STORIES OF KING LEOPOLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 112, 2 May 1908, Page 4

STORIES OF KING LEOPOLD

King Leopold ill the Ik'lgiuns, who lias come so (irtimiiifiitly belorc iln- \\orl l lately in connection, with tin- all'airs ol' the Congo, is a niiln ol' marked per.suiiillit.v, llllrl is of ntllliilMlri luliiU. ll.iriieutliire, literature, ami motoring take ii|i a great ileal ol' his lime, anil he is said lo dislike anything approaching In |H.IM|I or pageantry. lie i- very toml of travelling incognito, anil has snnielimcs met witti amusing experiences. Ill' was mice staving in a fashionable French 'Watering-place, ami while out walking i|»ite unattended happened to push against a liercedookiug Frenchmail. The latter was highly incensed, anil rinlely tolil his .Majesty to look where lie wa- going to. " You ar ( . pro!) ahiy not aware," he shouted, "that 1 am a member of the Paris .Munici|ial Council!" ••Dear me, no," replied King l.eiipolil, I|iiietlv; "I oiler yi.u m\htunhle apologies, for I-1 am only th'• King ol the liejgiails!" .\lihough he is an eulhuniasiic motor i-t. in one ran accuse King l,eopolil ol liming lo the ,-nnimon dang-r. Ind.'cd. iicrasiou he went so far a, I-, ri-i. his own lit',. j M , ln |,, r l(1 p r ,, v „ M | |,j. over a pedes!rian. 11l was travelling in his motor at a high lit,. ol speeil along a imrrov, n.Hnir."Md. 'when |„, suddenly ~aw. |',.w yards aluuil, a woman pnshiir. a r r ■imliiiliilor and leading by the iiatel a little child. The lioval car r,,i, g'dnli'st that to pull up was out ol the ■I"" 1 '. 1 '"- 'l'" '"'ike mailers „„ one siih* of the road was a ditch, and "" a Steep decline. " Reverse, .'Hill run into tln- ditch! .diouled the lo his cha:illlcur, Iml the man wa.. too astonished to carry out th e order, until the ear was almost on the heels of the frightened tvoni'au. Then, sceinir that the King was in carne-l, he pulled hiinsell together and did as lie .was told The vehicle, terribly shaken liv the «u<lUen cheek, swerved, whirled to one -ide and tumbled into the ditch with a crash. Luckily, neither the King nor the chauffeur was injured; and a few minutes later hia Mmjesty emerged .smiling from the wreckage and took oil' his hat to the terror-stricken woman who had unwittingly .been the cause of his reckless act.

King Leopold'* intcresl in art once led to an amihing incident. While visiting a picture-gallery, he wa> much struck by a painting representing a Mock of sheep 111 n field. Mis Majesty sent for the arlist, and inquired the price of the picture. " Well." was the reply, "would your Majesty object to pay ior my sheeji at the hnlclierV* value ---(illy Iraues apiece V" The King looked at the canvas, and hastily counting the annuals depicted thereon, muttered lo himself; "Ten to twelve sheep—from live to six hundred francs." Then aloud he added: "Yes. that', not at all exorbitant; I'll have your painting." A few days later the :irt i-t took his picture to the palace, and having obtained an audience of the King pointed nut a number of little specks in the background. saying as he did #0: "Don't j I'oiijet these, your Majesty: there are |at least a thoii„and." " l.nt isn't that ni-Miit fur dust!" asked Leopold anxiously. "Oh. i:0: thi -c are sl-eep." "On your word of honour';" asked the King. "On my word nf honour." replied the painter. Thus, King Ijcnpold, who could not go back 011 his promise, had to give ">11.(100 francs for a picture which would have lieen well paid for by a tenth of tlfat sum.