m ^ /f fg |Hfl^HHKm^>| iim kzaJL KING LEOPOLD /* r . r i /r . r r . t An Intimate Descriplion oj tnc most v ersatue, r,he Most Democratic, and Probably the iMost Discussed Monarch Ojf the Old World ARLY in the evening of a pleasant working classes. In 1899 he caused bJ summer day, in the height of the |)\- two million francs, that had been I sat at dinner in the w D. WHELPLEYthe | j season, J. to celebrate with decorations,subscribed Hotel Continental at Ostend. As pageants, and feast the twenty-fifth all who have been there know to anniversary of his accession, to be their cost, there are certain tables in the dining room functory manner, first to the left and then to the ' to a fund for injured workmen, and fromdevoted of this fashionable stopping place which are close to right. As he passed my window he turned his face 1this endowment some five thousand cases a year the big French windows from which one can at that way, and the light fell strong upon him. It ireceive benefit. leisure not only view the passersby on the Digue, was the face of a tired man. a man tired of all life Not one of the industrious Belgians works harder but get a far lookout upon a sea, which at that time has to give. It was just a flash, a mere look into the than the King himself. Winter and summer he of year, when French windows are defensible, is privacy of royalty, and one not soon to be forgotten. rises at five o'clock; eats some grapes, a peach, and dotted with the great white sails of fast pleasure From it one could gain perhaps a better appreciation a cup of chocolate; and by seven o'clock has yachts. of the storms and stress which have come into the ] of a large batch of correspondence. disposedAn On this particular evening the maitre d'hMel had life of the most active monarch of the Victorian era, ardent automobilist. he pets into his car after a apologized for putting me at the table with two in a long forty-one years of continuous command turn in the gardens at Laeken and is whirled, other people. He had previously tested the value of a small but important and wealthy land and regardless of the speed limit, to his palace in Brussels, of my good will, but shrugged his shoulders, gave a people sitting in the midst of powerful and covetous where he is soon busy with affairs of State. look about the crowded room, "Monsieur is so late; neighbors. At noon he breakfasts in the Continental fashion we are so crowded!" he murmured, and then, as it Born in 1835, of Leopold I. of Belgium and Prin- .an omelet, a steak, or a filet with spinach, of which were, laid the whole case before me with that cess Louise, daughter of Louis Philippe, citizen King ]latter dish he is very fond. His afternoons are inimitable gesture of finality and appeal which of the French, Louis Philippe Marie Victor received usually spent at Laeken, where he has expended of no further argument. Opposite me satpermitteda the education and training customarily given an 1millions on the marvelous Oriental pagoda, the young Englishman and his wife, a wedding tour heir presumptive. He was made Duke of Brabant 1 and the stables, connecting them byhothouses,a perhaps.you cannot always tell with an English at eleven, and put through the army from the grade !system of subways, for he has a passion for mvsterv couple, but they showed a certain mutual interest of sublieutenant to that of lieutenant general. At and likes to render himself invisible. In his travels in things which gave rise to suspicion. eighteen he married Marie Henriette, daughter of ]he prefers to go about incognito, with the result that Archduke Joseph of Austria; and on his majority he 1various athletic old men with long beards have The Ditfue's Passim? Show entered the Belgian Senate. During the following at times been mistaken for the King of the Belgians. giving my order to an attentive ear, I idly five years he traveled in Spain. Morocco, Algiers, k. on Favt^t Pnlpctinp TnHia rViina Hp Viae Wants a Private AFTERwatched the passing show the Digue and the .V.