The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-07-18
CROWNED AND DECORATED

n WASHINGTON. July 1.-The crown
ing Of Miss Mabel Boardman by King
Victor Emanuel of Italy and her deco
ration also by King Gustavus Of Swe.
. den place her in the very small and
very select category of American wom-
en- who have been similarly honorcd by
foreign rulers for achievements of their
own and not of their husbands or
fathcss
The crown which Victor Emmanuel
has Just had especially wrought for her
/. by the royal goldsmith Is quite the
{ most preientlous gift ever presented by
! 4 foreign monarch to an American cItl-
zen Of cithcr sex. i, is an artistic re-
production % an ancient Roman civic
crown in oak leaves and acorns made
Of solid gold. and the leather case which
incloscs it bears the king s arms in
gold.
Crowned Like Roman Hero.
This is Il revival Of the ancient Ro-
man custom of crowning, not only vic.
tors in the public games. but citizens
who had done the state some dustin"
guished service. at first with wTcaths OF
grass then gayinnds of flowers and
laurel oak and Give. but finally Of gold.
Into Miss Boardman 5 crown are en-
graycd these words:
.sTo Mabel Boardman of the Amerl-
can Rcd Cross, from the Italian govern
mcnt. as a token of gratitude, 1905
1909 -
OF course this refers to Miss Board
man s treless energies in behalf of the
thousands of victims of the recent
earthquakes Of southern Italy. Her
interest in charitable work led her into
the old Red Cross society, in whose re-
organization she was largely instru-
mental. and since Nj Taft became
the president of the new body, four
wears ago, she has been hIs right bower
and the most active member OF the
central committee, Its governing body.
She IS also editor Of the Red Cross
Magazine and has expended her own
funds in travelling about the country or
caniZing state branches of the society.
This gift from the Italian king follows
closely after the recent ceremony ut
her house when President Taft, on be
half of the party which accompanied
him to the Philippines, presented her
with a handsome gold watch suspended
from a chain of gold and pearls. and
inscribed ITO Mabel Boaardman. the
one we love- Miss Boardman was n
close friend Of the Roosevelts for whom
she chaperoned their daughter Alice on
that memorable Philippine trip, which
resulted in her engagement TO Repre-
sentative Longworth. She is even near
er to the Tafts, who were guests Mt her
fathers house when they came TO
washington IoI ING lnauSuial ,ti'~
monies She is generally known as Mrs.
Taft chum.
Decorated by King Gustavus.
Her decoration by Gustayus of Swe-
den with the king S own medal was
also in recognition of her Red Cross
work. Mr.. de Lagercrantz, that SOY
ereign Is envoy in Washington. called
at her home and formally presented 1t
to her, the first American who has ever
received it. II is one of the highest
decorations ever conferred by Swedish
sovereigns and is the first decoration
since his accession. The medal is about
the size of silver dollar. but is of
gold, and on the diverse side is the
bas-relief portrait Of the king, with
his name beneath, while the reverse dis
PLAYS Miss Boardman Is name in raised
lettering A blue ribbon suspends the
decoration when it is worn. Like the
crown from the Italian king, IL was re-
,ceived in a handsome leather case bea.
. ing the arms of the royal donor.
Among the few other American wom-
en- who have been decorated for their
owp achievements are: Clara Barton,
former head Of our Red Cross, who for
her Ffanco-Prussian war work was
given tho "Iron Cross Of Merit = by
Emperor William I, and the Gold Cross
Of Remembrance from the Grand Duke
of Baden; Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee,
who for her recent services as super
visor OF nurses of the Red Cross of ia
pan, received from the mikado the cor
der of the Sacred Crown;' Mrs. Charles
Henrotin of Chicago, who in rccogni'