The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-12
OLD VICTOR EMMANUEL.
How the Grandfather of ItaIy's King
Liked to Disgu ise Himself.
London Truth.

LONDON ITuln.
1t seems SO short time since Victor
Emmanuel L died. l heard of his death at
the coffee period of dinner party at the
house OF the late NJ. Emile Menier, stand
ing between NJ. Grevy and that most bril-
liant, kind and Open-hearted of French
men, the late NJ. Edmond About. We had
been slipping coffee and talking of Gam
bettaS visit TO Rome, where he had just
had an Interview with the King of Italy.
There had been tiraillements between the
French and Italian governments. We gen.
orally magnify the Importance of passing
events, which so often prove to be just as
unlmportant as the scarecrow that hangs
In the wheattield When NJ Menier's secre-
tary, who w rked for that chocolate king s
paper, lie Bien Public, brought in the news
OF the Kings death panic took possession
of the political men. Personally, Victor
Emmanuel favored friendly relations to-
ward France, and had an old feeling
against the Tedesco. which Bismarck often
found an impeachment. His son Humbert,
on the contrary, went with the Galliphobes,
and had not the faintest animus against
the Germans. His little son (the present
King had German and an English, but
no French nursery maid or governess. His
father had determined that he should not
learn French in infancy and should speak
II as foreigner This rue he made be-
cause he could never forgive France for
setting up in 1859 Ito go TO war for an
idea," and tearing Savoy and Nice from
the Italians. Humbert never forgot that
Savoy was the cradle of his house and its
mountains bulwark against French ag-
gression.
Gambetta had very protruding eye.
which had great powers of observation and
| of insight. His other eye, a glass one,
matched it in color, but did not move in
unison. The Romans saw in the former the
eye OF jettatore, and would have ii that
Victor Emmanuel persisted from its evil
| influence. What killed him was his going
out to cool himself on balcony after Gam
citing and heating to the King. He did
| not take the precaution of putting on a
| great coat before he stepped out on the
balcony. There he took a chill You know
| how fearfully marrow piercing is the cold
| of the Roman evening, and that II is worse
| as winter approaches spring.
Victor Emmanuel liked to disguise him.
| self. When Duke of Savoy, he used to
make excursions into Austrian territory
! under various DISCUSSES. Austrian espion-
! age became extremely sharp at Turin in the
| time of Charles Albert. The Duke Of Savoy
| when visiting conspirators, diplomatic and
| political, generally came disguised and late
| at night. The more vulgar the character
| he assumed the better he played it, He
once spent three weeks at Como a chest
nut rooster under the eyes of the Austrian
police, and they never suspected who he
| was. He had rare mixture of real honor
| honesty and moral courage with any
amount of duplicity and shrewdness. But
! he disliked to let the base qualities pre-
| ponderate, and only enjoyed himself when
| frankly in his shirt sleeves. He could be
/ himself without any disguise at La Man
dria with his second wife, RoSalia, a woman
| of humble origin and without any sort OF
spiendacious jeweiry One of his aids-de-
! camp took me over the royal chateau there
The King had left few hours before. and
! his study was just as it had been wher
he last used 1t. The air was still thick with
| tobacco smoke. / had the curiosity TO look
| into three books on the table One was
Macchiavellfs Prince another a par
! liamentary directory and the third "Ls
| Jeune File NAL gardee" of Paul de Kock
| copy of the statute, or Constitution, lay
| on the desk Of his armchair. The aid-de
camp said that the King had had 1T fetched
| to show a minister who was in the wrong
! Victor Emmanuel did not need to refer to Il
| himself. for he knew II by heart.
We are sure to be overwhelmed on tn,
silver jubilee of his death with anecdotes
/ about him. Meanwhile here is one. Th'
| first time the statute was celebrated a
Turin the King, disguised as a laborer
! went about the city mingling with tn,
crowd, drinking wine drawn fresh from TIL
| wood and otherwise playing his part. A.
he drank in wine shop the crowd in tn
| Place San Carlo. cried, Long live the King
| Long live the statutei" All the other win
| bibbers raised their glasses save Victo
Emmanuel One of them noticing his in
it meant Nothing at all. only 1 do no
choose to shout in concert with you.
| shout when like and not to be in the fash
ion.' Some others thought he must b.
mad and were for allowing him to keep ST
lence If he liked. The false laborer swal
lowed his wine, and as he paid and went on
the Otnef drinkers raised SnOut or ''LOnl
live the King!" that sent an electric shocl
through his body He saw Brofferio. a re
| publican, in the place, went up to him. and
shaking him by the hands. revealed him
self. Il need not ask you If you are salts
| fed" he whispered. 'You would be bette
pleased if the King were less popular
mo. What delights me is his popularity
| Those shouts of 'Evviva ii Re-" are just ex
pressions of wonder at king being homes
and honorable. They express esteem 70
| the man and contempt for royalty .'Yo-
| have me there, said Victor Emmanuel
Good night"
In his conversations with Brofferio, Vic
tor Emmanuel sometimes facetiously spok
of himself as 1.-The tyrant'' They one da,
talked of the possibility of Italian unit
leading to republic. when you hav
got your republic. Brofferio, will you Civ
me an official placer asked the Kine
Then rising he took down a sword from !
panoply, and, unsheathing ii. said to hi
/ friend: Read what is on the blade, Ev
viva la Repubblica. You see, 1 am read
for anything that may happen. 1 have n
doubt that with bread and cheese, fe,
/ good horses and country house l shout
| be far happier under a republic than in tn
unnatural character of king"
l