Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-07-28


great many at one time,'' said the king.
"Sire, responded the minister, s.these are
all eminent men, profoundly attached to
your persen. . 81 didn't know / was loved
SO much,'' answered the king, as he COM
menced to sign the papers. He had the
courage to decorate comedian, Antonio
Petite, who died tragically few years ago
on the stage, amid the laughs Of the audi
ence. Somebody questioned the propriety of
making comedian knight, one day, in the
presence of the king. '.Ah, he is not the
first clown who has been decorated said
the monarch. He remarked one day that
neither cigar nor cross should ever be
refused. The cigars he gave were very ex-
pensive. Once he opened his cigar-case-
an enormous one made of Russian leather
to the mayor of neighboring town, who
had come to pay his respects. s'Sire, this
cigar will be the glory of the town and of its
magistrates: / shall smoke it all my Ife,' re-
piled the mayor, as he put massive cigar in
his pocket.
In the spring of 1870 Victor Emmanuel
went frequently to one of the popular
theatres at Florence. The employees would
await his arrival in crowd at the door of
the theatre. The fower-girls were also
there in force, and Beppa, the Oldest in the
business, never failed to offer the king
bouquet. In accepting it he always said,
Thanks, Beppa." and from time to time he
sent her bank-bill. One day, instead of
bouquet, heavy embroidered cushion was
thrown into the royal carriage, striking the
kings head and knocking his hat off. The
young girl who made it, singer in the
chorus of the theatre, was discharged forth
with, for it was noticed that the king was vexed
at her action. When Victor Emmanuel
heard of her misfortune, he sent her large
sum of money and this message: ''Tell her
not to aim at my head next time, and to be
kind enough to let me know beforehand
when she is going to throw something at
no.
The kings hberality was continually op-
posed by the ministry, especially by the
household minister, Commander Visone, who
was tyrannical in his economy. The king
did not dare to ask him for money In or
der to propitiate him in case of need he was
accustomed to send him game. First one
pheasant, then two, then three, and when
the minister was gotten in good mood, the
king would ask him for small advance of
eight or ten thousand dollars. The minister
soon became habituated to this kind of
solicitation, and, when he saw pheasant
coming from the palace, he was in the habit
of remarking to his friends, "Ah, apparently
the king wants some money! One evening
at the theatre, the scene represented, among
other things. an equestrian statue. The
king believed that both the man and the
horse were of pasteboard. One of the party
differed with him, and the manager of this
theatre was sent for to decide the question.
1t was found that the king was in the wrong,
the horse was pasteboard but the rider live
111(y F1a r. L
of the wonderful ingenuity with which the
horse was made. SSire,'' said the manager;
''if it please your majesty, I will send the
horse to your palace'' Everybody began to
laugh, and when he manager had left the
box the king remarked, sHow unfortunate it
is that my steward is not here He would
have accepted that offer. A pasteboard horse
would fill a sail, and it would cost nothing to
feed him.
In 1865 Victor Emmanuel visited one day
the cholera patients in the Naples hospital.
The king took the hand of one of the sick,
saying: 'sHave courage. my good friend; try
to get WE'LL The man began forthwith to
improve, and did actually get well. The
Pr ople began to say that it was miracle,
which greatly amused the king, who naively
said: "a miracle, if you please, provided
you don't break me in pieces for relics.''
Notwithstanding this remark Victor EN-
manuel was believer and church-goer
He went to mass even during his hunting ex-
petitions. When up among the Alps he had
priest from town near by come to his
tent and say mass He always took off his
hat before cross OF funeral procession.
He carried about his neck little gold chain,
to which was fastened the medallions of
saints and the Virgin Mary. He held this
chain and the medallions in high esteem.
He was sincere when he swore to support
the constitution, of which the first article is
couched in these Words 'sThe Catholic re-
igion, apostolic and Roman, is the religion
of this state.''