Year: 1874

Bavaria has an oddity for II king, who
spends most of his time in seclusion ut one
of his palaces in the mountains. He is the
grandson of the old king of Bavaria, who,
it will be remembered, ran crazy after
danseuse. The present King, Ludwig, as
ccndcd the throne when he was only six
teen years of age, and is now but twenty
four, and if all the stories about him are
true he is rs queer Il specimen of roy


atty as has existed during the present gen
Grafton. He is still single, and has the
reputation of being scrupulOusly virtuous,
having Il dislike for the whole female sex.
He does not allow any one to see him when
he can help it; and, though he seeks
amusements of various kinds, cndeavors to
enjoy them in solitude, expressing anger
and dissatisfaction if anybody intrudes
upon him. The only man who ever had
influence over him was Wagner. the great
musical composer, who at one time so
completely controlled all his actions that
he was compelled by the people to leave


His engagement to marry Il princess is
said to have been suddenly broken off be-
cause she persisted in refusing to express
admiration for Wagner's music. Among
his freaks was the construction of a lake
on the top of his palace, in which he sailed
. ABOUT III Il DOdJ lOI ItiCIt'ttt3H y lew
years since. he took a notion that he want
ed to see Il representation of an eruption
of Mount Nesuvius, and Immediately or
dered the court pyrotechnist to proceed,
regardless of cost. to produce such Il spec
tacle on the mountain netr his secluded
palace. He complied with the order, but
the representation was not satisfactory


The court pvrotechnist at Vienna was then
sent for and he made extensive prepara-
tions and gave entire satisfaction and had
an order for its repetition, the king eN-
pecting and thinking that he was and
would be the only spectator. He, how
ever, heard that the villagers had assem-
bled ut the foot of the mountain and had
witnessed the spectacle also. On hearing
this he countermanded the order for it>
repetition, sent the pyrotechnist home. and


ordering the burgOmaster of the village
before him, severely rated him for allow
ing the people to approach the mountain


During the reign of Wagner he ordered a
new opera he had written to be produced
ut the opera house regardless of expense


and on the night of its production took a
seat in the royal box, ordered the doors
closed and locked, and the performance tc
proceed, with himself as the audience


King Ludwig is, however, harmless in
his vagaries, and as the country is pros


porous. and he has proved himself thor


ough German, the people rather laugl
than frown at his peculiarities. He is re


garded by some rs Il misanthrope and by
others as somewhat of IN imbecilc, but n
Bavaria is now thoroughly under the con


troll and protection of Prussia, it matters


little who or what the king may be. Th,


Bavarian army is by treaty under the com
mand of the Kaiser William during time


of war, and in peace it is the plaything o


the king. 1t will be remembered that tn,


Bavarian troops were led in the Franco


Prussian war by the crown prince of Prus


sia, and to their bravery and dash many o
the decisive strokes of the war We're at
tributed. Recently, when the crown prince
: visited Munich he was received by tn,


people and the military with great enthu
siasm and honors. At the opera hous'
when he appeared the performance wa
suspended and so demonstrative were tn
people that it was impossible to resume it
: The king became indignant and refused t,
see the prince, and retired to his mountain
/, chateau, and remained for some time il
/ strict retirement, scolding every one win
e came near him for having extended sucl
: honors to the prince of Prussia