New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-19
my LADY ETIQUETTE"
INV the Late Duchess of Genoa
Ruled Italian Courts.

Every court IN Europe ""S "Vo" paw"
oourning by the death of the Duchess
!. Genoa who last spring celebrated her
..btv-second birthday. surrounded not
~, nv her children, but by her grand
.ndr.n and great-grandchildr among
hon are the Italian heir apparent and
Ne three sisters. The duchess was the
Dr,ndmother Of the present King and the
.o,her of queen Marguerite, and played
yry important role during the reign
= her son-in-law, King Humbert, in unit
.ng Italy 10 the Triple Alliance.
ylor interest i'm cementing the bonds of
,,sly and Germany. as also incidentally
:, Austria had its origin in the fact that
though she had become by her first mar
,are a princess of the reigning house Of
eovoy she was by birth and education a
German IA sister of the last two Kings OF
csYony). She was an exceedingly clever
and nastcrful woman, possessed of as
many accomplishments iD the way of mu-
10 Dainting, etc, as her daughter, Queen
marguerite. and displayed throughout ner
ne a very keen appreciation aud under
standing of International politics.
Her marriage to the late Duke Ferdi-
nand If Genoa, Younger brother OF the
eRs Galantuomo." was more or less
ioveless union, for the duke had been
deeply infatuated with Princess Louise of
Prussia, daughter of old Prince Charles
and one Of the most beautiful women of
her time: but their engagement was
broken of bv her uncle, King Frederick
william " of Prussia. not only on ac-
count Of Duke Ferdinand being a Roman
Catholic but also because at the time
the Court of Berlin was bent on maintain
ipg the friendliest relations with that oil
Vienna, which then. as now. was imoOed
with sentiments of animosity toward the
House Of Savoy.
Princess Louise. who had Tilted her for
mer fiance. Prince (afterward King
Charles of Sweden. for the sake OF Duke
Ferdinand. was subsequently, induced to
give her hand to Prince Alexis of Hesse'
from whom she obtained a divorce some
years later, the Duke Of Genoa contract
ing an equally unhappy marriage maue
for purely dynastic considerations win
Princess Elizabeth of Saxony, VINO was
far more attractive in her old age Win
her beautiful white hair and fair. scarcel!
urinkled. skin, than in her youth.
she bore the duke two children Mar
suerite. now Queen Dowager of Italy, and
Thon,as. who succeeded his father as Duke
~ Genoa and is now the ranking ofhcer
Of the italian navy. He received the
greater part Of his education at Harrow
fine big English public school, ana While
there lived with Matthew Arnold. who was
than residing at Harrow for the education
:, his own sons During the dukes stay
q, Harrow the throne Of Spain was or
fsrsd him by a majority OF the Cortes'
but obeying the orders OF his uncle anu
guardian. the late King Victor Emmanuei
which happened to be in accord with MS
own inclinatonS-he refused 1t.
Duchess Elizabeth Of Genoa lost her
husband. Duke Ferdinand, very suddenly,
and before her first year OF widoWhoou
had eIapsed she gave her heart to her
chamberlain. the handsome Marquis Men
o,as psnolo. Yielding 10 the pressing rec
concentrations Of her spiritual ADVISER
Archbishop Franzoni Of Turin, the duchess
allowed herself 10 be privately married "
,he MARQUIS BY that prelate. Her orother
n.lav King Victor Emmanuel, besioe
HIMSELF with anger when he heard OF Vi'is,
ssIared that the marriage was an Insult
d the memory Of his brother. tna' 'he
Irebb,shop had been .actuated by spite
,rainst himself in advising the duchess 10
sch a misalliance, and dismissed Rapolo
from the army. depriving the duchess OF
tbe guardianship Of her children ana
ordered her TO live abroad in exile
Some years later. however, when
ssvars illness had led the King 10 marry
automatically. on what he believed 10 De
his deathbed, his Junoesque ainnit!' the
drum.mator's daughter. Rosina Vercei-
ln whom he created Countess Mirahorl'
he relented toward his sister-in-laW' re-
stored her daughter 10 her ana allo"eu
her 10 take up her residence IN her oeau-
iful villa stresa. on Lake Como where
she thenceforth made her home, spending
the winters in Turin, in considerable state
and with a large encourage
There are different accounts as 10
whether the second marriage was as
happy as she had expected IL to be- AT
took place Rapolo committed suicide WIN
a shotgun in the grounds OF his wife
yils at Suesa
Az long as her son-in-law and nephew
King Humbert. was on the throne the
duchess was wont TO spend the court
season at Rome, where her presence was
dreaded by the various dignitaries OF the
Quirinal For. having been brought up
At Dresden, which liz the most etiquette
ridden court OF Europe. throughout her
he she resented any breach OF Formally
az almost a crime. She had profound
respect for conventionality, iron-bound
IDEAS on the subject Of rank and the re-
spect due thereto peculiar 70 the courts
OF Germany in days gone by, and HAD lit
uc or no Indulgence for those who Of
tended In such matters. King Humbert
Willie most dutiful, used TO convey the
impression Of feeling rather relieved when
ne babe her goodby at the railroad sta
ucn at the end Of her annual visit 10
Rome.
his son, the present ruler Of Italy, VINO
mas an even greater distaste for the rules
etiquette than his father and seems
empted at times TO cast them 10 the
IND, stood In painful awe of his grand
nsIher's reproschful eyes. and was, on
nc whole, more at ease when away from
w than In her presence. The member VI
"e royal family who suffered more than
my one else at her hands for offences
Snst court conventions was her lively
''ece' Letitia Buonaparte, Dowager Duch-
IS Of Aosta. The latter's open defiance