The age-herald., 1899-09-24

is very fond of play devotfng most of his time to those toys which are made in imi- tation of military implements and ma. chimes of war.
 The little Grown Prince William of Ger many, despite the military regime his en- thusiatsic father, Wi.Ciam IL, has made him undergo, is wonderfully delicate. Though the oldest of that loig family of boys that makes up the first household of Germany, tlis 17-year-old has not nearly the vital foree the dash and the audacity that his brother next in age, Eitel, pos. sesses Eitel is his superior in general health, weight and height, and the general impression in Germany is that Eitel will be the next emperor.
 It is noticeable among those who have seen the boys playing together that Eitel quite appreciates his greater power of body. He is a splendid specimen of young Germany, tall, vigorous, and strong of arm and leg, while young William is al most weak and puny beside him, thin and narrow-c'hested and easily tlred.
 Belgium Is ruled over today by Leopold H., born in 1885, d still vigorous middle aged man. He shows TO signs of breaking down, and is one of the healthiest sover- eigns of Europe Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, his brother, and two years younger has for a score of years been in- cura bly, deaf, and is the most of the time in wretched health. Prince Philippe is heir to the throne, from the fact that Leo- pold H. has no sons.
 So far as Great Britain Is concerned, it has often been remarked that H. R. H. the Prince of Wales can hardly be regarded as a man of fine physique, and likely to live many years longer. While there is TO indication of any special disease, tde prince is a man who has lived so well ana so actively that dn middle age his consti- tuition Is considerably impaired. He would hardly be a fair risk for well-condueted insurance company.
 His son. the Duke of York, has never entirely recovered from the attack of ty- rhoid fevo- he had some years ago, though he has alweays been In better physical condition than his brother, the Duke of Clarence and Avondale. ever was.
 Censored reports from Austria are to the effect that Duke Francis Ferdinand has been suffering more than usual this sea son, and has not been able to fulfill half the engagements that We're previously platl- ned for him. The story Of the Hapsburgs the royal house of Austria, has been un- happy, for epilepsy has pursued the entire family and seized many of its members. In 1888 every one of ninety-eight archdukes and archduchesses of this family had that dread disease in some form or other.
 That consumption should have seized Francis Ferdinand who, since the death of Rudolph, has been the idol of the Aus trian people, is remarkable, for his life
 
 slas been an untiring officer in the Austrian army, and noted for his skill and endur- ance. He spends the days sitting silently in a tent pitched in little garden on one of his estates. His sole amusement is look ing out upon the sea, save on the infre- quent days when he takes short donkey rides.
 Ii seems to be general debility that Is gradually sapping away the life of young Victor Emanuel, Prince of Naples. Oi late he has been cruising about the coast of Italy in hopes of getting strength l Though very young-he was born in 1862 ! this prince has made himself a distin- l guished person in Italy. His greatest popu. ] larity has been not among his own people but in the foreign colonies of Naples ant i Fome, where he has cut a wide swatf l among the pleasure-loving higher class oi 1 those merry Italian cities.
 And it remains that however prosper ous the great countries of Europe may bt in other ways, there is certainly a sac lack of strong, lusty successors to tht rulers who stand at tn ehead of these na- tions for Austria. Greece, Italy, Germany Russia and even England mVst devote some part of each day to nursing theiI royal invalids.