Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-20
DUKE LEAVES CITY
TO SAIL FOR HOME
No Announcement of the En-
gagement of Miss EIkins.
KING VICTOR INTERESTED
Discusses Alliance With Member Of
His Encourage.
RETICENCE AT THE EMBASSY
Attaches Will Not Discuss Plans Of
Member of Italian Royal Family.
A London Report.
RETICENCE AT THE EMBASSY

The Duke of the Abruzzi, whose
reported engagement to Miss
Katherine Elkins. daughter of
Senator Stephen B. Elkins, has
grown to be topic OF lnterna-
tional interest. left the Italian enn-
bassy this morning after taking
friendly leave OF the ambassador
and his wife. At the embassy
none of the under officials is will
ing to say where the duke has
gone, and an air of extreme reti-
cence prevails about his move
ments. The duke left the embassy
about 10 o'clock. and nothing is
given out as to his future plans.
The engagement was discussed in
Rome this morning by the king
with a member OF his encourage,
and from the Italian capital comes
the report that the duke is ex-
changing cipher dispatches with
King Victor Emmanuel, presum-
ably on the same subject.
Whether or not Miss Elkins will marry
the Duke of the Abruzzi at a near or a
remote date. or ever. the possibility of
such an alliance is an entertaining topic,
both to the Italian court and hereabouts,
where the royal sutor has been for sew
eral days. and the young lady is among
those who have been known and loved
here all her life.
A Complicated Situation.
The situation, complicated as 1t is. on
one side through the burden of being a
member of a royal family with almost
unsurmountable objections TO mar
riage not arranged according to court
traditions and customs, and on the other.
by an American household. every mem-
Der of which is keen its inherent
rights, does not seem perceptibly to have
grown any less so during the past forty
eight hours. During this interval every
possible phase the subject may take has
kept facile pens busy OH both sides of the
Atlantic
In the meantime the duke appears to he
proceeding with his wooing in the usual
style that custom ordains in these parts.
Outside of the paying of a very few cere-
monious calls, he and the charming
young lady of his choice have beea to-
gether. Yesterday a little ary lunc.ed
with the couple AT the Ital.al elnb s-y
and asst nig.t lie duke me severa per-
sonal friends Of Mss EikIns at al er
at her home. The party was not ds large
as it had been intended, owing to the
short notice possible and previous en-
gagements.
Reticence at the Embassy.
The utmost reticence has been mani
tested by the entire staff OF the Italian
subordinates and by the servants as to
the doings of the duke since his arrival
in Washington. 1t was only at the most
urgent request and persistence that any
information whatsoever has been obiai
able as to his movements since he has
travelling incosnito the embassy attaches
declared it would not be proper in any
way to disclose his movements or do
ings.
The duke has seen but very few friends.
and all of the affairs at which he has
been a participant have been quite in
formal. the arrangements for them hav-
ing been hastily made. From the news
paper men the duke has consistently
held aloof. The few friends he has seen
have included largely those he had met
here while on his visit TO the United
States with the Italian squadron at the
jamestown exposition. He had expressed
a desire for seclusion. and the ambassa
dor and his assistants have jealousy re
spected his wishes in this regard.
His Visit Unexpected.
The dukes visit apparently was. to
some of the legation attaches unexpected
1t was not known day before his arrival
at the embassy that he was actually COM
ing and when the subordinate officials
came to the embassy today they were ap-
parently quite as much surprised 10
learn that he had left for New York at I'D
o'clock this morning. although it had
been generally expected that he would re-
turn promptly to Europe.
The duke will sail from New York to-
morrow, probably on the Lucania of the
Cunard Line although ii is said at the
Italian embassy that this has not been
finally settled.
The various publications respecting the
duke and his engag cement to Miss Elkins
notably those respecting the reported
wish of the duke for settlement of $780,
GOO a year as a preliminary to the mar
riaee. have created a profound sensation
at the embassy.
Shocked the Attache.
.It is awful remarked one of the at
taches of the embassy today in referring
to one of the publications to which he