The Queen of the Belgians, who died a few days since, seems to have had a somewhat sad married life and a lonely old age. Married when only in her seventeenth year, she quickly discovered that her tastes, and those of "her young husband were totally at variance. She was intensely musical; he not only did not know one air from another but disliked music so much that he invariably walked out. of the room if she began to play. The death of their only son, in his tenth year, was a bitter and lasting grief, and she also felt most keenly for the sorrows of her daughter, Princess Stephanie, whose married life with the Prince Rudolph was so filled with tragedy. All the latter years of her life were passed in comparative solitude, as she and the King were practically separated, and her youngest daughter, Princess Clementing, apparently cast in her lot with her father. Music, painting, and an inordinate love of her horses seem to have been her chief sources of pleasure, but she also found consolation in vi those less happy than herself, often assisting personally in the nursing of some urgent case of sickness, when it was brought to her notice.
At the Theatres the autumn season is now in full swing, and "If I were King" at the St. James's has been followed by two other notable successes.
"The Best of Friends." old Drury's newest melodrama, is in some respects more gorgeous than any of its predecessors. It has four acts and twelve Scenes and is, as usual, written by Mr. Cecil Raleigh, who should by this time be able to gauge the requirements of the British ublic. Although not a war piece in the ighting sense of the word, the plot. is founded to a certain extent on episodes of the late war. The best of friends are a young Boer who is studying at oxford and the Earl of Amesbury, heir of the Duke of Richborough, who is likewise at the University. A circus passes through the city and the heroine, a circus rider, (though, in reality the grand-daughter of the Duke) is thrown from her horse, breaks her arm and is carried in an insensible condition into the young Earl's rooms. Of course both men fallin love with her and many improbable things m, not the least tel that the gal is invited during the jerled of convalescence to stay at one of the Duke's lodges with his house-keeper, and whilst there appears as the chief guest at a large garden party given by the Duke. War is declared and all the dramatic persona, including the circus, go to South Africa. There Paul the Boer learns that there is no chance for him asMercia (the heroine)loves the Earl. Before they leave, Lady Aline, who is herself in love with Amesbury, has by
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.