Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-25
The Truth About Rudolph Valentino
HIS WIFE
Homeland Fails to Recognize Actor With Acclaim.

native land like a king, he was quick!
disillusioned. He was not even re
turned hero. Few Of the people In Ital!
had ever heard of his pictures.
Valentino, the agile tango dancer. thu
sheik, the toreador, the idol Of million
fluttering hearts in England and Amer
lea. was to his countrynen nothing
more than a sleek, well dressed young
man, very much Americani2ed, accom-
panied by young woman whose clothes
spoke of Paris. But If he was disap-
pointed by this lack of recognition, ne
gave no hint of it.
In reality, he was stated with pup
licity and adulation, and relieved to De
treated like a normal human being
again. He did not realize how very
American he had become until ne
reached his native land. Yet he was
still sufficiently italian to choke up
with emotion and break into rhapsodles
at each familiar scene Of his youth.
The first one he saw was the Dante
Aligheri College on the outskirts OF
Genoa. where he had been sent at the
age of IL by his parents, who hoped
to make a gentleman Of him. Instead,
he was the despair of his teachers and
his devoted mother. Exuberantly ne
showed us his very own desk in the
school room and the corner where he
had stood so many hours IN punishment
for his many pranks. The prank that
severed his connection with TINS, MS
he had disgraced himself that day the
King passed by
Fled Cell to Greet King.
knowing Rudolpho Guglielmi was the
worst mischief maker in school, the
teachers were taking no chances that
dav the King rode through Genoa.
l1i q
and the more securely to conflne him
they stripped him. But young Ru-
dolpho broke the prison bars and in a
borrowed uniform, many times too large
for him, escaped on the school donkey.
Proudly mounted on this palfrey, he
rode through the streets of the city to
q place of prominence in view OF the
royal procession, shouting Justify as his
sovereign went by, For King and
countryl"
For this he was promptly sent home
to his mother. She kissed him and
scolded him in the same breath and
hopefully dispatched him to another
school, a military college for doctors
sons, in Perugia, queen OF Italian hill
cities. Here again he accomplished
nothing but the foot ball team, and left
q brief year later.
His ambition was to be cavalry Of
ficer and wear the long royal blue cape
that made the uniform so picturesque.
But family fortunes could not afford
this. Cavalry officers draw much atten-
ton but very little salary, so Rudy was
sent instead to the Royal Academy of
Agriculture, where he was trained to be
q scientific farmer.
It was here he suffered his first pangs
Of life-an unrequited romance with
Louisa, daughter of the dormitory cook.
She was his barnyard Juliet; he, her
pitchfolk Romeo, who serenaded her
nightly from the hay, until hound OF
a teacher ruined his romantic pose by
snatching his pitchfork away and
threatening him with expulsion.
But, except for this passing INSIDE
meanor. his record at this school was
high When we drove out there from
Genoa, his old teachers greeted him
affectionately and bemoaned the
changed times that brought them no
more pupils like himself.
Meets Juliet-and Eight.
1.-THE boys in school nowadays are q
pack of towards and foolsl" the head
master told him. How often have
said, If Guglielmi were only here! He
knew how to handle a BULL
This compliment pleased Rudy more
than a ton of fan mail. He loved cattle
as he loved all animals and was proud
OF his SKILL Will I1ACLus
AS we drove back to the city from
this school, we passed little lace shop,
the doorway Of which was completely
filled by an Italian woman of vast pro-
portions. Hanging to her skirts were
some six or eight children as little dif-
ference in their ages as kind Mother
Nature would permit. One glance at this
madonna, and. without word to auntie
or me, Rudy slammed on the brakes,
leaped from his car and made toward
her.
Auntie and I heard word of inquiry,
q glad cry of surprise, much chatter and
laughter followed by an inspection OF
the children, a pat on the head and
q kiss for each one, and Rudy plus the
entire brood, disappeared into the shop.
When he returned laden with bundles
he had practically bought out the shop
he was almost too excited to speak.
Could we believe it-that was Louisa,
his first love, the cooks daughter at the
agricultural school! OF course she re-
membered him! She had been such a
pretty little thing-Such eyes and hair I!
Slender as a wand. Just think! II he
had remained in Italy he might be the
owner of the shop and father of eight
children. But fate plays queer tricks
upon us. Such is destiny!
Rudy Idol Of Sister.
Rudy was eager to get to Milan, for
there he was to meet Maria, his be-
loved sister, who was to accompany us
on the trip. AS the time drew near
he grew inarticulate with Joy. OF all
his family Maria was his favorite-
except for his mother, of course. Al
berto, his brother, two years older, had
T,td
Maria-ah, Rudy was her idol, he her
devoted protector. But at Milan we
found no Maria. Instead was a tele-
gram at our hotel saying she had gone
to Genoa to surprise uS-and we mad
efficiently missed her. Happily, now
she was on her way back.
She arrived while we were at break
fast. and brother and sister, separated
for IL years, flung themselves into each
others arms, laughed and cried and
embraced again, then broke away and
looked at each other.
But what changes time can bring
Maria was overwhelmed with pride in
her handsome, successful brother, but
Rudy, though he concealed it tact
fully, was rather appalled, by the old
fashioned ways and appearance OF his
darling sister. The queer dress ne
could remedy, and with his usual gen.
crosby he bought her such clothes as
she had never dreamed of owning. In
cidentally, he presented her with a box
of face powder and pot of rouge.
Maria eyed the makeup gingerly,
meanwhile casting at me suspicious,
skeptical glances. My appearance gave
her grave concern for her brothers rep
utation. Did Rudy know what the
term painted lady" signified in Italy?
And here was l using lipstick and rouge
quite openly, and not ashamed of it.