The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-12
DUCHESS ON A BICYCLE.
A Problem in Court Etiquette Solved
by King Eumbert.
From &c Washington Post

by King EumDert.
From the Washington Post.
London, July est would require the
wisdom of a Solomon, united to the meek
ness of dove, to have DISCHARGED salts
factorily the duties of an arbiter of mar
tial etiquette between a company of sol
diers, accompanied by an officer of high
rank, and a pretty widowed princess and
her suite, mounted on bicycles. The scene
of this little comedy between royalty anC
the army was laid last week in Turin, the
chief characters concerned beng the
Duchess Of Aosta, sister-in-la Of the
present King of Italy, and the command
ant of Turin, Gen. d'Oncian de Ia Batin.
The lady in question, who, before her
marriage to King HumberJ's brother in
1888, was Princess Maria Loetizia de Bona
parte, is young. very pretty. exceedingly
accomplished, and much given to flying in
the face of Providence. as represented by
the strict etiquette that hedges in the
royal family of Italy
The young and lively duchess some
time ago bought bicycle of the most aD-
proved and expensive pattern, fitted with
all the modern improvements that a
money making firm could suggest. With
in the walls of the castle of Stupinigi the
duchess practiced and became perfect in
chine" Her costume, consisting of neat,
dark blue cloth knickerbockers, a long
tailed blue coat, opening over a white
waistcoat and blue striped necktie, was
triumph of well-fibJing tailoring, while
the jaunty slOuched hat of gray felt,
which rested lightly on her curling black
hair, was not whit less becomingly con-
vincing than the smoothly fitting black
stocking and DAINTY patent leather shoes
that adorned her lower eXtremeties.
a SHOCKING EsCAPADE.
But, after the Duchess d'Aosta had per-
fected the kDowledgeable intimacy be-
tween herself and her steel sneed, she be-
gan to feel that her scene of action was
cramped; she wanted to get bevond the
well"ordered gravel paths of the castle of
Stupinigi. So to this end she selected a
maid OF honor and two gentlemen attached
to the court, each and all as mad and as
merry as herself, and mounting the
whole party on bicycles, of they went
along one OF the shady avenues leading
toward the town. a4
They met with no special adventures on
their outward trip, but, returning toward
the stately castle of the Dukes of Aosta
they encountered company OF soldiers
accompanied by ma or, in all the glory
of full marching equipment The officer
and his command eyed the little company
of four, on wheels, with critical and curl
Gus eyes, and passed on without making
any sign. The duchess, feeling perhaps
the incongruous condition Of her costume
and appearance, felt hurt that she was
not saluted in the usual fashion by the
major and his soldiers, and went home in
high dudgeon. She would have done well
TO allow the matter to rest there, but she
actually complained TO the commandaut
of Turin of the onicer's conduct, without,
however. explaining the circumstances,
and ne at once summoned the culprit to
appear before him and give the reason for
this want of courtesy ON his part.
DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE FAIR BIcYcLIsT.
The embarrassed major said he was
guiltless OF any offense, as he did not
recognize the royal lady, oddly dressed
and seated between two wheels, and in
any case he would not think Of recogniz-
ing the duchess in the person of an or
binary bicvcliste Had he known she had
wished TO be recognized of course it
would have been otherwise, and he had
now only to tender his most humble apol-
ogies, etc
Gen. de la Batin. perpexed at what
course to take in this delicate matter,
placed the MAJOR under arrest and APP
pealed 70 the minister of war, to whom
he forwarded a complete and minute &C
count of the whole proceedings, at the
same time desiring to receive informa-
tion as to what punishment should be
meted out TO the ma. or, who had failed
so discreetly TO recognize the Merry
Duchess"
The minister Of war, feeling the matter
was too imbued with the sacred atmos-
phere of court etiquette for him 10 Crap
pie with, in his turn demanded an
audience with the king, before whom he
laid the entire report of the commandant
of Turin.
BY ORDER OF THE KING
The king was not long in making up his
mied, for he sent telegrapnic message
TO the garrison at Turin demanding the
instant release Of the ma or and exonerat-
ing him freely and fully Of any blame in
the matter The monarch then turned
his attention 10 his lively young sister-in-
law. To her he sent an order prohibiting
her from appearing for two calendar
months in 'red court costume" This is
equivalent TO domestic arrest, and means,
in Italian court circles, that the lady is TO
be completely ostracised for two months.
The pretty princess is, therefore. entirely
invisible 70 the inhabitants of Turin, and
continues her exile behind the walls of
her castle of Stupinigi.
One Of her attendant cavaliers on the
memorable occasion, the Marquis OF Mon
has been dismissed from his post
at court by the king himself, while the
other gentleman and lady who accom-
panied the duchess in her Inflated expedi-
ton received severe reprimands that will
probably cost them many unhappy mo-
ments
The kings anger against bis sister-in.
law is said 10 be intense, and IL Is proba-