The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-18

Congress has been held his majesty has evinced the greatest interest in the. pro- ceedings and on several occasions has invited foreign stamp collectors to meet him in order that they might discuss philatelic matters. f4s4
 Even as recently as March of this year the King showed his great interest in stamp collecting by a donation to the Royal Philatelic society of magnificent collection of envelopes, postcards and wrappers, representing practically all the stamps issued in Great Britain and the colonies. This included some extremely rare things-the Mauritius one shilling yellow, which is one of the six rarest envelopes in the world, and is today of great value The Ceylon envelopes of the first issue are also extremely scarce, and the postcards included by his majes- ty in his gift to the society comprise va rieties catalogued at many pounds apiece.
 It has been the custom of his majesty to send a representative to attend every stamp auction of importance on his be- half, and many have been the tussles be- tween dealers and the royal representa- tive. His majesty never stopped to consider the price when he had set his mind on obtaining 8 prize,'' said one of these dealers to the writer the other day, land he is just as enthusiastic to- day as he was 15 or 20 years ago. The Open Sesame to the Kings interest is rare stamp. and it seldom falls to se- cure an audience for the possessor." The lists for the next sessions court will be very vigorously revised, and a certain American element will be much less than was the case in the last reign. The desire of Americans to "oe pre- scented" Is one of the most dominant of transatlantic ambitions. It is not only in London, but in Vienna, Rome, Madrid ! and. Paris that the energetic siege goes on. .1
 Rather a novelty In begging letters was received the other day by a lady
 who happens to be a neighbor of MT. Astor. It came from individual
 named Rudolf Mansfield, who gives as
 his address Dresden-Neust IT, and on whose printed note paper heading ap- pears both telegraphic address and a | telephone number. Mansfield encloses | the copy of previous plea for assistance which he had addressed to MT. rAstor, and to which he had received no reply
 and a picture postcard of two children for whom he implores compassion The l copy of the letter which purports to have 
 been sent to MT. Astor is remarkable document. In it Mansfield tells of a story of how in 1893, when bathing on the l beach at Atlantic City, he rescued boy of 8, who was in danger of drowning
 but was so modest that he concealeds his
 identity, even when he heard that the
 boys father was anxious to bestow
 $1oo0o0 on the rescuer. Now he is in
 Dresden as an importer of Cape flowers
 from South Africa, and as his business | is not fourishing he feels that he can not be proud and bashful any more,
 and, as he did not. know the name of the
 man whose son he had rescued he thought heawould ask MT. Astor to make inquiries for him.
 Il Perhaps, he thought, too, that there was so much fellow feeling between mill llionaires that MT. Astor would advance part of the ,$1oo0o0 unclaimed reward on lacSount. But in this case 1t has been ' txhistaken.