
/ Of