The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-05
Additional Incidents of the Great Disaster
in Ischia-The Fate of Miss Van
Allen and Charley BarfH.
Russia the Only European Power
Feared by the Chinese.
Ten Thousand People in Sumatra Drowned
by Tidal Wave-The French and
Chinese Prospect for War.
NOTES FROM ITALY.

Garretts Present to the King-Riley's
"Leven More Poems" in Genoa-Inci-
dents in Ischia.
Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal.
| GENOA, Aug. 17.-Italian bees, Italian
sculpture, Italian paintings, Italian music
and musicians, and 1 do not know how
many other things, go from Italy to Amer
lea. But who ever heard of an American
horse going to Italy? Such, however, is the
case, and he is considered by all odds the
handsomest horse in the entire kingdom. Be-
sides, he is the present from an American
king to an Italian king. ]. w. Garrett,
the president of the Baltimore & Ohio rail-
road, was in Italy year or two ago, and had
| the privilege of examining the horses of the
royal stables. Story, the soul ptor (son of the
celebrated late Justice Story of the Supreme
Court of the United States) and some other
artists were discussing congenial themes
when Story affirmed that the greatest diff
Guilty in producing an equestrian statue con-
| sisted in the want of good models amongst
| the equine race. AS in the case of men,
| there were very few horses but had great de-
fects of form. But there was one horse
which he had seen, and, in his judgment, this
was perfect horse, in form, in grace and in
spirit, which was, at the same time, full of
! life and gentleness-rare combinations
| This horse was Damascus, out of a thor
oughbred Arabian mother, sired by Ham
| let, one of the famous horses in his day in
| New York, Pennsylvania and other middle
| States. King Humbert heard of Damascus and
greatly desired to make him his own property
| This coming to the ear of Mr.. Garrett Mr.
| 4. replied to Mr.. Story that although he had
been offered large prices for Damascus, he
would not sell him, but if the King would
/ 4l.1s L
| Majesty was welcome to him. And so, to-
ward the end of June, Mr. Garrett shipped
| Damascus by the Italian steamer Birma to
| Genoa, as present to Humbert l. King of
| Italy. Week before last | was at the office
| OF the American consulate and | was intro
! duced by Mr.. James Fletcher, (no relation)
| our United States consul from Iowa, to Mr.
! d. E. Curran, a modest American OF thirty
| five, who had had the charge of Dalaas-
| Gus to Genoa and thence to Monza (the royal
summer residence OF the court( and from
him learned many particulars in regard to
| the horse and his reception by the King. |
also send portrait of Damascus to Mr. AL
| bert e. Fletcher Tor the best Italian papers
| not only give full accounts, but designs of
| him. Mr.. Curran is a thoughtful Yankee
| from Bangor, Me-, and has been one of the
most successful attendants of live stock
| shipped to Europe, He informed me that
Damascus is not large, but is the most beau
tiful horse without exception that he ever
| saw Owing to the untiring care of Mr.. Cur
ran, the horse arrived at Genoa in perfectly
| good condition, and Mr.. G. took him to
| MonZa, about nine miles north of Milan
The King and Queen were absent, and Mr.
| c. left Damascus Ill the royal stable The
| horse, he saw, Immediately attracted all the
attendants and all the amateurs of the
neighborhood. In few days Mr. Curran
was recalled from Milan, and the King
wished to see him. He went to Monza. and
| while WAITING 10 inn ha ;,,for
that Humbert and his beautiful Queen Mar
garet went every morning before breakfast
| 10 look at and admire and pet the beautiful
| creature sent by Mr.. Garrett. Mr. c. told
me that the great reception-room of the pal
ace was full awaiting their maiesties. who
as soon as they entered, dressed in plain
morning costume, went up to him (Mr. C.)
to express their thanks for his great care
and attention to Damascus and to testify
their appreciation the King presented to
Mr.. c. the finest gold watch l have
ever seen. 1t is something superb
of its kind, one side being completely COW
cred with the royal coatof-arms, surmounted
with an immense U set in diamonds The
Italian way of spelling the Kings name is
Umberto. The beautiful Queen also joined
with the King in thanking Mr.. Curran
When Mr.. c. went to the stables he had not
seen Damascus for several days. The
horse was quietly eating, with his head away
from where he could see who entered. But
as soon as Mr.. c.. cried out, How are We, old
boy"' the horse wheeled around in jiffy.
took MIR. Z. by the coat-sleeve and seemed
overjoyed to see his fellow-passenger
As to Mr.. Garrett the King had not words
sufficient to thank him. The King does not
intend that the horse shall be desecrated by
work - although Humbert is a splendid
horseman-but he is to be kept for breeding
purposes. The King sends back by Mr.. Cur
ran no less than four splendid Arabian cam
els small tosfimnDial tO Mr. Eor
The camels, bred in Italy. will arrive in Bal
timore in September.
RILEY's POEMS.
In this house where l am staying,
over here, in this Genoa, where
Mark Twain got his idea of the BUST and
the pedestal" here within stones throw of
where Dickens stopped whole winter, and
within a mile of where Byron lived for a
while-right over here, my heart was re-
1olced to receive The Old Swimmin' Hole |
and 'leven more Poems" Could not help |
reading them through out loud. The thing |
is Infectious. Ny wife is constantly quoting |
them First, it was that sentence about the |
'wortermelons" that you've raised yourself |
And you
walk around amongst them, with parents !,
pride and joy,
And thnmp 'em on the heads with as fatherly |
air
AS eff each one of them was yer little girl er boy"
Then it was a passage from "a summers |
day." about the Sweetest tredness on |
EARTH" when the boy gets home at night |
and "hattens out' 80 fatigued in his sleeping |
place.
"And sort o. wish that You could spread
Out like moiasses on the bed,
And jest drive off the aidges in
The dreams tnat never come agen."
How much of the grave and the gay Riley |
hasl Years ago l said that in his serious !