Semi=weekly graphic., 1899-04-12
RED HAIR IN HISTORY.
Sir Walter and Micheler Disagreed About
 Unhappy Mary's.

Unhappy Mary's.
 The exact tint of the Scottish Queens hair has always been a vexed subject O. discussion. Some give it an unmitiga3a6 red. Michelet, for in- stance, wno so far forgets himself and history as to call the poor lady great red camel; others. siding with chival- orous Sir Walter, boldly endow their martyred Queen and mistress with rich oark brown tresses. It should not be forgotten. however, that red hair, even modest auburn, suffered a severe eclipse during the early years of our century, whereas, under the Valois, no one with any pretensions to elegance could be seen wearing it black. In this particular, at least, Mary Stuart must have had tho advantage of Queen Margot. who inherited her fathers dark coloring, and was reduced to dis semble natures shortcomings by the perruquier's art.
 We are told of three gigantic blond lackeys, kept in her service, and brought to the shears as regularly as sheep. Brantome, indeed, protests that his incomparable Princess could carry with grace "eyen her natural black hair twisted and plaited a pEspagnol, as she sometimes wore it, in imitation of her sister, the Queen of Spain" But no such need of insistence one feels when he comes to praise the curled golden tresses of the Scottish Queen. "Aias!' he cries, what proclamation was that at the dreadful moment of her death, when the barbarous executfoner snatched her bonnet, and there lay re- vealed those same fair locks, now whitened. thin and wintry, and which her friends of France had so often seen but to admire, curled and adorned as beittted their beauty aud the Queen thev Gracpd."
 How England Took Gibraltar.
 Gibralter waa taken by the English In 1704, during the var of the Spanish succession, a war which was provoked by the aggressive lolicy o1 France in endeayoring to plate a monarch of the French family Ipon the Spanish throne. and thus consolidate the two kingdoms into one. The fortress was then captured, aliaost by surprise, though the Spaniar gs and French, ap- preciating the strategic value of the place, made desperate efforts to re- cover it, but were repulsed at every point. Between the date of it's capture and 1779 repeated efforts were made by Spain to recover the fortress, and in the latter year the greatest armament that was ever brought to bear upon a besieged place lay before Gibraltar The siege lasted, ots and on, for many months. The investing force comprised 12,000 troops of France, over twice as many of the best infantry of Spain, and the fleet consisted of forty-seven ships, all three-dackers ten great floating batteries, esteemed invincibles, carrying PIP guns, innumerable frig- ates, bomb-ketches, cutters, gun and mortar boats. For weeks together over 5000 shells day We're thrown into the town and repeated attempts were made to storm the works. but the little gar rison of only 1000 men repelled every assault and finally succeeded in beat ing off the allied feet. The blockade began June 21, 1778, and lasted until February, 1783, when the garrison was finally relieved by the arrival of a Britieh fleet and army. Since that time the Notifications Of Gibraltar have been So improved and increased that it is regarded as the strongest fortress in the world The British gov- ernment maintains there a garrison of from 5000 to 10000 men, with pro- visions for six months, and it is said the supply of military material is suf- fcient to enable the fortress to stand a siege of indefinite length.