WOMAN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 165, 21 October 1910, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD.

1 (Conducted by l; Eileen"). ROYAL ROMANCE DUKE AND AMERICAN HEIRESS. London, September !). The marriage of Miss Elkins, daughter of an American senator, to the Duke of the Abruzzi, cousin of the King of Italy, will take place, according to the Daily Mail, at the end of next February. The Paris correspondent of this paper says lie nukes this announcement on absolutely trustworthy authority, and continues:— The hitherto insurmountable obstacles to the union have been removed. The marriage has been arranged for some little time past, but the date was only settled last week. The Elkins family, after an intolerable persecution at the hands of the French press, have succeeded in placing a mantle of obscurity over their movements, but Miss Elkins, accompanied by Mrs. Kitt, her aunt, is understood to be now at Vichy. Her father is to have an interview with the Marquis Xegrotto, tile Duke's adjutant, either here in Paris or at Vichy, concerning the visit which the Queen-Mother of Italy is to pay to the Republican bride and her family. The principal opposition to the match two years ago came from her Majesty and from the Duchess oi Aostn, wife of tlie Duke's eldest brother.

For long the Duchess appeared invincible. She is actually said to have declared her intention of leaving Italy on the ground of ill-health to avoid having to attend her brother-in-law's marriage. Last week, however, according to my informant, her Royal Highness (who was born a Bourbon Princess) relented before the earnest pleadings of her husband and the Duke of the Abruzzi. On Friday last a meeting took place between the two brothers at Venice, where the Duke has been detained through a slight indisposition, and the provisional date of the marriago was then settled. The Duke will go to stay with the Elkins family in ten days' time to settle the final arrangements regarding the presentation of his bride to the King and Queen of Italy and the formal announcement of the engagement. The date of the meeting between the Italian Sovereigns and the Duke of the Abruzzi and Miss Elkins is kept secret in order to avoid the attentions of the newspapers, but I understand on good authority that it may take place during the forthcoming Italian manoeuvres at a small town near Racconigi. Miss Elkins will then receive at the hands of the King the title of Countess of Teramo, that name being taken from a town in the Abruzzi region. It is stated that the necessary steps for Miss Elkins' entry into the Catholic Church, an indispensable condition to the marriage, are being taken by Mgr. Boccaria, the Royal chaplain, and Mgr. Bisleti, a member of the Pope's entourage. 'Miss Elkins' dowry is reported to amount to £1,000,000. THE DUKE'S LOVE-MAKING.

The Duke of Abruzzi first met Miss Elkins at Washington, after a cruise to America with an Italian squadron. Under the name of "Mr. Sarto" he again went to America in the spring of 1908. He met Mrs. Elkins and her daughter in Florida, and stayed a fortnight with them before going to Washington. At Washington he was ostensibly the guest of the Italian Ambassador, but in reality he is known to have passed all his time at Mr. Elkins' house. Gossip had long before associated his name with Miss Elkins', and by the time he left the State the New York newspapers were predicting a honeymoon in the Arctic Circle for the Prince and his Republican bride. The Duke sailed for Europe at the end of March, and at Queenstown he admitted to a Daily Mail correspondent that he was betrothed ,to Miss Elkins. During the next month the Italian newspapers, which had before scoffed at the project, became favorable to Miss Elkins. It was iknown that the Italian Court jeweller had received orders for elaborate gifts. Before the end of the month it was announced that the wedding was decided upon.

In June and July came rumors of difficulties. In September it appeared that the opposition of certain Royal ladies was overcome, and it was said that the wedding would ta.ke place in November. In October the announcement was made that the wedding would "most certainly take place." On 21st October Miss Elkins ordered her wedding gown. On 2nd November the "final opposition" was declared to be removed. On 17th November the betrothal was announced to be broken off. The next month ,the Duke prepared for his tour in the Himalayas. The Duke of the Abruzzi (Prince of Savoy), the first Royal prince to choose an American bride,'is thirty-seven years of age. His father was, from 1870 to 1875, King of Spain. He is one of the handsomest princes in Europe, and is a naval officer and an intrepid explorer. His feats of mountaineering and exploration in Alaska (1597), the Arctic (18991000), the Mountains of the Moon in East Africa (1900), and the Himalayas (1909) have won the recognition of manv | learned societies. The Duke is extremely ' wealthy. "

' , lMi « s Katherine Elkins is the beautiful (laughter of the well-known Virginian senator. Both her father and her grandfather are multi-millionaires. MAN PROPOSES. BUT WOMAN HAS TO HELP HIM. Some people waste much energy by no t knowing how to wait, say, at railway stations or when meals do not come up in time. 'They might at least observe and think, but they only fuss and fidget themselves and others. In a better wav did a man spend, or rather have his "time spent He was waiting for a train in the refreshment room at a large station. It was presided over by a good-lookinw girl who happened to have red hair. The gentleman asked if she could oblioe him with a match. °

"With pleasure, if you do not object to a red-headed one," she replied, with such a suggestive, demure smile that she aroused his interest. And now tliey are a very happy couple. A sea captain called at a village inn and asked the landlady, a young widow, "Do you know where I can get a mate? I have lost my mate." ''l am very sorry for you, Mr. she said, smiling. *"I want a mate, too, and cannot get one. As we are in the same position, I'll tell you what I'll do: If you'll be mine, I will be yours." He closed with the bargain, and the widow, keeping her word, he is now supplied with two mates. A shy young man once said to a young lady: "I wish, dear, that we were on such terms of intimacy that you would not mind calling me by my first name." "Oh," she replied, ''your second name is sood enough for me." flic lame dog was effectually helped over the stile. Should women propose, or even give as much help over the stile as these ladies did? Even in other years than leap year we think that they may when men would be too shy to carry the effort through without them. Queens have to propose, and very prettily did Queen Victoria do this.

My own opinion is that we men are] so modest and retiring that none of us would dare to propose marriage to a woman unless she came just a 'little bit of the way to meet us. But the sex is so good-natured in helping lame dogs over a stile! An Irish girl did it in this way: She thought tlwt her boy was slow in coming to the point, so she said — '•lf I were you, Jack, and you were me, we'd be married long ago.'' —Rev. J. E. Hardy, author of "I-low to be Happy Though Married.*'

AN AID TO HAPPINESS. 1 ITow can we call laughter to our aid in order to make us acquainted with those two necessary aids to success., health and 'happiness? Simply by doing our duty in the world and accepting with a humble spirit all that happens to us as happening for the best. Let no difficulties daunt us, but with courage let us face and overcome them. Some people when they arrive at the .least obstacle capitulate without firing a shot at the enemy. This is poor warfare. The brave rush proudly forward to the combat, and if they do not overcome they give the foe a hard tussle, and even if they are conquered they do not acknowledge defeat, but patiently bide their time for another onslaught. Don't worry when you meet trials. Face them boldly. Meet them with a- cheerful countenance and a merry laugh, and you will chase ! away the gioom by which you are surI rounded and call happiness to your aid.

SERIOUS THOUGHTS. One seldom repents of having said too little; often of having said too much. If men were as ready to commend what they approve as they are to condemn what they disapprove, life would be rendered much more pleasant, and many thorns that now pierce men's hearts would never enter them. If you separate yourselves from everyone that you think can do any harm to you, you separate yourselves from everyone to whom you can do any good.