WILLIAM II., EMPEROR OF GERMANY, was born January 27, 1859, and received an education chiefly at home, under the supervision of his parents, his tutors, and his military instructors. On March 9, 1888, his grandfather, the first emperor, died. On June 15 of the same year Emperor Frederick also died, and William II. succeeded. After spending some time in personally visiting the courts of European sovereigns, the young emperor took a decisive step towards his future standing as a leader in European politics, by severing relations with his grandfather's right-hand man, Prince Bismarck. From that time, he has himself been the most prominent and dominating figure in the administration of Germany's affairs. He has, without regard to imperial precedent, personally connected himself with such questions as concern the population of the whole world, notably the Socialistic and Labor problems. He has made himself, also, a master of the smallest details concerning the government of his people, and even of his household. As yet without experience of actual warfare, he is an alert and constant inspector of both his army and navy, and, in his determined enforcement of the "Army Bill," has given evidence of his desire to uphold Germany as a military power second to none. With the exception of slight colonial difficulties in Samoa and Africa, he has had as yet no foreign trouble to contend with. He is a close student and an eager inquirer; he is a good shot, a skilled horseman, and interested in all forms of sport. EUGENE FIELD, poet and journalist, was born in St. Louis in 1850, but spent the greater part of his youth in Massachusetts. He was educated at Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois, and the State University at Columbia, Missouri. After a visit to Europe, he commenced work as a journalist on the "St. Louis Journal." From that time to the present he has been continually connected with the western newspaper press of America, having occupied editorial positions in St. Joseph, Kansas City, and Denver, and finally on the Chicago "News." His humorous and satirical studies in that newspaper have made him widely known, and his occasional verses have become very popular. His best work has been published in book form under the titles: "A Little Book of Western Verse," "A Second Book of Verse," and "A Little Book of Profitable Tales." (See "Dialogue between Eugene Field and Hamlin Garland," in the August number of MCCLURE'S MAGAZINE.)