The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-03

and, like his father, it Is to Be hoped that
he viii grow robust A. he advances in
manhood His face, which in it,
immobility resembles rather his
mothers than his fathers, still looks
years. and while he Vas BOY it was
absolutely needfni to keep him In pure
fresh air. and away from the miasmas and
dangers of the Roman climate. Under the
century-old trees of Mona Was he reared
In the vast park he ran Wild and imbibed
health and nstruction-anstruction pre-
and lovely mother, who would battle and
dress him with her own hand. and superin-
tend everything that was done for him
when she did not or could not do it herself
To this day the queen devotes many
hours of each day TO her only child.
Until within the last few years she
followed with attention the whole course
of his studies, which were carried on under
the supervision of professors of the neigh
boring University of PaviA Especial at
tention was given to military and social
economic instruction What particularly
interests the prince is numismatics, and,
with the help Of bis mother, who warmly
shares and seconds all his habits and
tastes, he has been able to make At Monza
very complete collection of coins Of all
times and lands.
While King Humbert by no means
abandons himself to idleness when at
Monza The works, If possible, oven more
assiduously at public affairs than when at
Rome), his consorf takes care that his
intellectual stimulus should not be want
ing in this leafy solitude. How many .
guest has sighed as, leaving these hospit-
able doors, he feels that here he has passed
some days that viii remain memorable In
| his life. 1t Is . pleasure to be Queen
Margaretss guest in this Lombard Tuscu-
lum. for she makes her friends feel At ease,
and accords them that freedom 9 guest
values 50 highly and enjoys so rarely.
At Mona might be met in former days
Marco Minghetti, the elegant causeur and
refined orator, even after he had laid aside
his Office of president Of the council, and
today may still be encountered among the
castle guests Donna Laura Minghetti, his
garet often welcomes gladly, and who is
also an intimate friend of the Empress
Frederick. II is, therefore, not all gossip
by any means that Is talked at Monza,
even If the soyereigns like that q sprink-
ling of that also should favour the varied
dish of talk. Queen Margaret loves to
hear literary and artistic topics discussed
and argued. and willingly leads converse
ton on to these themes.
Political and family events succeed each
other in rapid succession at MonzA- II was
here that francesca Crispi, in the summer
of 1883, under the shadow of the trees Of
the park, and beside the gently-howing
Lambro, discussed with the king his pro-
jected visit to Friedrichsruhe, the home OF
Bismarck, that visit which led to tight
ening of the then naScent triple alliance.
In Mona, too, was planned the marriage
between the Duke of Aosta and the Primo
ess L2titia Bonaparte, daughter of the late
Prince Napoleon. Fate soon severed this
union between the ex-king Of Spain and
his much younger niece, for Amedeo died
about twelvemonth ago Of sudden dis
ease, in the arms of his devoted and sove-
reign brother, Humhert. A frequent and
welcome guest at Mona was this same
Amedeo, whom visitors to the park would
remark for his rigid military bearing and
his bronzed face. In the summer of 1855,
shortly before his marriage, he was at
Monza, together with King Louis Of Portu-
gal, who had come there TO study the
Lombard system of vine and fruit culture.
Now both of these men are dead. the
Portuguese king, who for q generation
reigned on the banks of the Tagus, and the
king of Spain, who was winter king.
The hospitality at Mona Is regal and
yet simple. Guests are always met at the
station by royal carriage, which again
reconducts them on their departure. A
set of rooms and q servant are placed at
their disposal and the rules of the house
rules s which, Hs must BE- kept IS the luncheon
hour of IL. If no royal guests are present.
the king gives his arm to the
queen to lead her in to the meal,
while the Prince of Naples gives his TO
the lady highest in degree. After
lunch, if the weather is fine. the whole
lake, the queen win chat with one set Of
guests, the king, standing, will entertain
another, or sometimes he win take them
for q row on the water. After an hour.
the queen giving the signal, the company
return to the house and their own apart
ments until the time for driving out has
come Ii wet, the company remain to-
gether in the same way in one of the
large reception-rooms, but. whether
indoors or out, it seems q set, unwrit-
ten rule that the groups around the king
and around the queen never blend. In the
afternoon drives the neighborhood of
Monza is explored. At 5. in the large en-
trance hall, afternoon tea is served, for the
sovereigns of Italy have introduced into
their country this English custom. This
meal Il taken without any ceremony-no
servants are present. one of the ladies in
waiting pours out the tea, and the gen.
tlemen guests hand il round. After an
hours general and animated talk the
queen once more retires and leaves her
guests free until the late dinner hour.
After this all the ladies sit with the queen,
working, talking and making music. while
the king and the crown prince entertain
their male guests with billiards and games
of skill. Games of hazard are absolutely
forbidden in the household. A little after
midnight the queen rises to retire. greeting
each guest individually, and so ends the
day at Monza, which resembles, on the
whole, the days spent elsewhere by the
soverelgns, except that here they have
fewer social and public functions to attend
to.
On clear days can be seen from the tower
of the Gothic Casino. which stands in the
midst of the park Of Monza, the fantastic
white marble peaks, pinnacles, and
statues of the Milan cathedral, the upper
city OF Bergamo, the Brianza, the mount
aims of Lecco and Valfassina. The wide
spreading fertile plains of Lombardy boast
poetic background. even If they are not in.
teresting in themselves. Our fancy peoples
them anew with the creations of the great
Milanese poet, Alessandro Manzoni and
those of his friend Tommaso Grossi. Thus
where lie Lecco and Rezzonico rise up be-
fore us those graceful figures dating from
a romantic past, those two bethrothed.
Renzo and Lucia, the protagonisfs of Man
zoni's famous novel, 81 Promessi Sposi."
and like they themselves stroiled beside
the lovely banks of the lake of Como, so
spot on its shores which is the hight
Bellano. and where uprises the memorial
statue of the writer of Marco yisconti.n
and we think to behold all the fishermen.
knights, monks and scoundreis who lived
s.z No. Is 81