The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22
THE LATEST INTERNATIONAL
 ROMANCE.

The reported engagement of Miss El- 1 lsins, the daughter of Senator Elkins of 1 West Virginia, and the Duke A. Bruzzi is l given much color by the international
 phases of the romance, into which have
 entered several interesting elements In l connection with contemplated alliances 1 outside of Italian court circles. 1 The duke sailed yesterday for Italy,
 and no formal announcement has yet been made.
 1 In commenting upon some phases of
 the romance the Star says:
 1 The persistence of the duke as suitof 1 and the reticence observed by the family l of Miss Elklns as to the probabilities Of l his success, add the touch to this latest 1 international romance that is immensely 1 gratifying to the American thought on the question of foreign marriages. Every 1 body .'loves the lover," who in this case makes a splendid impression, and the | Stars cable advices from Rome and Lon | don today show that if there was opposi- l ton to his marriage with an American, it is softening down considerably. The 1 Roman dispatch says that the Italian l public eagerly awaits news from America l regarding the reported engagement ot the Duke of the Abruzzi and Miss Katherine l Flkins Nothing has been made public ln court circles concerning the engagement, even cabinet ministers declaring today
  Admitting the truth of the reported en- Cagement, the point that particularly ln- terests people is whether the marriage
 will be considered a morganatic one. IL l is recalled that the Duke of the Abruzz1 s mother was not of royal blood, but her
 marriage was not considered morganatlc' and she enjoyed all the privileges Of her husbands rank, and even became the Queen of Spain. It was during this perlod l of her life that the duke was born at l Madrid The opinion that prevails among 1 persons of the court circle IS that II the l marriage takes place it will not be viewed l as a morganatc alliance They do not
 even admit the possibility that the Amer l iean girl would accept an in1erlor posl- l ton or that the dukes pride would con- sent to 1t.
 1 Although the Duke of the Abruzzi IS l considerably removed from the throne, 1t l Is believed likely that in case or ms mar | riage to Miss Elkins he will be obnged 1 to renounce the right of successor TOT | his branch of the family. The last nor ] ganatic marriage in the house or savoy
 1sas that of Victor Emanuel II with Ro- 1 sina Vercellana, to whom he gave the 'ieie 1 of the Countess of Mirafcori.
 | Another Roman cable says that the COT l riere Della Sera officially confirms the re- ] port that the Duke of Abruzzi ana MISS 1 F,lkins are to be married. It says tide 1 Miss Elkins will be made royal highness 1 in her own right, and that any sons that may be born to her will be princes ol lne royal Italian house. and that the right or succession to the Italian throne will re- main with them.
 The London cable says that the corre- spondent of the Central News at Rome 1 says he has learned from trustworthy 1 sources that King Victor Emanuel Will 1 shortly confer a title of nobility upon sen ator Elkins. and that the Duke of Aoruzzl , will be promoted to a vice admlralty aIter
 his marriage to Miss Katherine Elkins.
 Furthermore, the duke and duchess Will l reside in one of the royal palaces III 1 Naples or Venice.
 1 An Interesting sidelight on the situa- 1 tion is contained in an interview, pub 1 lished in the New York World today, ! with Mrs William Gamer Wiedersem or 1 Philadelphia, formerly Miss Katherine FL kins. who is quoted as saying: aeNeither I nor any other memper or thn family can say with certainty that
 the engagement exists or does not exist. My sister is a very determined young
 woman, fully capable of managing her
 own affairs, and she will make her de- cision herself, without consultation "ith
 any of her relatives.
 s.It IS true that the duke followed my
 sister to Palm Beach, then to St. Au-
 gustine, and is now in Washington, but
 this means nothing more than that he
 desires to marry her. Whether she Wlsnes
 to marry him is another question.
 "She has taken no one into her conn- dence, and has not given the shshtest' hint of her intentions. I for one should
 not he surprised if she refused the duke, nor should I be amazed if she accepted him.