Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19

side, but Florence, that city OF lively
gossip. has no mind to give up one OF
her two favorite subjects for discussion
D'Annunzio being the other. Since the
and written "Il Nave" they let him
alone. and apply. themselves wholly to
Nine. ToSelli.
Now the rift in the lutte of the Tosell
menage is that sword of Damocles OF
married bliss. named "Mamma-in-law."
Enrico is an only son, Sgnora Toselli. ST..
is an Italian mother, and a daughter-in-
law by custom is expected to lose her
identity in her husbands family. In fact
by the custom of the country, she usually
lives with his people. A great many
things. as the world knows, have been
expected of the ex-Crown Princess OF
Saxony. which can hardly be said TO
have come off. and in this matter Of sink
Ing into a puppet. her disposition would
not permit her. if she were willing, for
her personality is as irrepressible as it is
unique and surprising. Now, gossip
says, Sigorna Toselli. ST.. dreamed of the
glories to accrue from a marriage with a
princess of the house OF Austria, what
ever her past. and when her son, who has
every instinct of a gentleman. fatty re-
fused to make use of his wife to attain
artistic or social triumphs-espe sially the
latter-the castle-in-the air of the Sig
nora Toselli. ST.. fell with a crash whose
echoes have greatly disturbed family
harmony.
When she realized that her SON was
only married to a woman much older
than himself. one whose history was
world property. neither rich nor self
effacing. she failed to conceal her chagrin.
and. on good authority. ii may be stated
1T was she who grumbled over her son s
ruined career, but never Sgnor Toselli.
who declares he recognized every penalty
Of his marriage before he went into il.
that his wife suits him. their tempera.
ments are congenial, and their life is their
own. and they only ask to be allowed to
live it,
Certainly it would be a unique mother
in-law who could rise gracefully to the
occasion. signor Toselli. sr. very adj
mirable gentleman. plays the usual role
of father-in-law, and keeps out OF it,
At first. the tongues say. he was in be-
wilderment as to how to treat the lady.
and an eager watcher on street car saw
him remove his hat whenever she adj
dressed him, he being of the old school.
with a respect for his old rulers of Tus-
cany. not to say the Hapsburgs.
Concerning the little Monica. it was
always her mothers idea to give her up
in the end, as she told me once when I
saw her before her marriage. The child
must. she said. ultimately take the posi-
ton in Saxony to which her birth entitled
her. The latest news of her is that she
has given most successful child's party
i'm her school in the Tyrol. and when she
has succeeded in forgetting "Enrico mio."
as she adoringly called him, she is to be
a true Dresden princess.
AS far as Madame Toselli's life in Flor
ence goes it is that of an Italian gentle
woman of modest means. She no longer
keeps her automobile and goes out at
tended only by her husband. friend or
a maid She has dropped her titles and
is called only Madame Toselli or La
Sisnora" by her servants. She has a
number of friends, rather sober-minded
than otherwise among the English and
Americans Her husband is much liked
by fellow artists and his friends lie chief
ly among them.