Prince Nikola, the present ruler, the seventh of the family of Petrovich of Njegushi who has governed Montenegro, succeeded to the title in 1860, after the assassination of his unpopular uncle, Danilo II. Nikola is now almost seventy years of age, but tall, erect and deep-chested, and carries his years as becomes the fighter and leader he has been. He received his education in Paris and in Trieste, and is gifted with no ordinary literary talents, having written many poems commemorating the victories of the Montenegrins over the Turks, in addition to two plays, “The Empress of the Balkans” and “Prince Arbanit,” which still enjoy occasional runs behind the kerosene footlights on the exiguous stage of the little theatre in Cettinje. His civil list amounts to but $25,000, and it means a strain on his revenues to supply his two elder sons with $6,000 a year each. Her Majesty, Queen Helena of Italy, who so endeared herself to the hearts of her subjects at the scenes of the recent earthquake in Sicily, is the most illustrious of Prince Nikola’s nine children. She was born in the palace at Cettinje in 1872 and was brought up in the strictest economy, according to the traditions of the family of Petrovich. She was a girl of “God’s out-of-doors,” and the episodes of her early life taught her the trails of the Black Mountain and whither they led. It is said she could handle a rifle as well as any of her three brothers. She was also a favourite of her relative, Alexander of Russia, and through his liberality was taken to St. Petersburg and educated. The heir to the throne of Italy met her later in Venice, fell ardently in love with her and they were married on October 4, 1896. When at home the Prince wears his national dress consisting of a small, round cap (_kapitza_) embroidered in gold on the top with the letters “N. I.”; a long white, or light blue, cloak of broadcloth (_dolama_ or _gunj_), circled at the waist by a fancy girdle, in the front of which nestles a formidable array of cumbersome firearms; a red waist-coat (_jalek_); a short, richly embroidered Zouave jacket (_jamada_); loose, blue knickerbockers (_shalwar_); sandals (_opanka_); and carries across his shoulder a dark-coloured plaid shawl with heavy fringe (_struka_). That he makes himself popular goes without question, for it is said that he knows personally every citizen in Cettinje and will call each by name when the occasion arises. [Illustration: A TYPICAL MONTENEGRIN GIRL.] In 1861-62 Nikola meted out to the invading Turks a noteworthy defeat. Again in 1877-78 he defeated ninety thousand Turks, with a much inferior number of Montenegrins, and drove them from the country, killing and wounding twelve thousand.