Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1908-05-02

Washington.-If the king of Italy
should die, and his son, the prince of
Piedmont, and his cousins, the duke of
Aosta and the count of Turin, and the
dukes two sons, the Prince Amadeo
and the Prince Aimone, then the duke
of the Abruzzi would be king.
1t is a remote possibility, of course
but the chance has given great inter
national significance to the impetuous
suit of the popular duke of the Abruzzi
Tor the hand of that athletic and
charming American beauty, Miss
Katherine Elkins, daughter of the SEN
ator from West Virginia
But should it all go right; should
the king of Italy give his consent-to
say nothing of Mr.. Elkins-then the
senator's daughter will come nearer
being queen than any American girl
has ever been before
There is nothing in the Italian law
to prevent it. If the marriage is legal
ly consented to by the king, the Ouch
ess of the Abruzzi takes her place
among Italian royalty. And should
chance make her husband king. she
would be queen. Think of it-an
American girl queen of Italy!
Every body in Washington knows
debut in 19O3-she is 25 years old
now. Her father is millionaire,
owning railroads, mines and lumber
enterprises enough to capitalize the
kingdom of Italy. Her grandfather.
Henry Gassaway Davis, once a sena-
tor. too, is also a vastly rich man-so
rich that he ran for president
once Much of this wealth will eventu-
ally go TO Miss Elkins. Just now Miss
Elkins has S2,000,0O0 which she can
call her own
Insisted on Her Own Way.
When Miss Elkins was ready to
enter society she showed OF what stuff
she was made. She ruled against any
thing that savored of just debutante
tea.
III / can't come out without this
nonsense she declared, Il won't come
out at all
So it went on, season after season.
until the duke of the Abruzzi came
here. He had met American girls be-
fore, but here was different kind.
This particular pair met at the tia
liam embassy. The duke had come to
America in command of the Italian
warships sent to take part in the festl-
vities at jamestown.
1t was very apparent that Miss FL
kins made deep impression upon the
duke. He not only lost no opportunity
to be near her, but he developed a
ready wit in making other opportuni-
ties.
The Italian warships sailed back to
sunny Italy. The duke was in COM
mand and perforce had to go along.
Washington forgot he had ever been
there.
But not the duke,
Nor Miss Elkins.
In the summer she went abroad with
her mother, as usual. 1t CHANGED that |
the duke of the Abruzzi ran across the
Eikins party in Paris They met again |
in Vienna.
Drawn Back to America.
Though there was no Italian fleet to |
come here in the autumn. the duke of /
the Abruzzi found it necessary TO I
come to America He also CHANGED to |
be wherever the Elkins family were /
When Miss Elkins came to New York. |
a few weeks ago, the duke was there. I
When it was announced that she and |
her mother were going % Florida for |
a brief outing. the duke of the Abruzzi |
decided to run down there, too.
They went to Palm Beach. Nobody |
there knew the fascinating Italian who
was SO devoted to Miss Elkins. and
somehow it happened that no enc got
q chance to meet him. Had Palm |
Beach only known it-Miss Elkins'
new man" was none other than a pos