Second, because the title of King of France is not one that can be handed
down from father to son, like other titles. It is the sole property of the
ruler of the kingdom of France. France being no longer a kingdom, it has
no king, and therefore nobody has the right to the title at all.

Third, because there being no longer a kingdom of France, nor a king of
France, nobody has any especial right to use the coat of arms of the king.
The court was of opinion that anybody may use it who feels inclined.

Fourth, because there being no longer a kingdom of France nor a king,
neither of the quarrelling dukes has any need to issue proclamations. If
they do issue them, no one will take any notice of them, and therefore the
court cannot see that it is anybody's business what name is signed to
them. The Duke of Anjou has no right to interfere with the Duke of
Orleans' signature as a private individual, and therefore the court
refuses to dictate to the Duke of Orleans how he shall sign his letters,
whether with his first, his last, or with all of his names.

The court therefore ordered the Duke of Anjou to pay all the costs of the
trial, and dismissed the case.

Does it not seem absurd for two grown men to quarrel about a title which
neither of them has the slightest use for?

* * * * *

On the 1st of January, 1897, a new law went into force, forbidding the
convicts in State's prisons to do any other work than hard labor for the
benefit of the State.

Up to the time of passing this law, when a prisoner went to jail, the
warden found out the work for which he was best suited, and gave him
employment of that nature.

A convict who was a good accountant would be put to keeping the books. A
shoemaker would be set to mending and working in the shoe-shop. A
bricklayer would be put to building and repairing, and so on.

The new law stops this system entirely.

Hard labor means lifting stones, digging, building walls, and work of that
kind.

If there are no prison buildings to be made, and no heavy work to be
undertaken for the State, the prisoners must remain idle.

To the convicts, idleness is the most cruel punishment that they can be
given. They have nothing to interest or amuse them, nothing to think of
but their own sad lives; they cannot speak to each other, as talking is
absolutely forbidden, so taking their work from them is a very great
cruelty.

Since the law first went into effec