Dinner with a Sleeping Prince

 Luitpold Karl Joseph Wilhelm Ludwig, Prince Regent of Bavaria. He was the regency ruler from 1886 to 1912, due to the incapacity of his nephews, King Ludwig II (for 3 days) and King Otto (for 26 years.) –

 Public domain image, of Prinzregent Luitpold (or Prince Leopold) 

He Served a Fine Dinner 

This Prince Enjoyed It, and the Famished Guests Politely Smiled

Prince Leopold, the late-Regent of Bavaria, was extremely hospitable, receiving many guests and keeping open house, to which came in turn officers, scientists, artists, manufacturers —all the best society in Munich. Himself, the wielder of an excellent knife and fork, he took the pleasures of the table seriously and desired that all his guests should do the same.

Some weeks before his last illness he fell asleep at a dinner party immediately after the first course. His guests were restrained by respect for etiquette from waking him, but continued their conversation in low tones. The servants did not dare to continue serving the dinner. The Prince continued to sleep and soon began to snore. The guests continued their conversation in somewhat louder tones, but the Prince slept for two hours, during which time, no one left his place The guests sat famished in the same room with a marvelously appointed dinner. 

At length, Prince Leopold awoke. He gave a hurried glance round the table and saw only a number of well-mannered guests, successfully pretending to have noticed nothing. Persuaded that his doze had passed completely unobserved, he said. “Now let us go and take coffee.” The guests rose accordingly and proceeded to the drawing room. They were served with coffee, liqueurs and cigars. The Prince, thoroughly refreshed by his sleep, indulged in a great deal of excellent conversation which lasted till midnight. The party then broke up. and the guests departed, famished with hunger, with an official smile upon their lips. – Blue Lake Advocate, 1913

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