Evening star., 1924-09-21
Peru S Naval Attache
In u. S. Ranked as Dean
of His Grade in Rome
Capt. and Sonora de Cabel-
leros. Recent Additions to
Diplomatic Circle. Cred
tied with Romantic Past.

When Capt. Ernesto de Cabelleros
Lastres was detached from the
Peruvian legation staff in Rome
where he had acted in the same role
which he fills at the Washington en-
bassy-that of naval attache-he was
dean of the corps of such members,
and his departure was fittingly mark
ed. He had served almost five years in
Rome, which is phenomenal record
for either naval or military attache.
the accepted term being invariably
two years, when the incumbent is either
shifted in the diplomatic service or
called home to take up regular as
signments.
The Peruvian naval officer and
Sonora de Cabelleros v Iastres
though they kindly omitted the lat
ter clause for general use, and which,
after the Spanish method of signing
family names, means that the mother
of the senior was born Lastres, are
among the most interesting people who
have come to Washington of recent
years, and their history reads like a
romance.
Their present sojourn in Anne rican
territory is their second, and as the
captain, who is jovial, as the sea dog
always is supposed to be, announces
that it is also their second honey
moon. For they came first in 1912
and under the most unusual and
romantic circumstances. Young Err
nesto de Cabelleros, as he was in the
opening days of the century, had
chosen the sea as his profession. He
had entered the naval academy at
Calloa, which is the Peruvian An
napolis, at an early age. had made
all his studies there and with bril-
liant success, for prior to his recent
assignment to Rome he had been its
director for five years. But even before
this tender age the bright eyes of
Senorita Pepita TiZon had disturbed
his peace of mind. for they were chill
dren of neighbors in Lima, the beau
tiful capital city of the republic. Be
fore youngsters are presumed to
enter into such serious contracts as
a matrimonial engagement such ex-
listed between them, and il was al
ways understood that just as soon as
young Ernesto had completed his
studies and won his rank and was
thus at liberty to marry the ceremony
would be performed. Senorita Tizon
waited loyalty, but series Of unex-
pected complications arose. The
young officer had no sooner graduated
than he was ordered off to the ends
of the earth on some sort of special
duties, and then when he would re-
turn to Lima other difficulties would
arise. For these were lean years in
Peru. and many had suffered re-
verses of fortune, and the financial
specter which so frequently arises to
frighten Cupid cast his dark shadow
over all their plans. This continued
until the betrothal had lasted more
than 10 years, when the gallant cap
tain determined to take fate into his
own hands and mold events as he
wished them.
He had been for several years on
a special mission in Madrid when he
was ordered to New York to make
an intensive study Of submarines and
he was sent on imperative orders
which allowed barely the time for the
passage. But he got busy with the
cable, arranged that his fiancee
should marry him in the venerable
old Cathedral of Lima as they had
so often planned. but by proxy, with
his brother as his representative, and
then she should, as Sonora de Cab
alleros Lastres, sail for New York