The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-04-12

nent ward politicians of whom you
never know SO little as when you have
deciphered his name. Opposite the
Jesu, a military band was strumming,
and the streets were double-lined with
troops, and behind the hedges of rides
assembled considerable crowds to en-
JOY the crisp Roman sunshine and the
glitter of the uniforms, and the pranc-
ing Of the aides-dc-camp. 1t must be
owned that the Italian Court outdaz-
zles even Buckingham Palace in the
splendor Of it's equipagcs and the glory
Of its feathers and cpaulettes. The
first court carriage in which the hand.
some young queen rode (for by some
singular point Of etiquette kings of the
House of Savoy and their wives can
only be seen together in public OH two
stated days in the year, was, indeed, a
somewhat second-rate affair, whose
fixings in silver were unpleasantly sug.
gcstive of hearse of the first fashion;
but the kings own gold conch-n per-
feet travelling gold mine, drawn by
eight horses, with crimson housings,
and driven by eight flunkcys in pow
dcred wigs and plush of crimson and
gold-beat anything I ever saw in the
royal posting establishments of Eng
land. Or Of the Lord Mayor of Dublin
himself. The Italian officers arc hand
some, wcll-tailored, and picturesque as
the most romantic chorus Of IN Italian
opera. BY some queer freak of hered-
inherit no other quality Of the Horatic
and Bruti and Caesars who once ruled
the world, possesses the ancient knack
of wearing his togn like Consul; you
constantly see them throw their cloaks
of French grey, slashed with blue, or
Of black. lined with scarlet, across
their shoulders with pose as imperial
ns Julius Caesar could have mustered
when he fell Mt the foot of Pompey's
statue. And, as for the general off,
GERS, even the model major generals Of
Britain, before they found 1t necessary
to strip Off their feathers and disguise
themselves as full privates in the Roer
country, could not hold candle to the
warriors of the italian Etat Major for
mountains Of feathers and epaulettes
OF solid bullion. Also the king himself
is a we'll favored and interesting look
ing young man, in whom his grand
father, Victor Emmanued's semi-de-
tnchcd lump Of nose has got straight
ened out into the correct Roman pat.
tern and his grandfather's ear-to-ear
mo,lstachcs OF the transporting heavy
villain have submitted to the sway Of
the modern barber.
All the elements of popular enthusi-
nsm seemed thus to be assembled when
King Victor, bowling and smiling,
swept past in his gold coach amid his
flashing cuirassiers and the click of
the presented muskets and the rata
plan Of the bands. l cannot say that
the enthusiasm found much voice.
luicIc Wa5 iOuhoC ooi VI WA1SPCAS0
cheer behind the line Of troops, which
might easily have been mistaken for
groan; there were some hands clapped,
many hats raised, n few "a very few
pocket handkerchiefs waved from q
very few windows, and that was all.
1t seemed to me the poor king took as
much pains to capture a salute as an
Irish Lord Lieutenant, and was not
very much more successful in his ang-
ling. It must be added, at the same
time, that although the police took the
precaution Of arresting five persons for
the crime of "a dubious attitude"
doubtless the italian for "a humbug-
ging sort of smiley there was not the
smallest sign Of unfriendliness on the
part of the crowd; but rather sugges-
ton of bored and lazy acquiescence. 1t
might be content, or it might be a
peacefulness as precarious as that Of
volcano for all stranger could judge.
The day did not pass, indeed, without It's
rumbling reminder that we are in the
land Of the volcanoes. Among the busi-
est of the great people futtering about