icolas is said to know the name of every one of his subjects,
and will accost him by it. This is doubtless a great exaggeration, and
probably means that he knows personally all those who fought under him
in the last war, when the nation was considerably smaller than it is
now.

No man is too humble but that the Prince will stop and speak to him,
and ask him how the world is using him. The man rarely goes
empty-handed away. In these latter days the Prince is not so
open-handed as formerly, neither does he make so free with his
presence, but still it is no difficult thing for any of his subjects
to obtain an audience. He will stop a man at haphazard on the road
and examine his weapons, and woe betide him if his revolver is carried
empty. Every chamber but one must be loaded.

A characteristic instance of the Prince's observancy was once given in
Cetinje. An incongruous habit is creeping into the country of carrying
a huge cotton umbrella in the great heat. The Prince met a man
carrying one open, and promptly broke it over his head, saying--

"Art thou a hero, to carry a woman's sunshade?"

For even to-day the youngest man will maintain that he is a "hero" by
right of ancestry, and has no doubt of his capability to act up to the
traditions of his country in the event of war.

The national costume is worn by all, and in the richer classes is very
gorgeous. The combination of colour is in exquisite taste. There are
many variations, but a description of the gala uniform will suffice.

The cap, or "kapa," is the same for Prince and peasant. It is red with
a deep black border, which only leaves a small crown of the foundation
colour. On this crown in one corner are the letters "H.I." (in Latin
characters "N.I." or Nicolas 1st) and five semicircles in gold. The
explanations as to the meanings are slightly different. Both say the
black border is symbolic of mourning for the losses at Kossovo, while
the five lines are explained either as signifying the five centuries
which have elapsed since that terrible battle or as symbolic of a
rainbow--the sign of hope that one day the glories of the old Serb
empire will be restored. The red crown signifies "the field of blood,"
as the Hebrews have it. Furthermore, the different insignia of rank
are worn on the rim of the cap, from the double eagle and lion of the
senator in brass, the different combinations of crossed swords of the
officer, to the simple star of lead of the corporal.