ncy in our political life of to-day, the
Prince replied thoughtfully that he didn't know. To our inquiry as to
whether in his opinion democracy was moving forward or backward, the
Prince, after a moment of reflection, answered that he had no idea. On
our asking which of the generals of our Civil War was regarded in Europe
as the greatest strategist, His Highness answered without hesitation,
"George Washington."

Before closing our interview the Prince, who, like his illustrious
father, is an enthusiastic sportsman, completely turned the tables on us
by inquiring eagerly about the prospects for large game in America.

We told him something--as much as we could recollect--of woodchuck
hunting in our own section of the country. The Prince was interested at
once. His eye lighted up, and the peculiar air of fatigue, or languor,
which we had thought to remark on his face during our interview, passed
entirely off his features. He asked us a number of questions, quickly
and without pausing, with the air, in fact, of a man accustomed to
command and not to listen. How was the woodchuck hunted? From horseback
or from an elephant? Or from an armoured car, or turret? How many
beaters did one use to beat up the woodchuck? What bearers was it
necessary to carry with one? How great a danger must one face of having
one's beaters killed? What percentage of risk must one be prepared to
incur of accidentally shooting one's own beaters? What did a bearer
cost? and so on.

All these questions we answered as best we could, the Prince apparently
seizing the gist, or essential part of our answer, before we had said
it.

In concluding the discussion we ventured to ask His Highness for his
autograph. The Prince, who has perhaps a more exquisite sense of humour
than any other sovereign of Europe, declared with a laugh that he had no
pen. Still roaring over this inimitable drollery, we begged the Prince
to honour us by using our own fountain-pen.

"Is there any ink in it?" asked the Prince--which threw us into a
renewed paroxysm of laughter.

The Prince took the pen and very kindly autographed for us seven
photographs of himself. He offered us more, but we felt that seven was
about all we could use. We were still suffocated with laughter over the
Prince's wit; His Highness was still signing photographs when an equerry
appeared and whispered in the Prince's ear. His Highness, with the
consummate tact to be learned only at a court, turned quie