raising his handjar and holding it before him, he
kissed the hilt, saying:

"Hereby I swear to be honest and just--to be, God helping me, such a King
as you would wish--in so far as the strength is given me. Amen."

This ended the business of the Session, and the Council showed unmeasured
delight. Again and again the handjars flashed, as the cheers rose "three
times three" in British fashion.

When Rupert--I am told I must not write him down as "King Rupert" until
after the formal crowning, which is ordained for Wednesday, October
16th,--and Teuta had withdrawn, the Voivode Peter Vissarion, the
President and Council conferred in committee with the Presidents of the
High Courts of National Law and of Justice as to the formalities to be
observed in the crowning of the King, and of the formal notification to
be given to foreign Powers. These proceedings kept them far into the
night.

FROM "_The London Messenger_."

CORONATION FESTIVITIES OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.

(_From our Special Correspondent_.)

PLAZAC,
_October_ 14, 1907.

As I sat down to a poorly-equipped luncheon-table on board the
Austro-Orient liner _Franz Joseph_, I mourned in my heart (and I may say
incidentally in other portions of my internal economy) the comfort and
gastronomic luxury of the King and Emperor Hotel at Trieste. A brief
comparison between the menus of to-day's lunch and yesterday's will
afford to the reader a striking object-lesson:
_Trieste_. _Steamer_.
Eggs a la cocotte. Scrambled eggs on toast.
Stewed chicken, with paprika. Cold chicken.
Devilled slices of Westphalian Cold ham.
ham (boiled in wine).
Tunny fish, pickled. Bismarck herrings.
Rice, burst in cream. Stewed apples.
Guava jelly. Swiss cheese.
Consequence: Yesterday I was well and happy, and looked forward to a good
night's sleep, which came off. To-day I am dull and heavy, also
restless, and I am convinced that at sleeping-time my liver will have it
all its own way.

The journey to Ragusa, and thence to Plazac, is writ large with a pigment
of misery on at least one human heart. Let a silence fall upon it! In
such wise only can Justice and Mercy join hands.

Plazac is a miserable place. There is not a decent hotel in it. It was
perh