Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 November 1892 — WISE KINO HUMBERT. [ARTICLE]

WISE KINO HUMBERT.

He Does Not Wish His People to Present Gifts to“Hlin. King Humbert’s announcement that neither his wife nor himself will consent to receive any gifts from their subjects on the occasion of their silver wedding, which takes place next spring, has given universal satisfaction, us government officials all over the country had already started local subscriptions for the purpose of presenting some offering to their majesties on their silver wedding day. King Humbert has, moreover, intimated that any sums which may have already been collected for the purpose, aud which the donors do not vyisli to receive back, should be devoted to the foundation of an establishment similar to the Invalides at Paris or the Chelsea Hospital in London, whore old pensioned soldiers wounded in the service of their country might find a comfortable home for the remainder of their days. In acting thus, King Humbert has m rely followed out the line of conduct which he has adopted from the very moment of his accession to the throne w on, with rare magnanimity and patriotism, he refused the offer of the National Legislature to pay the large debts left by his father, King Victor Emmanu 1, declaring that it was a matter which concerned himself personally and that ho would discharge all his father’s liabilities out of his own civil list. This King Humbert has done and today has paid off every penny owed by his father, although many of the late King’s creditors were men who had abused his confidence and in nowise deserved to receive any payment. He managed tq do this without impairing in any way the splendor of the court, which is renowned throughout Europe for its lavish hospitality and magnificence. Things indeed are on a far grander scale than in the time of Victor Emmanuel. What They Eat. The ways of royalties are so interesting to outside barbarians that it thrills us to hear on good authority that the Czar of all the Russias eats five meals a day, and that England’s Queen, at no matter how big a banquet, dines modestly on mutton or beef and wines or beer. His Holiness Pope Leo XIII is the most abstemious of all the monarchs. Sweden’s Queen loves above all things the meat pies that are served in Nice; next to that dainty she prefers the national dish of salmon. The German Emperor is fastidious about food. His special weakness is for ham and eggs cooked in the English fashion. The Empress of Austria gives her whole mind to culinary Improvements. She has invented an apparatus for roasting 1(10 fowls at once. She is not particular about her own eating, but likes to provide for others. The much-reviled Bui, tan of Turkey lives frugally on rice and mutton, and drinks only water. Bismarck is a tremendous eater. Almost fasting througi: the day he reserves his forces for a stupendous dinner at 7, when he eats like a pig and drinks like a lish. President Carnot sets as good a table as the country can supply, and, as indigestion is unknown t > him, he eats like an artistic epicure. King Humbert is a very small eater, but it is whispered sub rosa that the beautiful Margherita enjoys her dinners as much as the nursery queen enjoyed her bread and honey. Every day of the year her majesty has a dish of strawberries served to her. The King of the Belgians eats too much. The King of Greece prefers his viands cooked in the Danish fashion. His wife, Queen Olga, insists on Russian cooking. Little Alph nso of Spain, under the care of a wise mother and a profound doctor, lives as wholesomely as might a mountaineer’s son.