The Washington times., 1922-02-19


speaking before an interested audi
ence
WAS there ever a perfect man.? he
asked loudly. He waited for an answer.
None came
HAS anyone here ever heard Of a per
feet man." he shouted
A little harassed.looking party meekly
arose from back seat
YES" he said Yes ! have
you have?" trumpeted the orator You
have! Who was he?"
my wife's first husband" said the little
man. and sat meekly down again.
When. not long ago, the news OF Rather
inc Elkinss divorce In Paris from the pop.
ular Billy" Hit. her husband OF eight
years standing, leaked out. those members
of fashionable society who had been en-.
terained by the Elk4nses and the Hits al
their homes in New York. Washington and
at the stately old homestead "Hazelhurst."
in West Virginia, thought OF the foregoing
anecdote-those who knew it-with a Ger.
tain amusement.
Katherine Elkns it will be recalled is
the daughter OF the late Senator Davis
Elkins. of West Virginia When he died be
left her about 100000 Miss Elkins was
and still is-a beauty OF the true classi
cal type Back in the time when Helen OF
Troy turned the world OF her day topsy
turvy she would certainly have been sung
somehow or other by Homer.
But it was not her beauty nor her pros
pective fortune nor her airs and graces
that made all the world look at Katherine
klkins with such interested eyes.
1t was because she was the heroine Of
a love affair with all the elements that
have made the story Of Cinderella and her
Prince Charming so popular for ages
Katherine Elkins was, of course. a very
rich Cinderella But her Prince Charming
was such a gorgeous one that her wealth
counted for nothing. He was-and is-the
Duke of the Abruzzi. cousin of the King of
Italy and in direct line of succession to
Italys throne. But, besides his royal rank
the Duke is most romantic figure,
given to wide and exciting explorations in
Asia and Africa and a charming courter
in the bargain. He has assembled to the
highest point ever reached by man on the
sky.reaching peak of Mt. Everest He has
tried for the north pole. He has shot big
game. picturesquely and dramatically. all
over the world.
The Duke came TO this country to repre-
sent his royal cousin at the jamestown
Exposition There he met Miss Elkins
It was a case Of love at first sight-cer
tainly at least, where the Duke was cor
cerned But far better would it have been
for the American girl II she had been
poor little Cinderella OF title rather than
a rich little Cinderella without any The
Duke doubles in royalty-as they say on
the stage. He is Spanish.Itslian notable.
and under certain conditions might be
called upon to occupy either the throne OF
Spain or Italy
For time Il seemed as though he would
win Miss Elkins, but when II was finally
settled that in such an event and II he
became a king then the American girl
would become only a morganatic or
left.handed wife, the romance was finally
abandoned
Katherine Elkins married. much 10 her
fathers delight, young William Hit, sonG
Of the late Representative Robert r. Hit,
for some years chairman of the House
Committee on Foreign Relations. The
Hits had even more money than the
Elkinses. BILLY" had known Katherine
since childhood, and had loved her for
years.
Now it is hard enough for any man TO
live up TO woman's ideal Of him before