MAD KING’S ROMANCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17365, 1 January 1917, Page 3

MAD KING’S ROMANCE.

FORTY YEARS IN AN ASYLUM. Tho recent, death of tho mad King Otto of Bavaria recalls ono of tho most pitiful dramas of modern history. King Otto was a king in name only; lie ivns never crowned, and never sat on the throne which was his by right. For over forty years this unhappy monarch was confined to a madhouse, and never once did ho realiso he was tho ruler of a kingdom. Tho history of tho Royal house of Bavaria for several generations has afforded a striking lesson of the, dreadful results of wild and vicious living. It shows that even all the power and wealth of kings cannot avert the awful consequences of an evil life. King Otto’s grandfather was compelled to abdicate on account of his shameless intrigues and escapades. His successor, tho mad King’s brother, who had a career no less profligate and notorious, ended liis life by committing suicide, drowning himself in the lake in the grounds of his palace of Borg in 1886.

SMOKED INCESSANTLY. Otto when *a boy was very eccentric. It ivab not until about tho time when the Gorman people became ono nation that his mental condition attracted serious attention. Then lie particularly distinguished himself by leading a regiment entrusted to him by the "Grey Kaiser” in a spirited attack upon—a wall 1 A lengthy tour through Spain and Italy brought no improvement to his disordered mind, and eventually he found himself confined in the lonely Scl)loss Furstcnried. Here he brooded and smoked incessantly, the unconscious recipient of regal honours. Ho occupied a suite of apartments the doors of as well as tho outer door leading into tho garden, woro always left open in the daytime, for tho insane King could nob hear tho sight of a closed door. He seemed suspicious of restraint, and his attendants hid all appearance of authority over his movements. PATHETIC LOVE AFFAIR.

At times, however, he becamo conscious of what was duo to liis rank. On one occasion ho administered a sharp and wholly unexpected rebuke to a physician who lighted a cigar without permission in tho Royal presence. The King was always dressed in black. His hoard was very long and thick, and he would not allow it to bo trimmed. He often washed liis hands and face, but could seldom he persuaded to take a bath.

Ho was passionately foiid of cigarettes and smoked more than forty a day. Every time ho lighted ono ho burned a whole box of matches, and seemed to enjoy the noise and flame. He had a remarkably good appetite and had a great weakness for champagne, which was brought to him whenever tho physician gave the assenting sign. Ho did not recognise even his own servants, except an old woman who had charge of the silver. Ho had known her all his life. She used to carry him in her arms when lie was a baby, and it was most touching to seo how the last faint rays of his fading intelligence rested upon her alone. When fio saw her. he called hor by name and ordered her to bring him whatever ho happened to fancy, usually strong beer. In a moment lie forgot what ho had said arid relapsed into lus usual state of apathy. This mad King had a love romance, which he never seemed to forget.

Many years ago throe ladies and a man rode out to Wiesbaden one sunny morning'in the early summer to picnic in tlie woods that clothe tho hills above the town. They were a merry party, and the ladies were young and extreuioly pretty. As they sat chatting and laughing two gentlemen, one in uniform and one in mufti, rode past and then stopped at. a little distance. • Returning, one of the gentlemen explained who liis companion was, and asked permission to join tho party. They wore soon on friendly terms, and one of the men, particularly handsome, was very much struck with the prettiest of the gii'ls. the young Countess von L. Suddenly she stretched out. her hand and, pulling three wild strawberries from a plant, she offoicd them to the man, who graciously accepted them. At the time when the doctors pronounced King Otto insane it was reported from Switzerland that the Countess von L. had suddenly disappeared from society and entered a nunnery. Early in the summer every year the mad King insisted on going to the woods at Farstenried and picking wild strawberries. Perhaps lie remembered with his poor numbed brain the day he spent nt Wiesbaden long ago, when lie was young and happy and his mind clear and strong, and no doubt, lie hacf tender recollections of a beautiful girl who now existed only in a madman’s dreams.