Show MARVELOUS OLD MONARCH WHO WANTS TO COME TO AMERICA daily life and doings of the shrewdest king in the business who Is 1 ally seen through yellow glass but who Is by no means the gay sport he Is credited with being he was only amused when one of his subjects called him king jleopold Cleo leopold II 11 of belgium Is one of the richest men in the world but his dally life is simple and abstemious and filled with hard work and hard walking gets through with a heap of correspondence in the morning before most folk are up london feb 4 As it is known here that kins leopold wishes to visit the united slates and see tho st louis and as rumors of his intention have let loose a flood of irresponsible statements in a certain class ot american newspapers I 1 ached our brussels correspondent who has unusual facilities for getting at the facts to tell what this famous combination of monarch and shrewd business man Is really like how be lives and works and amuses himself whether he is really such a sinner as he has been so often made out to be in short to present for perhaps the first time a genuine picture from direct observation without fear or favor of a man who is generally acknowledged by statesmen to be the ablest king in the business not even excepting his german neighbor here Is the result of this request C B brussels feb 3 among the many notable strangers who it is hoped will visit the st the most remarkable undoubtedly Is leopold IL king of the belgians from every point of view this monarch commands at A v OJ tit on on at vlas tit Is tent lon the unique position by belgium as a neutral state whose position Is guaranteed by the great powers of allowing aim a free hand in his enterprise the tall spare form tho aquiline features in which the extreme length of the nose bespeaks the prudence and love of inquiry which are ills great characteristics the observant eyes la which penetration glitters like the flash of a two edged sword and the long beard snowy white are familiar the world over A few facts about the kings daily life told by one who has spent several years in belgium may not bo uninteresting and since they give the lie to many of the fictions charged to king leopolds account should not be five in summer and but little later in winter sees the king 0 the belgians aged 6 walking in his palace of laeken which stands in one of the immediate suburbs of the capital his Maje bedroom is comfortably fort ably but plainly furnished and he does not care tor fires in his rooms the writer who entered the kings study one cold autumn day just after his majesty had left it was amused to see the royal shirt airing before an empty fireplace for a parliamentary dinner to be given at the brussels palace that evening HEAPS OF WORK BEFORE BREAKFAST his majesty Is ex simple in his tastes and detests or rather ceremonies his valet de chambre who sleeps in an adjoining room has anease life for the kings costume almost invariably of a generals undress uniform immediately he is dressed ho takes a walk this is th eKings favorite occupation and he spends most of his day afoot a foot by 7 a m his majesty ilias already mn through his first correspondence his private post which either cornea in the usual way or by mounted couriers always on duty or by cyclists the let tars are often examined during the short turn enjoyed in the park which the king always takes alone returning to the palace he goes straight to bis study where he sketches out his replies the king seldom dictates and always answers his own private correspondence spon dence himself at a brake comes from brussels with various commissions tor the princess clementine the suite etc and a second voluminous post which the king also examines before breakfast orders for the day are then given audiences arranged and at 8 punctually his majesty breakfasts during the late queens lifetime and before she removed to spa the royal couple breakfasted together princess clementine prefers hers in her rooms no servants assist at breakfast samovars samo vars being at hand for making ecat and coffee of fruit are on tho table peaches being preferred the king has a particularly hearty appetite and finishes his repast by chocolate while looking through the belgian papers mean his haye been conveyed to the high officials of his household and to bla secretary head ot his private at th eBrus sels palace indefatigable pedestrian after breakfast always goes for another walk lie is indeed an indefatigable de fatigable pedestrian and when at ostend his tall figure is frequently to be seen striding along the coast miles away from tho royal chalet he is the terror of his aids de camp who are changed once a week report bays because even in that short time their royal masters walking powers have quite worn them out the king apparently parent ly does not know what it is to fell tired tor he has a frame of steel and an indomitable spirit while recently examining on foot the immense territory destined for the magnificent liege exhibition of 1905 one ot the organizers expressed a hope that his majesty was not tiring himself fatigue rep liedthe king Is a word for which have no use once moro returned to the palace the king takes what he calls a boule deau which means drinking the consents