The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-22

THE BIRMINGHAM AGl on furlough or the sailor with shore leave was regarded as a mandatory duty and a high privilege.
 On all of the missions which came to America there were men, of course, for whom the lighter forms of entertainment held no attraction. But on all, or nearly all, there were men, young, high-spirited and socially inclined who welcomed the opportunity to meet our American wo- men and girls, to exchange compliments and to dance with them. The Italian mission was composed ot the most delightful gentlemen, with all the Latin grace and courtesy and the Latin skill for paying a delicate compli- ment in the most fascinating manner.
 CAPTIVATE WASHINGTON
 But Prince Udine was the man who from the first, provoked the interest and won the favor of Washington society.
 To begin with, the prince was cousin of the King of Italy, which enhanced the value of his title. Furthermore, he was unmarried, and in these days unmarried princes are showing an inclination to seek wives in spheres less elevated than | their own. Beyond this, he was hand some, charming and danced divinely what more could you ask? Society was thrilled!
 Society pursued the prince. There were many receptions and dances. The prince was tactful in conferring his smiles, and many of the most beautiful belles i of the capital danced with him.
 The series of events reached a climax in a big ball at which the prince was | the guest of honor
 That night he was more gracious and | charming than ever. He danced almost | i'm nd lff1D ri a. ton for the youth and loveliness which l thronged the ballroom. With proud thoughts of the impression they had made upon the romantic scion of Italian royalty the captiviting daugh- ters of Washington returned to their homes in the early morning following a perfect night.
 SOCIETY GETS A SHOCK
 Memory would dwell happily upon that night for years to come.
 Then, suddenly, rumor!
 'Nol Who said sol Preposterousl Why, I danced with him-you don't sup pose Oh, this is terrible!'
 Washington gossip told many an ex- traordinary tale of the panic that spread through Washington society circles. | Doctors were consulted.
 Faces were examined for any possible hint of an eruption.
 | through having danced with the prince, were called into conference as to the safety measure which should be taken.
 Gossip says that frightened maidens 1 did some grotesque things by way of prevention. It is not related that any of them went through the ceremony of bathing three times in the sacred waters of the Potomac, but that must be be- cause it did not occur to any of them to try this plan.
 Beyond all doubt for twenty-four hours Washington society was agog and alarmed.
 1 It was shocked, thoroughly shocked, 1 because rumor whispered that Prince Udine had the smallpoxl
 Rumor said he was quarantined. l But rumor, as is so frequently the case, was exaggerative and mendacious.
 WAS ONLY THE MEASLES 1 Worried fathers and husbands making discreet but anxious inquiry learned the truth.
 The relief was tremendous Ladies who had felt all the symptoms of smallpox, and whose minds were agitated with the l thought of isolation hospitals and-far worse-beauty forever marred by the | possible permanent traces of the disease upon fair brow or velvet cheek, recovered their equanimity.
 | was inconvenient, uncomfortable, tempo rarily disfiguring, but with care, merely a passing indisposition.
 The prince was really paying this great l democracy a tribute of devotion by sub mitting his princely person to so dom l cratic complaint.
 Moreover, if one had to have measles, it was certainly better, under the circum- stances, to have an Italian variety than to be humiliated by suffering from Ger | man measles.
 TAKE IT AS ROYAL GIFT"
 Indeed one vivacious beauty, after fully considering all the possibilities, declared;
 'I am good sport. They say that every person must have measles soon or late, and the sooner the less trouble some. I am young thing and If I must contract, how much more fun it Is to have it as a royal gift. rather than to pick it up unromantically on a pullman or in a l storei"
 None of this got into the newspapers. for since the prince was a royal per- sonage, he was granted certain privileges and immunities. So when the prince, af ter a few days of retirement, appeared Iagain, as debonair, as charming as ever, he was without any suspicion of the sen- sations which he had provoked up and down the best spinal columns in Wash ington.
 The city greeted him with unfeigned Epleasure, and he had no trouble finding willing quarters at the next dance. | But it would be most unfair to Prince Udine to permit the impression to re-