The St. Johns herald., 1893-12-28
LONG-LIVED RULERS.
The German Fatherland Has an
 Abund ance of Them.
4 Dukes Golden WedGing-The Benign Ruler Of Mecklenburg-Strel; Alp sented Himself, Thus Saving
 His People Expense.

There seems to be something very salubriOus in the climate of Germany, particularly for persons of royal blood, if one may judge from the ripe old age to which the heads of the various kingdoms, duchies and principalities have attained. The celebration of the fftieth anniversary of succession to the throne has been cOmmemOrated in several petty states of the fatherland within the past few years. The duke of Saxe-Coburge-Got brother of the lamented prince consort of Queen Vic toria, is beyond the Biblical limit by several years. The grand duke of Saxe-Weimar, who lived in the beauti- ful town made famous by Goethe, Schiller. Herder, Wieland and Liszt, has reigncd more than fifty years, and has celebrated the fftieth anniversary of his marriage. The prince regent of Bavaria has also lived more than three score years and ten. The king of Saxony is white haired and seventy" and the grand duke Cf Baden and the duke of Meiningen are men approach ing the time when they will be called. The prince of Lippe-Detmold died only few weeks ago, at the age of seventy seven.
 But none of the petty German sov- ereigns who took part with Emperor William l., his great chancellor and his immortal field marshal in the re- creation of the German empire is more popular than Grand Duke Frederick William. of Mecl1lenburg-S -Strelitz. Only recently he celebrated the semi-cen- tennial anniversary of his marriage to Grand Duchess Augusta, his cousin, who was born Q princess of Great Brit ain.
 The grand duke, says the Chicago Post. is closely related to the present generation of the Hohenzollerns. He was born October r, 1919, and was the son of Grand Duke George, brother of the famous Queen Louise, the mother of the first Emperor William, and Grand Duchess Marie, daughter of IandcTavc of HeSSe-CaSSel. After a thorough preparation for university course by the professors Of the gym. nasiu1n at Ncustrelitz he entered the | HlfEELlLt Ol DO&A-1 III 4-Jt. AAO feIS one of tue first rulers sons to be en- rolled at a German university and his advent at the old institution was dis eussed far and wide. His example has been followed by hundreds of princes since that time and to-day it is as much matter of course that the scion of ruling house spend several years at university as it formerly was that he entered the army. The sons of the present emperor are not only to be- come students at Bonn, but are to aA tend the gymnasium or college at Kiel for nine years, taking the full course of the institution.
 The young grand duke hereditary of Mecklenburg-Strel spent several years at Bonn studying law, history and political science. After leaving the institution he passed a year in travelling in Italy and Switzerland. At the suggestion of his cousin, King Frederick William IV., he then en- tered the Prussian army to prepare himself for an active military career.
 h 1S42 the prince hereditary became engaged to Princess Augusta, daugh ter of Duke Adolf, of Cambridge. the son of King George III. of Eng land and Queen Charlotte, who was born a nrincess of Mecklenburg- Strclitz In September. 1860, he sue ceeded his blind father as grand duke. Since that time he has devoted himself assiduously to the welfare of his little country. Many of it's most famous in stitutiOnS are due to his hberalty. He took an active part in the wars of 1866 and 1SIO-71 and then gained the lasting gratitude of Emperor William and his supporters.
 The report that Duke George of Meiningen intended to abdicate in favor of his son. the brother-inlaw of the German emperor, has been official lv denied. The rumor rose from the resignation from the army of the duke hereditary and his return to Mein- ingen. Few people in Germany, how ever. would be surprised if the runner should prove to be founded in fact. The reigning duke has long suffered from illness and has been unable to spend more than a few weeks each year in the beautiful capital of the little duchy. The duke was married morganatically several years Ggo-af- ter the death of his wife-to Fraulein Helena Franz, a member of the famous Meiningen theater. She was created Baroness de Heldburg upon her mar riage. The couple have lived happily together. caring little for society or the pomp of court life.
 The prince hereditary, who will sue ceed his father sooner or later in the control of the duchy. is a man of lit erary rather than military instincts His wife Charlotte, the eldest sister of the German emperor and known be- fore her marriage as the ''Venus of the Hohenz0llerns, was never deeply in love with her husband. and the mar riage in consequence has been unhap- pv. Her cleverness and beauty have brought many men to her feet The duke would have been engaged in