of a carafe yet another courier brings communications from OF BELGIUM rn a the ministers of state and after examining these the king generally makes a tour of his magnificent con serva tories these are the largest and finest ornamental glass houses in europe and are connected with the palace by a subterranean way his majesty Is extremely fond of flowers WHAT A KING HAS FOR LUNCH luncheon Is served at midday those at table consisting of the king prin cass clementine the ladled in waiting and the ald de camp this meal always comprises a dish of eggs served in various ways roast beet or beefsteak rarely mutton cutlets and a vegetable served separately the king prefers spinach chicory or asparagus and owns to a special fondness for artichokes ti and young carrots but he really does not care much what he eats and Is indeed a most excellent trencherman A dish of cold meat always forms part of this menu followed by a sweet dish and splendid fruit from the hothouses hot houses of and laeken where peaches ripen all the year rounds never was more bober king leopold II 11 three glasses of wine generally bordeaux being his extreme limit luncheon served by three servants and a butler Is never allowed to exceed nineteen minutes so conversation Is restricted the question of how the afternoon shall be passed Is discussed and tho dishes tor dinner chosen from a menu submitted by tho chef after luncheon the king cither goes to his brussels palace to give audience or he takes another long walk around laeken where he has enormously improved the property or else toward where ho loves to watch the fine roads he Is making unroll themselves like white scrolls through the forest do coigne So igne which saw the passage of Welling tons army these links are serving to unite the new and fashionable suburb with the city and will gradually lead the inhabitants to establish themselves in a fine and picturesque neighborhood continually BUYING REAL ESTATE whatever his faults and in considering leopold II 11 one must remember to paraphrase bums a kings a man for a that that no country boasts a monarch so entirely and actively voted to th development of his kingdom he Is especially interested in the improvement of the three leading cities of brussels antwerp and ostend rep as they do wealth commerce and fashion not a street Is planned scarce a house designed that leopold 11 does not consider its suitability and where private taste runs wild he quietly purchases the property and improves it according to his own ideas the result of this incessant watchfulness on the kings part is making the chief towns of belgium and especially brussels remarkable for open spaces picturesque points 0 view and quaint and artistic buildings it is to his insistence too that brussels will one day boast that splendid pile tho mont des arts where the capitals art treasures will be suitably gathered together and better accommodations for exhibitions be provided only recently his majesty discovered that the bouses in a new street which eventually will replace the well known montague do la cour were BO high as to obstruct a certain view from the higher part of the city he bought the bouses and the obtrusive are to be removed ho is incessantly buying property merely to improve it and architecture in which bo Is a past master is with him a veritable passion PLAIN FARE AND PLAIN TRUTHS of late years his majesty has become devoted to the automobile he loves to drive far and fas t and in some country district to alight at a cottage and while eating whatever tare Is ot to listen to he remarks bt the peasants who all unconscious of the guestis guest ss rank comment on national and local events in a manner often more honest than complimentary the afternoon walbor drive Is usually over by 3 or 4 when tho king takes tea or a second boulo deau another post has by ahta time arrived and business frequently must again bo attended to the dinner hour Is 6 unless there Is a state banquet the same apartment byln g used as tor breakfast the king and princess dine alone the menu almost invariably con ot soup a light entree roast veal or mutton a vegetable course game and sweets coffee la not served at the royal table after dinner the princess returns to her apartments where she lives very quietly like some sleeping beauty in the wood the king leaves the dinner table tor his study where he patiently wades through the london times at 1015 as a rule leopold II 11 puts his beard into a silk bag to preserve the long soft alno hair from breaking and goes to bed UNFOUNDED SCANDALS this hardworking hard working regular ascello life has not much in common with that of the gay gallant whom the yellow press loves to depict and it is a proof that the fierce light which beats upon a throne has been in this case allowed to fall through too highly colored glass to produce a perfectly truthful effect that the king Is a great admirer of female beauty Is certain but his majesty is no longer a young man and most of the stories told of his private life are nothing but malicious scandal naturally the gossip about himself has reached the kings ear and conw entertaining stories ale told of his amusement at the character given to him of a DOD juan when one of tho socialists saoko