Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-12-03


Sentinel With a unanimity of sentiment more
complete than at any time in generation the
nation rallied around the king as the bearer OF
the national flag. Socialists. liberals and repub.
licans not only forgot their special doctrines and
tenets. but WED with one another in becoming
more loyalist than the monarchical followers
themselves
A first natural tendency was to exaggerate.
with % wealth of detail more less important,
the simplicity and democratic character of the
kings life at the front little Of this, however.
goes a long way and the Italian press has been
prompt in putting stop to the multiplying of
little homely tales which are liable to carry
with them element of triviality
A few letters from soldiers to heir families
sufice to give all the information of this kind
about the kings daily life that is considered
important to be known. an insstInce upon
them might naturally lead to the inference that
in this form of existence is comprised the mon
arch's entire activities with the army. Such
letter is the following, from Private Francesca
Menegoto. addressed to his father:
81 recently found myself near the king. In an
observatory which had helped to build. As
agile hare. he moved around from one cor
ner to another. | assure you that he is exceed
ingly brave. He ate lunch with us and divided
his portion OF ham and cheese with us and after
ward gave four 'Toscano' cigars and spoke
with IL he had been himself simple sol
dier. asking many questions This private
failed to note in his letter the fact that he was
one of company who had distinguished them
selves by brilliant achievement which was i'm
portant in the days military operations and that
II he and his companions had been signally hon
ored by the king 1t was not because the latter
minges all occasions more or less familiarly
with his privates but as recompense and encour-
agement for duty well performed.
The king himself is soldier and is consulted
by General Cadorna the chief of staff. on every
movement of Importance and regarding the daily
line of endeavor. but he leaves TO the command
ers the performance of their various functions
and the stories told in a mistaken zeal OF ex
aggerated loyalty, by some correspondents re-
garding the actual direction of artillery hre or
infantry movements by the king himself are
protested against by all serious persons as de-
feating their purpose. besides being literally in
correct
The press of Italy today dwells only such
incidents as may be considered symbolic such
as the event narrated in letter by Soldier
Franco TuminelIi when he wrote:
The Kings Presence Cures.
"Of much influence the minds of our sol
diers is the presence of our beloved king. and in
this regard ! wish to tell you the incident that
happened to n sergeant OF artillery named Nin-
cenzo Sanitra native OF yalIelunga. This poor
fellow, after fighting for long time. was severe
" wounded in the arm and was found by the am
bulance corps in unconscious condition When
he recovered his senses we observed with dis.
tress that he had become dumb and that he mad
lost the power of speech
1T happened that at that moment our SOW
ereigp was in the neghborhood and. learning of
the sad case. he FASTENED with his customary
paternal solicitude TO the bedside of the injured
man. So great was the emotion experienced by
the soldier at the sight of the king that speech
suddenly returned to him and he was free from
the nervous crisis that had been brought on by
the sudden terror he had felt on finding that he
was wounded and risked falling into the hands
OF the enemy as a prisoner.
..Tbe first cry that issued from his lips was.
Long live italy! Long live our beloved kingi'
Tho sovereign. touched by the words, patted the