ct to take him prisoner, and if they
succeed in doing so, they will keep him a captive, to prevent any more of
his cruel outbreaks.

The English must be very glad to have Benin in their possession, because
the king used to send out parties of his warriors to lay waste all the
country round about the city. He would attack and capture the trading
parties carrying ivory to the coast, and would bring the traders back
within the walls of Benin, to torture and kill them in cruel and savage
ways.

His city was so strongly fortified that none of the surrounding tribes
dared to attack it, and he had things pretty much his own way.

So sure was he of the strength of his walls, and the cleverness of his
warriors, that he laughed at the idea of the Queen of England punishing
him for his wicked deeds, and waited for the soldiers to come to Benin,
expecting to be able to make very short work of them.

Now, however, he has learned that there are greater and more powerful
monarchs than the King of Benin, and that his boasted stronghold was of no
account when attacked by a clever foe. Obliged to flee for his life,
leaving his city in ruins behind him, Drunami, King of Benin, is learning
that he is not so great or powerful as he thought he was. It will probably
be a very useful lesson to him, and make him a better man.

* * * * *

A very curious law case has just come to an end in France.

It is such a silly case, that it seems strange that the French lawyers
waste their time over it.

The Duke of Anjou and the Duke of Orleans each claim the right to the
title of King of France.

The lawyers on both sides argued and struggled over the matter with all
seriousness.

The Duke of Anjou did not want the Duke of Orleans to call himself the
head of the Royal Family of France, nor did he want him to have the right
to use the royal shield of France as his coat of arms. Only the King of
France has a right to use the lilies of France, or fleurs-de-lis, as they
are called, on his shield.

The Duke of Anjou was, further, much troubled lest the Duke of Orleans
should have the right to sign his proclamations with his first name only,
after the manner of kings.

After many a legal wrangle, and many a fine argument, the court finally
gave its opinion that the Duke of Anjou had lost his case for the
following very good reasons:

First, because there is no longer a King of France--France being now a
republic.