The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-09
The Royal Family Greatly Panied
by Mr.. Legge's Book, Which, Pro-
Tossing to Refute Sir Sidney Lees
Criticisms of the Deceased Mon
arch, Really Collects All the For
gotten Scandals About Him.

That he was VII Ia riposte (ouick at
reparteel Is exemplifed by this little
story; At Marlborough House one night
IN the eighties the Prince and some Of
his guests were playing billiards II. r.
~ was not In particularly good form. and
sfter rather bad shot one Of tho younger
men shouted. to the amazement and dis,
gust OF the others, I say. Wales. pull your
sell tosether. Tho Prince made no
reply, but. Reckoning TO q servant. said,
Call Mr.. -----'s carriage"
Mr.. Legge gives us this pretty little In.
sight into King Edward's taste IN eating:
Many VIII remember, as do. that
IN the old days, the King liked tripe
suppers The delicacy was supplied to
Marlborough House. and to those who
entertained the then Prince at supper by
purveyor On pork butcber) Of Totten.
ham Court Road"
Mr. Legge then uneartha some very as.
tonishing statements about the Kings
fondness for whiskey. and HIS odd beha.
vior at the theatre:
In the Sunday Chronicle. a Manchester
paper with a large circulation, we'll.
known writer (Oliver Gwynne) led
Kong Edward as a dramatic critic An
introductory paragraph ran: His Majesty,
VINO is one OF tho best judges Of such
matters In Europe always carries his
own wh!Hkey with him. as we'll as his own
mineral water. The latter Ia common
French variety, and the whiskey OF the
liqueur type SO particular is he in these
matters that he even has his whiskey
and his mineral water sent on to his box
at theatre should he be spending an
evening there
This was news to me and probably to
better Informed people.
The paragraph which followed was
probably kept from the Kings knowl.
edge by the palace censors:
. The King is also a skilled dramatic
critic, Not long ago lie practically killed
musical pieca by demanding In his
strongly accented voice will some onc
ie'i me what the plot OF this dashed play
IS about The remark was heard in all
directions. and ended in week or so the
career OF the dashed play"
This excerpt appears 10 constitute Mr..
Legges idea Of defense OF the King
In tho Historical Review Of July 10.
1910. read: "A suggestive paper by Or.
Chalfont Robinson. OF Yale, reprinted from
nary. 1910. asks the question, Was King
Edward degeuerate?" His view ia that
the pathological condition OF the King
nXp!ains both his personal weakness and
the paralysis or government that charac-
terized the reign. Ore would perhaps be
more convinced by the arguments as 10
Edwards mental condition II there was
MOI so much evidence y! the Kings physl.
cal robustness"
Mr. legse even rakcs Up a forgotten
EPISODE mat proves how lightly King Ed
ward WAS regarded on the Partisan stage
farce OF peculiarly French character
called The King enjoyed an extraor.
dinarily long run at the Varieties Theatre
IN Paris. a monarch called The King
o. Cerdagne" returns 10 Paris after an
absence OF some years and calls upon an
actress whom he formerly knew
The King sees a photograph which.
from The frame, nc thinks TO be An old
one OF himself, in the apartment of the
actress. All ia says, With pleasure.
II see you still have my Photograph
Then picking 1t u7 he cxclaims "Oh. bn.
IL is my uncle, the king or England He
has been here since 7 went away"
The part az inc actress was played nv