ot the king in tho belgian parliament aa king jleopold Cleo referring to tho supposed affair with cleo de emerode merode the continued from page II 11 A 1 MARYELOU SOLD MONARCH WHO WANTS TO AMERICA continued famous Parisian beauty mailer was brought before the notice of his majesty he only laug bcd sayong remembering my ages my people pay me though perhaps a very pretty compliment 1 again when a very important personage begged him to this emerode merode ru moron the grounds that it not refute dU would eventually be believed the king smilingly responded in that deliberate a which gives every utterance weight they rard not believe U butlien hen I 1 am believe a but aien I 1 am really 1 your friend KOUGH ON one day when the king was walking on the boulevards he caught sight of a parisian paper wah an illustration showing bim embracing a ballat girl the ald de camp endeavored deavo red to ge his roy al master safely past the objectionable picture but the kings keep eye bad detected it and he stopped to examine t through his still folded eyeglasses a favorite habit when lie wishes to appear extra critical now the king lia ft double in M valere mahall 0 of earlmont Mar lmont whose resemblance Is similarity somewhat heightened by an extreme loyalty which leads maballe to a corresponding taste in dress when the king had thoroughly taken in all the humors 6 bic picture was more than usually daring he looked up quietly and said with a wicked glint in eye 1 I cannot why all the comic capere should be so down on alabelle the king care much about public opinion an a saying time comate years lie has been lnor dinato love of money kludt it Is said is increasing age and must be gratified at all costs heis taday ono ot the men in alft world but abere Is reason to believe that much of the enormous enor moue wealth he Is amassing Is to be to athe good country already he haar given enormous donations to people among anem being part ot his park and ui conservatories conserva tories at laeken with their upkeep up keep coming to the nation at bite death the chateau deCer gnon andi je chateau ardines THE STATES that be should lose his only son from a chill after the measles was a terrible blow to his ambition andja Is said that tills and the lack of a pathy between himself and th tolate late queen is the reason tora tor 1 his home unhappiness he presents tan iron front to the terrible blows that fate has dealt him in his home circle and no one knows how much he ilias suffered i beneath them ills nephew prince albert only surviving son ot the kings brother the rather deaf count of flanders will bebis heir if he count resigns his claims to the hrone which it Is said the king bishes and the count desires but abich the countess does not ko to re aguish the king has carefully su the prince albert so that he shall be thoroughly able to take the reins fit government when necessary afe Is extremely attached to princess albert daughter of duke charles theodore of bavaria who has won lils extra good graces by adding sons to the direct line asked b oe ot ministers it ho was the progress made by prince alcert along the special ath tb th ebron laid down tor him by the king mis yep and I 1 a particular mackof when offered choice of a aburas heir to the il irone he selected america because there he could learn epst the king has indeed always greatly favored americans and whenever be hears of any american of noto being in belgium he invariably invites him either to laeben or ostend thus hearing that mr richardson of the united states congress was in belgium the king sent tor him gave him a most cordial reception and presented bin to the senate bidding him to both luncheon and dinner his majesty has ofte n expressed a wish to see a direct line of steamers from new york to ostend bis greatest being to see belgium a maritime power cummer dally and has reque nty sald that it was always e pleasure to him to remember that it was america which farst recognized the congo free state when mr sandford was minister to brussels the dale of april 22 says the king which marked the recognition of the congo company by the united states haff always been a remembrance mem brance to me of great pleasure TALKS the king can converse fluently ic english germany french and flemish and was hugely delighted when he heard an american say on leaving an audience why ahe king speaks like an american he jia indeed the greatest for america her institutions and tho business capacity other people which exactly appeals to him it is curious that he should be so attracted by tc republican country for though he has ever strictly ad leered to abc 0 i a man was a bom autocrat by character it Is is Leopold II 11 despite unkind rumors the king Is 0 extremely devoted o his sister prin ces widow of ahe ill fated emperor maximilian of mexico and th ough her mental condition makes a vie far from always pleasant his majesty never falls to call at the castle of Bouc hout twice or thrice a the sad stories of his daughters princess louise of coburg and of prin ces are too well known to heed mention here there are troubles in most families and it should ba remembered that the public never knows the whole truth of such reports as bave been circulated concerning them J |