The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-14

nights that are amoung the fascinationi of this wonderful part of the world. l have never quite approved of th'
 wholesale adulteration and advertise | ment that has for years been showeree upon that somewhat cratic but heauti-
 full daughter of the Duke and Duchess | of Rutland who is now Lady Diana
 Duff Cooper, but it does seem rather hard lines that, after months of sui.
 fering since she broke her leg during
 the celebrations on peace night in Lon 1 don, her injuries should have taken a | turn for the worse, and she must have
 the bone broken again and reset 1 am l told that the reason for this drastic
 surgical treatment is that she has in-
 sisted upon trying to stand upon the 1 injured leg against the advice of her physician. In doing this she has strained and displaced the bone once
 more, so it looks as if poor Diana is going to have another period of com
 plete in action before she can move
 about with her accustomed spriChtli- ness.
 By the time this letter reaches you
 His Royal Happiness" otherwise King Alfonso XIII of Spain, will have re-
 turned to his native Madrid. and West
 End London will no longer be rubber
 ing round the portals of the Ritz hotel
 Tn the sope of catching a smile from
 the monarch of Spain. But, as I write.
 It IS thef morning occupation of hum
 dreds of perfectly good British subjects
 10 gather in massed formation about
 the Arligton street entrance of the
 hosteiry that shelters King Alfonso and Queen Victoria.
 Alfonso's smile is magnet that must draw all people toward this verry human looking and extremely uncon- Ventional king. I must confess that I myself have stood agape on the fringe of the multitude and watched the glass doors through which presently emerged tall slim. rather yellow checked young man, whose eyes seemed to take in everybody and everything, and whose wide, beaming grin was appar- ently personally directed toward every unit in the gathering who there and then raised a cheer that made him smile even more widely and then wave his hat about in friendly recognition of the greeting,
 l have not seen very many kings but those within the orbit of my re- membrance have been somewhat re- strained and dignified looking people Even the late King Edward. cheer ful and magnetic as was his personaI- ty. had certain aloofness that made one realize something of the boun- dary line separating him from ordi- nary mortals. The ex-Kaiser. in his naughty days when he visited London, was an aggressive majestic figure, while even King George. with all his wholesome and hearty Britishness, has not quite direct personal appeal to in crowd But Alfonso, apparently, sees everyone and no one seems to bother very much about his being King. You feel as if you would like to know him and talk to him. for he must be intensely amusing. was watching him the other day in the dining room of the Ritz during lunch. There were several men at lis table and he was making them oar with laughter over some jokes hat he evidently thoroughly enjoyed himself.
 Queen 'THna," or as sne is officially 'tyled, Queen Victoria. is looking re- l handsome. She is thinner l ind less robust in appearance than | he last time she came to London. 1 'he dresses beautifully and wears her | lothes exceedingly well. Elegant as he is, however she always seems to | ne just a little dull and heavy. Per- l laps- she Is bored; probably she is not | interested in things and people as is ter consort. But they are good con- |