There are few living writers to whom one may tarn with greater confidence for details of the lives and characters of illustrious personages, on the con-spent of Europe, than to Truth'
is correspondent. And s0, before King Albert I ceases, by process of time, to be considered the new King of the Belgians it may be interesting to quote some of Mra. Crawford's notes on bim. The difference between his Majesty and the late King Leopold is most marked, King Albert appears diffident; his military training has left little mark on him; his countenance, of a very professorial type, and his eyes pression which glasses that rhortsight impels bim to wear do not hide. He passionately fond of music, plays the violin well and has been the only in-stracter of his eldest son who is de: asa prodigy in the art, Ae heir apparent, King, then Comte, Albert had a difficult rule to play, for which, it woald appear, his natare did not fit him li. He was haunted by fears ing Leopold would legitimize his son by Caroline Delacroix; and thie jeasion, coupled with his own disposition, caused much Kiog. was partly with the ion between him and the late
ides of keeping hold on public questions we are told, that the then Comte Albert undertook his voyage of investigation to the Belgian Congo and here we get another picturesque detail. No more studious spectator was soon at the Rheims aviation week than the new King. While the Queeo took innumerable photographs, the King carefully studied the different aeroplanes His ides is that aerial locomotion may be used to explore the dark places the Congo. "He looks on the civiliza ing of the negroes, in the best sense of the word, as necessary to the development of tropical Africa. His inflaence will make for peace and humane government, and against the ferocity of white men in haste to make large fortunes.""
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.