The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-05-24
TOOK THE DUKES BUTTONS.
Gift of His King Was Taken-Rifled
Cabin While Feast Went on
Merrily.

NOrIOlk, May Gl.-lrreSpOnSlDle
American vandalism has found vent
in an unexpected manner and, as a
consequence Of the excessive zeal of
the souvenir ficnds, his royal high
ness, the duke of the Abruzzi, is
mourning the loss Of the gold toilet
set given him by his royal cousin, the
king Of Italy; his clothes brushes,
his comb and brush, and almost all
the buttons on his numerous uniforms.
The articles named, together with
some others which no one has cared
to name, disappeared one evening last
week from the dukes cabin aboard
his flagship. the Varsc, just after he
had given brilliant entertainment to
which large number of guests were
hidden. When the evenings gaietics
were over. the duke 5 cabin looked
like Kansas prairie after visit
from the grasshoppcrs.
Little did the gallant Italian ad-
miral think as he and his officers
were graciouSly extending the hospi-
taliticS of their ship. that the guests.
animated by the desire to have and
to hold something that belonged to
real king. were coyly removing his
b. longings.
Like Little Boy in Swimming.
While playing the host so gracious
~, he could not guess that he was
soon to be in the plight of the little
boy who goes in swimming and leaves
his clothes in charge of some practi-
cal joker.
When the royal visitor attempted
TO dress himself the next morning he
realized little by little the extent of
his loss. Italian expletives rent the
air, while the dukes officers and SER
wants were scurrying about the shin
on wild hunt for combs, brushes,
needles, thread, pins and buttons. In
the meantime, his royal highness was
left like Moses when the lights went
out.
Rough and ready sailorman that he
IS, good sportsman and gallant ex-
Plorer the duke has not yet accus-
toned himself to do without all the
ordinary convenienccs Of civilization,
and his hclplcssncss in the face Of
this emergency would have touched
any heart but that of a souvenir col
lector.
Every Garment Buttonless.
VI what use is a wardrobe as extern
sive as Solomon's if almost every
garment in it is buttonless7 How can
one complete his toilet without the
usual toilet implcments7 Every fresh
discovery of loss was the occasion of
n renewed ontburst of "cussinc" on
the part Of the dukes followers, and
it is rumored that the royal captain
himself joined in the chorus with tru-
ly royal zeal.
When it was brought home to the
duke that his gold toilet articles
embellShcd with the arms of the
reigning house of Italy. the gift of
the Italian monarch. were actually
missing. his grief and rage knew no
bounds.
When the other officers began
searching their own cabins in theil
efforts to assist their chief. they
found that there was scarcely a uni
form on board that wasn't bare of
buttons. 1t began to look as if every
girl in America would soon be sport
ing a hatpin made from an Italian
navy button. and that the defenders
Of King Victor Emanuel's realm
would have 10 resort TO safety pins.
Emergeny Tailors Called On.
Pcppery Neapolitans, Sicilians
Fl"rcntineS and Romans inlulyed il
comments on the subject Of klepto
maniacS which would have raised the
hair from an Anglo-SaXon head.
Here and there a civilian suit wa:
found which had escaped the dcpreda
tlons of the vandals, ard in these the
saddened Italians began to ARA,
themselves. Dress parade on ship
board was very undress affair. On,
after another Of his royal highcss
uniforms was tried on and then dis
cardcd.
In their haste to possess themscl
YES Of the buttons. the dukes guest
had not spared his garments. an
great chunks were gougcd out fror
the fronts of several Of his coats.
Every man in the Italian fleet VIII
could use needle was called a boar
4 ~