Evening star., 1914-10-25

delighted to pass here his entire sum
mers rather than to dwell in one of his
many more pretentious palaces.
Shortly before Leopold's death. in
route to Paris stopped over at Ostend
for several days to take in the
sights The story is told that when
promenading one afternoon on the
Digue passing Englishman was over
heard to say to his companion: That's
the king coming"
Imm mediately the Americans were all
attention and looked eagerly about In
an unusual sight. But they searched
i'll vain for the expected royal person
age, for the only people approaching
were two quite democratic-looking in.
dividua1s, in. white duck suits, one OF
whom they noticed limped little and
carried his white yachting cap IN ms
hand while he bowed most cordially
to passing friends and acquaintances.
That's Leopold with the long, square
cut beard" whispered the American to
his eager companion. who was looking
in every direction but the right one.
(which one is Leopold?'. exclaimed
the lady, excitedly. ittleelouder than
was necessary as her. husband raised
his hat politely to the Belgian gentle
man who was just passing them AT
the moment the lady. in her eagerness
to locate the king, leaned forward and.
catching the high heel OF one OF ner
shoes in some way in the walk. stum-
bled and almost fell into the royal
arms.
Calamity catching her and support
ing her for moment, King Leopold
smilingly exclaimed. Pardon. made
moiselle,'' as, bowling low. he passed
on his way. ,
HE called me mademoiselle instead
OF madam ana fev even nose awfu1 atroc
tiles in the Kongo. 4 don't believe II;
for he was charming" the hattered
lady declares to this day.
Leopolds ns father aeemanv aeopola l. and was the
youngest son Of Francis, Duke OF
Saxe-Coburg He nrst married the
English Princess Charlotte. daughter
Of King George ~ 1ssq HIS HISS seSena Se %edded d
the French Princess Louise. the daugh-
ter of Louis PHILIPPE. who had pre-.
vious1y haughtily refused the honor OF
the throne of Belgium for ms son,
riage, and In 1853 he welded the AUS
trian Archduchess Marie Henriette.
who, II the whispers of court gosslps
are true, never loved her liege lord.
having given her girlish heart to an
other, and permitting herself to oe
married to Leopold only for reasons OF
90
Three dau ghters were born of this
union. the eldest of whom. Stephante
became the wife of old Francis Joseph.s
only son and heir. the ill-fated Crown
Prince Rudolph of Hapsburg. whose
neyer-expiained death by shooting In
his hunting lodge at Myerling remains
one Of the greatest mysteries OF the
court of Austria Hungary.
Leopold III, the Belgian kings only
son, who was the apple of his father
eve. unfortunately died when a child
only ten years of age. Consequently
on the death of Leopold II. about hve
years ago. the heir to the throne was
his nephew, Albert. now King Albert OF
Belgium, one of the most popular ano
beloved of all the European rulers
| Although the idol of his people. q
heroic soldier and fearless monarch
} King Albert is no more Flemish thar
was his grandfather Leopold I: but
} from the moment of his accession ht
has espoused the cause of the Belgian
people as warmly as If of their blood
: queen Elisabeth is also Of German
birth, but the latest reports by cable
!. show that she. too is as patriotic. n