*., i "^v-" Subway fading of the beautiful lights on the channel sea. the most traveled monarch in Europe: and so interest in the London and New York Suddenly the young woman opposite to me nudged was his knowledge of international affairs extensiveand so .HIS suggested to him the idea of connectingsubways her companion and said in a low voice, "The King, clear his judgment, that the personal weekly letter Laeken with the Belgian system of railways by an the King!" I involuntarily turned and looked over which he made it a practice to write to Queen Victoria iunderground line, so that he could step from his my shoulder. I knew at once she meant the King had at times no little influence upon the foreign ]palace into a private car and run up to Paris or of the Belgians, for he was at Ostend I had never policy of the British Government, even though the <Dstend without attracting attention. Laeken, seen him before, but like everyone else had read Oueen rarelv answered ivnicn..1_ is nve^ mues irom norusseis,i.. is iamousr as tne and heard much of him. I had perused the Through the house of Coburg-Gotha, Leopold was ]place where the great Napoleon signed his fateful printed in three languages defending his pamphlet a cousin of Queen Victoria. His intimacy with the declaration of war against Russia. of the Kongo, which pamphlet wasadministrationto be English court has been a tradition of his reign that There is certainly provocation for circumspection found this summer in every "wagon-lit" on the has aided his diplomacy in protecting the integrity and even mystery on the part of the Belgian King, Continent. I had read Mark Twain's gentle twitting of his little kingdom against the counter intrigues of 1for like every other ruler in Europe he is on the list of His Majesty for allegedly causing the slaughter both Xapoleon III. and the King of Prussia. <af the anarchists. November 14, 1902, when he was of thousands of helpless slaves, and indeed it is driving to the cathedral in Brussels to attend the quite impossible to pick up a newspaper of England Is His Model 1 r Deutn in memory of his dead Queen, Rubino, an vvitVinnt finrlintr cnmo monfii-in t T i? r.^*- i? 1 1 4 interrpniitp up iii^r puiity ui i^ii^iaiiu ct» iiic niuuci iui Italian Red, fired three shots at him, an experience his name, and generally in not too friendly a manner. nuBelgium; and from the moment he became King 1ivhich Leopold accepted with his usual composure, And here was the man himself! in December of 1S65 he has never ceased to urge in which, there is a touch of cynicism. A few days There was no mistaking him. His face is familiar the doctrine of colonization and extension of trade, later when receiving a delegation from the Chamber in print and on postal cards, for he is a much through a merchant marine and through sending 1}f Deputies, he said, referring to his narrow escape: monarch: Tall and rather heavy; illustratedthe samples of Belgium manufacture to all parts of the "I am nearing the end of my life. I do not know famous long, gray beard, now nearly white, and world. This country is known as the "Laboratory !how long I shall live. But I can assure you that all A. 1 1- 1 1 1 1 irimmcu square across uie ena; piaimy aressea, ot fcurope. it was the nrst in turope to bund the rest ot my existence will be aevotea, within the walking rapidly but with a slight limp, and leaning railways, and the King urged their prolongation to limits of my constitutional powers, to the good of heavily on a stout cane. As he came down the connect with the merchant marine that now plies imy country and the protection of its liberties." Digue he was attended by only one man, who between Antwerp and the Kongo. In the early Whatever his imperfections, the King has never closely behind him, probably an agent of followedthe years of his reign he devoted much attention to !shown the white feather. u. secret police. People made way, but paid little or municipal improvements, and Brussels, Ghent, nt ucta tuwctya uccii iuu»i atiujjuiuus, iuu, 111 no deference. They looked at him with curiosity. Antwerp, Xamur, Mons, Liege, Charleroi, and <Dbserving the limits of his constitutional powers. A few raised their hats. A man seated on a bench Verviers bear testimony to his activity in this It is said of him that he is such a good business man opposite my window rose stiffly to his feet and stood respect. 1 he ought i;o be his own chancellor of the exchequer, at salute.an ex-soldier probably. He advocated successfully improved houses for and, indeed, he is far more active as a financial and The King wore a straw hat, a "boater" they call the working people, and old age pensions. While iindustrial guide than as a political leader. In it in England, and with his left hand.his cane was accused of being the most pleasure loving monarch internal politics, he has been tactfully inactive.