The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-28

ago came to us Alexis. a Grand Duke of Russia, son of the CZar. and direct descendant of that ruthless and fero- cious old savage. Peter Romanoff, known as "the Great" He stayed with us several moons and we voted the freedom of the republic, so to speak, to him. The newspapers were laden with tidings of his outgoings and his incomings. There was talk of his mar rying one of our very rich girls. There was private gossip that he though; American society made for his amuse
 ment and some folks said that his man. ners were in much need of mending as. far as to Commander" functions and edit the list of invita- tions. Had he not been a prince, son of a Czar, he would have been outlawed from good society," over here as subsequently, he was oyer there, after he got home and outraged all decency. ultimately find ing refuge in Paris. He ought to have returned to New York.
 The only one of these royal gentry ever saw was Prince Henry of Prus- sia. son of an Emperor. though not heir to the purple. a sailor man. and he looked and acted the splendid fel- tow. There is not a better blooded chap in Europe than he. A scion of the House of Hohenzollern, there courses his veins the blood of Planta- genet. Stuart, NallOis, Lorraine, Bour- bon and Brunswick. He is also a de- scendant of the royal house of Den mark. and l make no doubt that d skillful surgeon could find in' his blood traces of Hapsburg and Romanoff.
 Prince Henry came among ns and while he was here the American eagle fairly laughed with joy and the visit was an honor. for he is not only a prince. He is something grander and greater. He is gentleman, and I suspect a far more perfect one than his elder brother, the present Kaiser
 True there was some rather painful talk to the effect that some of the princes suits made slight disagree able movements of their eyebrows S when they saw how we democrat-re publican of free America loved every thing that savers of royalty But his highness gave no sign. lie is worth regiment of that Russian royal scamp we went wild over in the seven- ties of last century. It is good for us that we are not going to have his ne- phew, the Kaiser-to-be. with us. It will save him heap of emba rrassment and we can keep our snobbishness in the skeleton closet while longer.
 If you come across Private John AL ieil, oI ] upeio, or I1enTY ClaytOn or Alabama. make him tell you of the time Cleveland sent old Josiah Patti son to Mississippi in 1894 to establish goldbug propaganda there. very able man was old Josiah. and he was delighted with his mission Mentally q well physically he was thoroughly intrepid and full of zeal as he started out to confound, convict, and convert the brethren to sound "feenance"
 First. he tackled John Allen, who laughe him off the stump. Then he iF sbated with Senator Money, who put so much red pepper in the argument that old Joe refused to fool with him longer than during a single meeting. Finally the governor, a MT. Lowery, agreed to debate with him. Get Allen or Clayton to tell you about it. It is l the best criticism-Lowerys speech of the habit our rich girls have of mar
 ryirg into foreign noble families you
 ever heard. And if you happen to have
 known old Josiah, you will laugh a week over it. l Washington, February 27, 1911.