The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-25

London, August 24.-( Special) -King
George has given his sanction to the
publication in book form of the most
interesting parts of the early diary Of
Queen Victoria. These excerpts will
cover ten years or so Immediately pre-
Feeding her accession to the throne. AZ
the outpouring of the intimate thought
OF girl afterwards destined to rule
the greatest empire in the old world
the book promises to be particularly in
teresting to women.
During her lifetime, Queen Victoria
gave for publication a few of these
grlhood musings and they proved eN-
ceedingly viyacious reading. Her late
majesty, however, was a relentless CEN
sor and King George thinks that a
more liberal volume is due the public.
The visit OF the Prince of Wales and
his younger brother. Prince Albert, TO
the United States has been fixed for
September of next year The young
1ri,tces will spend about two months
in the States and Canada, going first to
the Dominion then by way of Buffalo
NJ New York, Newport, Atlantic City,
Boston, Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake
City, and three cities on the Pacific
Coast, one of which is certain to be San
francisco. Their royal highnesses Will
accept a limited number of invitations
under the titles of courtesy which they
will use on the tour. These Will be
governed by circumstances and VIII be
soore or less at the personal will of the
heir to the throne. who is showing a
dogged determination to have good
deal of his own way.
The Prince of Wales will spend the
next university year at oxford where
he goes in October to be educated like
an English gentleman He returned
from France with very good accent.
Next June he proceeds TO Heidelburg
to brush up his German. Like all the
royal young people, he talks the leu
tonic tongue more or less fluently.
Weather proving favorable, the old
manor of Merton Hall, near Thetford,
will witness in a week or ten days a
most interesting scene. Merton Han
was the original inheritance which
proved the doom of the historic ''Babes
in the Wood Lord and Lady Walsing-
ham. the owners of the place in direct
succession from the next of kin of Sir
Roger de Grey (the father of the babes)
have planned to reproduce the story IN
play to be acted by society people
within the walls and the woods of Mer-
ton The parts of the two children Will
be taken by the youngest members OF
the de Grey family, and a tame robin
is being trained to act the part of the
bird who covered the children with the
Autumn leaves.
The name Of the boy in the legend
OF Merton was Thomas. That of his
sister is not known--for, you see. girls
were not then of so much Importance
as boys The wood in which they were
done to death is still haunted by their
ghosts, who are said to walk hand In
hand: while for many years stuffed
robin used to be given to every visitor
In the house, which was restored about
sixty years ago, is stlll to be seen the
Babes Parlour. Among other beautiful
rooms is the Spanish Armada: and the
Adam and Eve bedroom has dainty
colored ceiling on which is pictured
the Garden of Eden. The third Lord
Walsingham and his wife, who was
Miss Methuen were burnt to death in
their house in London in April, 1881.
The Marquis of HEREFORD, once the
husband of Miss Alice Thaw, of Pitts
burg, who divorced him In. 1908 and is
now Mrs. copley Thaw, is going to or
ganize a company of aristoeratic play
ers who will give regular perform
ances for society. Che seats to be sold only
to people in the best circles and the
proceeds to go TO charity. The Marquis
has emerged from his recent mourning
and is now one of the most dashing
men to be seen about town. He is
good-looking, tall and clean -shaven.
with dark hair and eyes and pleasant
manner. He is an inveterate whistler,
but acting is his special forte. The
pames of a number of prominent peo-