, he worked as an officer in the Army. It was on the
attainment of his majority that Prince Albert Victor received a most
interesting letter, under date of January 7th, from Mr. Gladstone. In it
the veteran statesman said to the prospective Sovereign: "There lies
before Your Royal Highness in prospect the occupation--I trust at a
distant date--of a throne which, to me at least, appears the most
illustrious in the world, from its history and associations, from its
legal basis, from the weight of the cares it brings, from the loyal love
of the people, and from the unparalleled opportunities it gives, in so
many ways and so many regions, of doing good to the almost countless
numbers whom the Almighty has placed beneath the sceptre of England." He
went on to express the earnest hope that His Royal Highness might ever
grow in the principles and qualities which should adorn his great
vocation.

During the Session of Parliament in 1889, the Prince of Wales was voted
L36,000 annually in trust for the use of his children, and at about the
same time it was decided to send Prince Albert Victor on a visit to
India. On the way thither, at Athens, on October 20th, the latter was
present at the wedding of his two cousins, the Duke of Sparta and the
Princess Sophia of Prussia, daughter of the Empress Frederick. In the
great Eastern Empire he remained until April, 1890; visiting Hyderabad,
Mysore, Madras and Calcutta, and meeting with a cordial reception which,
however, lacked the great state and ceremony of his Royal father's
famous tour. Lord Lansdowne was Viceroy and made a most admirable host
and mentor. On May 24th, following, the young Prince was created Duke of
Clarence and Avondale and Earl of Athlone, and commenced to take his
place in public life as Heir Presumptive to the Throne. In November of
the year 1891 Prince George who had, meanwhile, been pursuing his
vocation in the Navy, was taken ill at Sandringham. The Princess was
away but, pending her return, his father nursed him personally with care
and devotion. Typhoid--the disease which had carried off the Prince
Consort and so nearly killed the Heir Apparent, developed and the family
anxiety was very great. At this point, on December 8th, the engagement
of the Duke of Clarence to his cousin, the very popular and beautiful
Princess May of Teck, was announced amidst general congratulations.

DEATH OF THE DUKE OF CLARENCE

Then came one of the saddest events in the histor