The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-08-19
EUROPEAN COURTS
PLACED IN MOURNING

some Marquis Nicolas Rapolo. Yield
ing to tho pressing recommendations
of her spiritual adviser. Archbishop
fran1oni OF Turin. tho duchess al
lowed herself to be privately married
to the marquis by that prelate. Her
hrothor-in-law. King Victor En-
manuel beside himself with anger
when he heard OF this. declared tnat
tho marriage was an Insult TO tine
memory of mis- brother: that the arch
bishop had been actuatod by spite
against himself In advising the duch-
oss TO such n misalliancc, and dis
missed Rapolo from tho army, depriv-
ing the duchess OF the guardianship
OF her children and ordering her to
live abroad in exile.
Some years later, however, when
severe Illness had led the King to
marry morganatically, on what he
believed to be his deathbcd. his Juno
esque affinity, the drum majors daugh-
ter, Rosina Nercclllni, whom he Great
I'D Countess Aliranori. he rclented to-
wards his sister-in-law. restored her
daughter to her and allowed her TO
take up her residence in her beautiful
villa Stresa on Lake Como. where she
theceforth made her home. spending
the winters in Turin, in considerable
state. and with a large encourage.
There are different accounts as to
whether the second marriage was as
happy as she had anticipated 1t to be or
not At any rate, twenty years or so
after its contamination no committed
suicide with a shotgun in the grounds
of his wlfes villa at Stresa.
As long as her son-in-law and
nephew King IIumbcrt. was on the
throne tho duchess was won't TO spend
the court season at Rome. where her
presence was dreaded by the various
= I.
ing been brought UP at Dresden. which
Is the most etiquette ridden court of
Europe, throughout her life she re-
sented any breach Of formality as al
most a crime. She had a profound re-
spcct for conventlonality. Iron bound
ideas on the subject OF rank and the
respect due thereto peculiar TO the
courts of Germany in days gone by.
and had little or no Indulgence FOR
those who offended In such matters.
King Humbert. while most dutifuh
used to convey the impression OF feel
ing rather relieved when he hade her
lgood-by at the railroad station at
the end OF her annual visit to Rome.
HIS son, the present ruler OF italy.
who has an even greater distaste for
rules OF etiquette than his father. and
seems tempted at times to cast them
to the wind. stood In painful awe Of
his grandmother's reproachful eyes.
and was. on the whole, more at case
when away from her than in her
presence. The member of the royal
family who suffered more than any
ono else at her hands for omenses
against court conventions was her
lively niece. Letltla Bonaparte. dow
ager Duchess OF Aosta. The latter's
open defiance of the "quen dira-t-
on (Anglice. Mrs. Grundy). shocked
many persons much less severe in
their views than the old Duchess Of
Genoa. who was almost wild with in
dignation when Letitia took to rid
ing q bicycle in ught-itting knicSer-
bockers. which. considering her ten
dency TO embonpolnt. made her pres
ent rather startling figure. MI
Letltia's SHORTCOMINGS were duly re
ported by the old duchess TO King
Humbert, who times and again felt
himself compelled by his mother-in-
laws protests to discipline the Of
fender by placing her under arrest in
her own palace. or by depriving her
temporarily OF the use OF the royal
llveries, or of all royal and military
honors.
or course the Duchess of Genoa
had herself not been quite suiuess
OF breach OF etiquette when she con-
tracted her secret marriage before her
Year OF mourning for her royal nus
band had elapsed, but no one. not
even among the members of her own
family was ever bold enough to re-
mind her OF the fact.
Queen Marguerite will deeply mourn
the loss OF her mother. She was a
most devoted daughter. and the many
tastes and talents which they had I'm
common created between them a bond
that further intensified their deep and
tender affection.
The duchess above mentioned must
not be confused with tile other Ouch
ess OF Genoa. her daughtcr-in-law
Isabel, born to Prince Adalbert of
Bavaria by his wife. lnfanta Amelie
of Spain. Duchess Isabel has the most
wonderful red hair with the lovely
complexion that usually accompanies
that particular crown of womanly
glory She cxcels In swimming, fenc-
ing and horsemanship. For the past
two decades she has made each year
a long distance ride from her pal
ace at Turin to Munich, accompanied
by her husband and their suite. While
living at Venice, the duchess and her
husband became very intimate with
the Holy Father. who was then pa
triarch of that city, and since his Gle
vation to the pontihcal throne they
have both visited the vatican, and
have been received in private audi
cnce. the pontift presenting them with
a photograph hearing a particularly
affectlonatc and fatherly autograph
inscription.
Duchess Isabel has. according to re-
port. but one fault. Sho is the most
frishtfully unpunctual OF ali royal
princesses. does not know the value
Of time. or the necessity of keeping
an appointment. and Will sometimes
fail to appear at state functions and
court ceremonies through sheer for
setfulness She Is. nevertheless. Won
derfnlly popular IN Northern Italy. and
is actually idolized by her husband
and children, the eldest OF whom
hears the romantico title OF Prince
of Udinc.