Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-06
KING or ITALY SHOWS
NO SIGN OF HESITATION
Wears Aspect of One Who Proposes
to Discharge His Duty to
II the Very Last.
READY TO UNsHEATH DAGGER
Gabrici> D'Annunzio Writes OF Re-
cent Visit to His Sovereign, Recall
ing Distant Days When He First
Met iiim as Crown Prince.
n AnnIELE D'ANNuNzlo.

BN NRRlEIE D'tNNtNT1O.
ROME June 5.-Whcn, ut tho end Of
our wee Of passion. we won the bitter
battle aeaius, the dealers and traders.
! was nortned the King would do me
the honor OF receiving me- started to-
ward the Villa Ada with the buoyancy
or youth There flashed back to my
memory n distant day when l saw him.
then crown prince. for the frs, time.
1t was on field OF maneuvcr near
Braccino. which, at noon. under the
dog day SUM- appeared almost returned
TO Its pristine volcanic state OF burning
lava, incandcsccnt lava. in the time
when the lake was a yawninr crater.
Before my eyes discovered him in the
whore he awaited me I
So 'u memory the sharp glance
Of his blue soldier eyes. with which
meeting me for the first time, he cx-
amined from head 20 foot. In the uni
form Of the Alexandria Light Cavalry.
he was on horseback With his officers
toward dusk. on the road bordering the
lake. he appeared to he returning from
q reconnaissance OF the forces and tho
enemy's position. In reality. it was
from having discovered in Ccvigano's
old church two canvasses of the UNI
brian school.
while We stood at attention, and scruti-
nized rs with searching, severe eye
from cap TO lecrings. We were in per-
feet ordnance uniform. Then only he
recognized in me the young poet of
Roman clcEies He smiled at me- nod
ding slightly. with sunk frank italian
Eentlencss as TO cause great hope TO
bloom in my heart for his destiny.
Then, as No saw him disappear in the
distance in tho luminous evening amidst
chirpinE swallows. We were delighted
TO follow him with heartfelt wishes.
GUIDES REGIMENT
IN MANEUNERS
In the following days | had the good
fortune of acting as guide 70 hts rcgi-
ment in maneuvcrs, riding some hours
by his side. Two things impressed mo
above all else while he dcigncd to
converse with ne III the course OF
weary march. the precision of his Gull
ture and love for the beauties of land
scape, his faculty of action and CON
temptation. Both of these faculties.
graver and deeper, 1 again found in
him during 4 recent visit also found
that courtesy, the pure Italian quality
in tho sense our fathers of the ;hir-
teenth century gave the word that
simple. virile courtesy which promntcd
him to come TO meet mo almost at the
threshold of the gateway, not to honor
me. but TO honor in me the spirit that
brought me love, which holds me 10
the ideals ! serve"
Arriving in Rome, had thrown my
self into the fight .ithout needing
thruSts. II was a moment when IL
was believed everything lost the mo-
" ha
King its resignation: the moment when
truly we believed the fathcrland hor-
ribly assassinated From that moment
we fought with n kind of desperate
fury, without minding hostile thrusts,
with words and acts. l represented
the crudest kind of opposition against
the most dangerous politician, one who
mad been Prime Minister, decorated
with the highest regal order
On May Ii at meeting the peonle
accused him Of high treason. With
implncable earnestncss and with precino
GOODNESS producing proof of facts. the
whole people responded with the cry
of DEATH
Tho King who came toward me along
the shady avenue knew this In ex-
tending me his hand he was giving his
hand to a good fighter. He was re-
c"ivinT messages from the people With
q gesture OF noble frankness, he de-
clared on which side lay the right and
reason. He.,dtsdained and rcpulscd de-
frauders and.t-Gders. No longer could
any one doubt, no longer could any ono
fear that. and the hand extended IA
the poet was st!ll warm from the battle
fought; WAS ready TO unshcath tho
dagger.
WEARS UNIFORM OF GENERAL,
READY TO MOUNT HIS HORSE,