The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-12

large class of the reading public in this country takes general and peculiar interest in the alliances between the royal houses of the old world. While some royal love matches have demanded the sacrifice of rank rather than the sacri- flee of love, others of great political sig nifcance have been most happily and fectous.
 An article in the current Munsey upon 'Marriageable Princes" by Fritz Cunliffe- Owen is replete with a unique interest; inasmuch as the portraits of the kings and scions of royal houses in search of eonsorts are given with the text The author quotes the Grand Duke Michael, brother of the Czar of Russia, as the first and foremost among those princes of the blood who are of marriageable age. He is 24 years of age. The author says: Prince Michael is slightly taller than the czar, but is far from having in herited the stalwart proportions of his father. He was that stern autocrats favorte son, and the one person who had the audacity to make fun of him.
 During the Czar Alexander's last voy- age to Copenhagen, he was reposing one warm afternoon on low couch, endeavor- ing to snatch a few moments sleep. His uesta was, however, disturbed by Michael, who persisted in taking flying leaps over the couch, notwithstanding his fathers protests. At last, thoroughly angered,, Alexander exclaimed: Tt is the czar who commands you to stopi' Instead of show Ing any signs of being impressed, Michael threw himself down on the deck and rolled over and over. shouting with laughter, in which Alexander, sleepy and angry as he was, ultimately had to join ' Another heir apparent whose engage ment is most eagerly awaited Is the Crown Prince of Germany. The Author says: "The kaiser and his eldest boy are devoted to each other. To the crown prince his father is in every sense Will liam, second to none,' while the kaiser himself is entirely wrapped up in his son. Although Don Alfonso of Spain will be but r in May, yet his people are ex- tremely anxious that he should marry, believing that wife will contribute in no small measure to the stability of the gov ernment. One of the finest specimens of young manhood is Prince Arthur of Con- naught, King Edwards nephew, who was 20 in January. Prince Arthur is a hand some young fellow, who has inherited a good deal of the sound sense and popu- 1drlly or nlS IdIneT, the Luke or Con naught, is now serving with his regiment, the Seventh Hussars, in South Africa. " Other marriageable princes are the eldest son of the Crown Prince of Sweden, the two grand dukes Cyril and Boris of Rus sia, both of whom have visited the United States and Don Jaime, son of Don Carlos, the legitimate claimant of the crown of Spain
 
 In the Atlantic Monthly for the present month there is a very fine article by Bran- der Matthews upon Makers of the Drama of Today" He takes a wide sweep and reviews with concise power many of the influences in fiction and dramatic art of the past century. He says: "Of all the manifold influences that united to re- invigorate the drama toward the middle of the century, the most powerful was that of prose-fction. In France more particularly no stimulant was more potent than the series of realistic Investigations into the conditions and the results of modern life, which Balzac comprehensive ly entitled the Human Comedy The novel is the department of literature, which was as characteristic of the nineteenth cen- tury as the drama was of the seventeenth,