Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-04-26
QUEER SPRIGS
OF GENTILITY.


No ceremonies Of any kind have
marked the coming OF age OF Prince
Albert OF Belgium. who hna just cele-
brated his twenty-lrat birthday. yet
there are few young men upon whose
head more hopes are centered than up
on his, He 10 the only surviving son OF
the younger brother OF King Leopold,
who, as IL well known. lost bis own
son, the young duke OF Brabant In a
very mysterious fashion eighteen years
ago. Prince Aibert's father, the count
OF FLANDERS, rs as deaf as the tradition
al post ana is so inhrm that he has
practically abdicatcd his claims OF sue
cegsslon TO the throne In favor OF his
son. True, no official proclamation OF
this act OF renunolation has been made.
But King Leopold loses no occasion Of
referring TO Prince Albert as hia heir,
and cAuges the latter 70 take part as
Huch In all etnte ceremonies and official
functions. II IA somewhat surprising,
Therefore. that the date Of the princes
comirg OF age should have been per-
mitted TO pass BY un9sserved.
Prince Albert has now entirely out
grown the delicate health which, at
the time OF his elder brothers. trngic
death, gave rise to universal fears that
he would not I've to grow up to man
nOths III ~ u Atlli htlhieiiy ghNhb ANt~
low, well set up, with face Inclined
TO be chubby, and enjoys the reputation
OF belne Of a far more studious tempera-
ment than was his brother Prince
Baldwin.
Like his uncle, King Leopold. Prince
Albert IL pasaionately fond OF the hi
cvcie-ao much so that the colonel Of
the regiment OF cavalry In which he
aorved for two yenrs commenced to en-
t.rtain serious fears for the horscmun-
ship OF hia royal charge. Prince Albert
IN an extensive traveller and has visited
not only every court In Europe, but
also most OF the great centers of indus
try in the old world. He bids fair to
make a far better king than Leopold.
In ihe nrst place he IL devoid Of Lco-
pold's craze for speculation and foolish
adventures ouch as the disastrous
Congo enterprise, while, on the other
hand. he has no trace OF having In
herited any OF those vices which have
cast so heavy shadow upon the roigns
OF his uncle and Of his grandfather
Should Prince Albert die before King
Leopold does and without leaving male
issue all sorts OF complications will
arise with regard to the succession 20
the throne. For although according
TO the terms OF the Belgian conautu-
ton King leopold poaEcsses the right
In the default OF male Issue OF his
own or of his younger brother to select
an heir from among the Sar'ous oatho-
lie prices OF Elurope-the choice, OF
course, TO be ratified by chambers Of
tho legiHlature-yet u Is doubtful
whether any OF thoge foreign powers
who guaranteed the neutrality md
Independence of Belgium at tho time
OF It's conversion into n kingdom would
ever be able 10 agree together upon one
candidate. Indeed, II would be the
came thing as in the case OF Prince
Ferdinand OF Bulgaria and OF Prince
Leopold OF Hohenzollern, whose cleo
ton to the throne OF Spain brought
about tho Franco Qerman war of 1870.
choice OF an heir 10 the Belgium
throne are Germany and Franco. since
Belgium lies, In a manner between the
two. Yet II IL preposterous TO imagine
for one moment that these two heredl-
tary foes, so terribly emblttered
upon the choice OF ruler of a country
which occupies such a position, right
between the two,
In Belgium court circles II is assert
ed that In the event OF Prince Albert's
falling to survive King Leopold the lat
ter would nominate the young French
prince Of the house OF Orleans. known
ns the duke Of Vendome, on the ground
that the duke Is married TO Princess
Josephine, the younger daughter Of the
count Of Flanders. Sut there seems
no reason for this, and King Leopold,
being himself u German, prince and
member OF the German ducal house OF
SRxe-Cohure Gotha, would be Just as
likely 20 nominate Prince Charles OF
Hohenzollern, Prusslan officer who
~ married 20 Princess Josephlne's older
sister Henriette.
IT is still more likely that King
Leopold would select his own son-in-
law, Prince Philip OF SaXe-Coburg, old
err brother OF Prince Ferdinand OF Bull
garia, and who IL n general In the
Austrian service. Both Prince Philip
and Prince Charles OF HoEenzollern
would be objected 10 by France ms ON
GERS OF the armies OF the triple al
lance. while, on the other hand, Ger
many would certainly veto the nomi-
nation OF . French prince, such as the
duke OF Vcndome.
From this It will be seen how ex-
coedlngly precious is the life and
health OF young Prince Albert OF Bel
giufn, not alone to BelRium's people
whose independence and future wei-
fare IL at stake. but also to the whole
or Europe, which may yet be Involved
In terrible war In connection with
the question OF the succession.
1t Is curious 20 note how many Euro
peun soYeteigns are without direct
heirs; for In the various states OF Ger
many as also in Belgium, tho Sale
law prevails and women are barred
from tho succession. The crown OF the
king OF WurtembcrE will pass to n
young cousin OF his who labors under
the disadvantage--ln the eyes OF tho
Wurtcmbergers-o being u Catholic.
The grand duke OF Aldenhurg has no
grandson to succeed him, and the
Erand duchy must therefore go TO the
distant Russian branch OF the family,
The king and queen OF Saxony are
childless. In Austria the emperor hav-
Ing lost his only son. the crown Will
pass TO his brother and TO his nephew.
In Holland there Is only the delicate
life Of the young queen between the
inheritance OF the Kingdom by a for
elm branch OF the house The Grand
Duke OF Hesse has only n daughter.
The Grand Duke OF baden, an only
surviving son, Is dying Of consump-
tion and chidlcsa. The line OF I.lppo
Deltmoldt viii die out with the pres
ont Prince Alexanssr who IS insane.
The king OF Roumania has no aon and