The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-04-30
king HUMBERT'S
BEAUTIFUL ENEMY
The American Wife of an Ital-
ian Noble.
Dislikes His Majes'y and Boldly
Says SO.
Uncle SANS High-Sptrited Daughters
Overshndowed by Their Titled
Mothers-in-Law.

Rome, April 2s.-After the first glamour
of her new surroundings has worn of and
her title has ceased to be a novelty the
realization of high life is often a ,lisiliu-.
sionment to the American girl who marries
an Italian noble. She seldom considers be-
forehand the dowager mother-in-Iaw. whe
expects TO discipline and direct her. as a
mother. of course. and who as long as she
lives is always the head of her sons
family. Then there is the life of .igid
etiquette she must lead. where all Natural
impulses are curbed by eonventionaiity.
and where friends are chosen. not in az
cordance with the dictates OF her heart.
but according to the distinctions OF rank.
So 1t happens that the life OF the titled
American woman is as dull-outwardIy. at
least-as that of the Italian born. and in
SO far as an outsider can discover, she has
no more influence in public affairs OF
course, there are ways and ways of WELD
ing influence. and one hears vaguely of in
stances where the tact OF an American wife
has wrought transformations in an Italian
household, but no examples are cited
For instance. several titled Americans
in Rome recently expressed such interest
in the woman question that they held
several meetings in the house of friend
to discuss the matter but when it finally
came TO the point of allying themselves
openly with the movement they all. not
woman excepted withdrew.
The Princess Brancacci, the Contessa
Gianotti, the Marchesa Teodoii. the Con-
tessa di Bragg. the Princess Pogia-Suasa
the Contessa REESE. and the Marchesa di
Spinola are all American women, and sew
eral others Of lesser prominence could be
mentioned
The Princess Braneacci is prominent in
the court circle and bears the title OF
Dame d'Honneur" to Her Majesty Queen
Margherita. She was a Miss Field. OF New
York. and very beautiful as young girl.
In the middle of life she is still handsome,
and has the airs and manner Of princess
born. Her interests do not extend outside
of her family and the court circle. She is
happy in having married her daughter
to Prince Massimo, who bears one OF the
most illustrious names OF Rome, the fam
lily inhabiting the feudal palace for many
centuries and claiming to trace their de-
scendants from the praetor Fabius Maxi
mus.
My beautiful enemy is what King
Humbert calls the Marchesa Teodoli. be-
cause she champions the cause of the Pope
and makes her hostility TO the Kings party
evident on every possible occasion. She
was Miss Lily Conrad. and was so beautiful
as young woman that the peasants call
ed her Madonna" and used to kneel be-
fore her in the road. Her beauty is still
noticeable although it is somewhat i'm
paired by ill-health and anxiety. For her,
married life has not been all roses. 1t
was love match. and neither side hav-
ing the money their position and ambition
demanded. the result has been a constant
straining and scheming to make ends meet.
A sad case. but not an unusual one in Ro-
man life. She is the author of two books.
Under Pressure and "Candidduccia.'
both novels of Roman life, and gracefully
written. She aspires to be female sa-
vante," but attracts rather because OF her
social graces and accomplishments. Many
stories are told of extremes to which she
has gone in exhibiting her hatred of the
Whites-the government party. One day
she boosted to the French Ambassador how
often she had refused to rise in the Queens
presence Madame" he replied, zee n'etait
pas une affaire de politique, c'etait une
affaire de politesse.''
The Contessa di Brazil is already we'll
known in America from her connection
with the Worlds Fair and as one of the
ardent promoters of the universal peace
movement. Di Brazil is neither an old
name nor an important one here in Rome.
but the present eontessa, through her in
terest in public affairs and eloquenee on
the platforms of various women's clubs in
America, has made il, at least, a familiar
one. She was a Miss Slocumb OF New Or
leans, and brought her husband both
wealth and beauty. At her summer place.
Cividale. near Udine, she has revived the
handicraft of lace making, a once beautiful
10.
Italy.
But the really noteworthy exception
among the American women in Rome is
the Contessa REESE, who was Miss
Phelps of New York. and is related TO that
entire group of Phelps Stokes of America
Possessing the breadth OF interest and ex-
ecutive ability of the most progressive
American women. there is about her the
delicate aroma which clings TO the gar
ments of the true aristocracy and lends
fine distinction to his or her present.
Cruelty and unjustly ostracised from the
Roman circle in which she belongs, be-
cause she dared to marry a divorced man.
she has filled her life with wider and more
valuable interests. In these Count REESE.
who is a scholar and a man OF unusual
breath of culture. encourages and assists
her, and their home has become the meet
ing place for people of ideas.
An ethical society was started through
her influence, and for several years held its
meetings under her roof A Young Wom-
ans Christian Association organized here
but recently finds in her an ardent pro-
moter; she is also much interested in the
social reform OF Father Bixio, which is
something in the nature of a peripatetic
social settlement movement. At present
the young men who are promoting the
soup kitchen department meet with her
every week for advice and assistance. Her
home in the interesting. old medieval Pa
lazZo Gabrielle, is a treasure house of rare
books. paintings. prints, tapestries and ex-
uisitely carved old furniture To mention
only one treasure, there are nineteen of
Albrecht Durer's wood cuts, all splendid
first Impressions
The Marchesa di Spinola, whose name
was mentioned before, was a Miss Page. of
New York, and is much admired for her
beauty and sweet manners. The Princess
Pogia-Suaso was a Miss Curtis, also of
New York. and occupies the position OF
Dame dHonneur' to Her Majesty Queen
Margherita. Her husband, Prince Pogia-
Suaso, Is the syndic of Rome, which cor
responds to our position of mayor
And there are many other American
women bearing Italian titles In fact. the
number OF American girls who have mar
ried foreign titles is so large and increas-
ing so rapidly that one is forced to echo
the words of FTenchman who has written
recently on the subject: American girls
have gone daft over titles. They are the
only things they cannot buy in America,
the only things lacking TO their eclat as
the real queens of the world
Complexion salad.
Now is the time for the good housekeep-