Royal Clients.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 13, 23 December 1911, Page 13

Royal Clients.

| Memoirs by J ! A Guardian of K'ngs. ' © —©

Tho following interesting reminiscences by M. Xavicr Paoli, lat« special com- I missary attached lo the Paris Detective ■ Service, will be fonnd in a volumo published by Messrs. Ilodder and Stoughton. ' Thn }>vH.>k is cnlitlod "My Koynl '.'lienls and deals with M. I'aoli's guardian: hip . of travelling monarchy in France—"the. 1 holiday paradise of kins?." 1 There arc chapters dealing with tho 1 Empress Elizabeth ot Austria, King Al- ' i'oiiyo, the Shah of Persia, tho Czar, the : King and Queen of Italy, tho King of Greece,' King Edward VII, Queen Wilhelmina the lato King of tho Belgians, tho English Royal Family, the King ol' Cambodia, and Queen Victoria. This is how tile author speaks of King Hdward's dog "Caesar"—"a person ot importance." "Caesar had what wo liYcuehmen call la beaute (In diable; he had a strong personality and a quick intelligence. Ho was very independent in his ways, a little inisehiovous and playful, and deeply attached to his Royal master, who pampered him as one would n. child. When tho King was travelling, Caesar went; villi him everywhere, and did not leave liim day or night, for ho slept, in an easy chair to tne righ.'.of his bed. Bo was present at. all tho Kind's iue;ils. and wiiliugly accepted any bits of meat or sugar which the quests olt'<Te<l him. I succeedod in winning his good graces, and we becamo first-rate friends. On the other hand, oneo he was out of doors he cut all his acquaintances. Whether on the beaeli at Biarritz or in the line do la IViix in j'aris, ho was always seen at the King's heels, proudly displaying a collar that; bore tho legend, 'I am Caesar, tho King's' dog.' And it was as though he knew it." At Biarritz. It was at Biarritz that M. Paoli sawmost of King EdwaTil. "I no longer go to Cannes and Nice," tho King said to him one day. "because yon meet too munv princes there. 1 should bo obliged to spenda.ll my lime in jiayiny and receiving visits, whereas I come' to tho Continent to rest." J/ 10 " reflects that lie has noticed tlml- kings ami princes "prefer to avoid one another when they are • abroad": "It was in the spring- of The King of Eugland had just. arrived in Paris and had taken a box. lor tho samo evenal Ike Tlnyitro des Capucines. I , went with his j\K»jesty. Leaving the bos to take a glance at tho tiny house. I was surprised to see the King, of tho Belgians seatedJii tho stalls, j went back and told King Edward. "I am delighted to hear it," he replied. And from that moment ho carefully refrained from looking in the direction where his brother sovereign was sitting. When tho King of England had left the theatre I waited for tho King of the Belgians at tho entrance. . . . 'We had a houseful of Kings to-night, sir," I said. 'Do you know that tho Kins of England was at tho play, too?' 'You don't mean to bay so!' ho said,, with an air of tho greatest surprise. 'I am so sorry not to have seen him. I should have been pleased to go and shako hands with him.* After King Leopold had pone: 'He knew all about it!' said M. Michel Mortier, the manager of the theatre, in my car. 'I | told him. myself!'" 31. Paoli says there was no coolness between these* two monarchs, for they met at tho Salon next morning and chatted pleasantly for a quarter of an hour. Queen Victoria. "Queen Victoria," says M. Paoli, "had a military cast of mind," and took a special interest in the sentries ported near her hotel. One day when it raineu she was luucli itp&ot bccauso tho wen were without shelter:' ' "Why, it's simply inhuman, M. Paoli, to let these poor soldiers get so Avet, when there's no need for it!' "Thcro has been no' time," 1 explained, "to put up sentry boxes for them.", "They must have them as soon as possible," said the Queen, "and very comfortable ones. Meanwhile, please let them go insiih, and send them some hot wine from me to drink. This was quite enough to ensure her popularity with our pioupious! 'When I heard tho news of Queen Victoria's death, says the author, it was to me as though I had lost one of my own family; it seemed as though a chapter— and the happiest—of tny life and my career had teen brought lo a 6iidden conclusion. "Come and See the Children." In 1908 M. Paoli had a pleasant moment with our present Queen, who bade him farewell with "Do tome and see us in England. I should liko to show you my children: you have never met them." "Madame," 'M. Paoli replied, "I would do so with pleasure if my duties allowed -ne to take a holiday. Meanwhile, may I respectfully remind your Royal Highness that on the last journey you promised me the young princes' photograph?" "That's true," answered the Princess. "I forgot all about it. But, this timewait." And, taking her handkerchief from her waistband, the Princess made a knot in it. "Now I'm sure to remember," she added, with a smile. And the promise was redeemed two days later. i