Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-19
Continued from page s

with my brother in law | was sent for. 1t
could be arranged, after all, said his Excel
1ency; in fact, it would be better for the
peace of the country if my Prince stepped
out and the younger brother stepped IN, for
both his i'll health and his unpopularty had
been exaggerated.
"But my brother in law was not satisfied.
The Archbishop must be seen, and certain
papers must be signed in his presence and
in the presence of the Chief Counsellor of the
Italian court, and these the Ambassador
must witness.
"And all this was done, my child, neither
of us caring anything about the details so we
were brought together and kept together.
1t was all carried out, and it took some
months, during which we two lived in dream
land. My father came on, and our wedding
took place with all Venice and much of
Rome and Genoa present.
"My father bought us a villa up in the hills
where the shooting was good and the air fine
and healthy; and there we spent our honey
moon and the three first years of our married
life, shut out from the world, living for each
other, and knowing nothing, caring nothing,
of what went on outside our beloved hills. |
THEN came the Revolution which you
have heard of so often, with all its ter
rors and treachery and murders. Letters
from my husbands home began to arrive: to
none of which did he pay any attention
some he did not even open. One informed
him that the younger brother was about to
mount the throne, and that this meant ruin
to the country and great suffering among the
people, already groaning under the burdens
of hunger and cruelty. This last he an
swered, refusing to leave me and his noun
tain home, no matter what happened; say
ing that he had retired with the full consent
of his father, his brother, and the court Of
ficials, who at that time favored his brothers
accession against his own, and that they
must adhere to their agreement as long as he
adhered to his, and that he would never set
foot on his native soil again except as a
private citizen.
nNE morning when we were breakfasting
~ under our grape arbor in the garden |
noticed a carriage driving in at the lower gate,
and from it stepped the Ambassador and two
officers in full uniform, one man of forty
and the other gray haired man of seventy.
They walked straight to where we sat, and
drawing themselves up to their full height
made salute that is given only to royal
personages. My husband knew them both
and introduced them to me. Cne was a dis
tinguished cavalry officer, and the other was
Chief of Staff of the army.
"They had come to lay before him the con-
dition of the country and to beg him in the
name of peace and his people, who were suf-
fering the most horrible outrages, to return
and take up the reins of government. His
brother, since his fathers death, was prac-
tically prisoner, and no one could tell what
would happen if matters were allowed to 60
on in this way. There was even fear that
their country might be annexed to neigh
boring Power on the plea of its being unable
to rule or govern itself.
"Next they appealed to me. | would not,
being a woman, suffer such wrongs to con-
tinue, if could only see the conditions as
they existed. This overcame me, and |
answered:
AYES, we will both 60.
II saw the old General hesitate and take
the Ambassador to one side but the younger
officer was more honest.
"'His Highness must go alone, Madame,
he said.
@'But I will not be separated from my
wife!' said my husband.
ait cannot be- She is your wife here; but
not at home. Our people would insist on a
bride of their own blood and your own rank.
"N1y husband turned on his heel, called a
servant, and said, Order the carriage of
their Excellencies'; then, addressing the