South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-08-21
The Poet d'Annunzio's Grave
Wound Makes the Irnpetuous
Dancer Abandon Her Paris
Hospital and Fly to His Side with
Penitent Devotion

fuence in deciding Italy to enter the
conflict.
The instant war began on the Italian
front d'Annunzio became a soldier and
threw himself into the thick Of the fray.
He faced death in many forms. Not
content with one variety. like most COM
batants, he faced It In the trenches, in
aeroplanes, and in submarines.
From an aeroplane he cast stirring
poems on the inhabitants of Trent, the
city of Italian race which the Italians
are trying TO take back from the Aus
trians. He urged them to endure the
haruships of the war and be true to the
cause of Italian racial unity. In many
ways he made himself most spectacular
but effective figure in the struggle.
Then he was wounded in the face by
a bomb explosion. AT first Il was thought
he would die. His right eye was badly
injured. Even now it is not known here
whether he will recover the sight OF It.
Then a great light broke on Ida Rubin
stein. She felt that she had deserted
and rebuffed the greatest poet in the
world. to devote herself TO a lot OF
wounded soldiers, good fellows. indeed,
but there were hundreds of thousands Of
them, and there was only one Gabrielle
d'Annunzio.
To think of that exquisite mind, that
dauntless heart, encased in frail, sur
fering body, made her yearn TO fly 10
him and protect him.
In an instant the hospital. which she
had filled with luxuries, TO which she had
devoted her every thought and act, was
forgotten. The wounded and conva-
descent soldiers were packed OF to an
ordinary military hospital. The building
is now closed, suffered and deserted
Spurned, too, was the millionaire banker
who had made all these comforts and
luxuries possible.
Ida Rubinstein then fastened to Italy
to be with the wounded DannunZio and
care for him. From her state of mind
and certain remarks she made her in
Inmates feel sure that the news of the
wedding may be expected at any moment.
Before she went away from Paris Ida
Rubinstein appeared in a new artistic
creation She enacted the story Of
Helen of Troy" TO the accompaniment
of the Belgian poet. Emile Verhaeren's
poem OF that title She did this in a
series of dances and poses OF great
beauty and vividness. She impersonated
the most famous beauty of all time, who
set the entire ancient world in arms,
causing a war that is closely comparable
to the present in Importance.
As she went through each scene.
symbolizing the life of the lovely Helen.
NJ. Georges TribOut sketched her poses,
and here are some Of them, showing how
this wonderful dancer has rendered the
ideas of the poet, and portrayed the feel
ings of the sad heroine Of the Trojan
war
There is the imprint of tragedy on
every line, the soul OF a suffering woman,
nay of thousands Of struggling, fighting
men, in every line. Ida is no longer the
actress in the theatre; she has stripped
her human personality to raise It TO the
realms of splendid fiction. Each atti-
tude is like those eternal antique
frescoes that speak to the beholder Of
soul-struggle.
The dancer has gone back behind the
mere appearance OF things to real pas
sion and power, making you see and feel
She has thrOTn away traditions and
dared to point new way, to mark new
epoch in the Interpretation Of moving
passion.
She has thrown herself into the per
sonality or Helen, and suffers with her
when taken away from Sparta. is trans
ported with love for Paris. feels the OPP
preston of fate at the horrid wars. She
raves. and finally, in hopelessness. bows
her head 10 destiny, which will have its
way.
But did she feel that in enacting the
Belgian poets verses she was unfaithful
10 the Italian poet, whose works had so
long furnished her opportunity for fame
and success? The news Of the latter's
wound must have brought the fact home.
No one who knows her temperament
doubts that she felt It keenly and that
It Influenced her impulsiVe departure.