The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-03-13 00:00:00

THE BETROTHAL OF THE CROWN
PRINCE OF AUSTRIA.

-
Archduke 'Rudolph, hereditary Crown Prince of
Austria, has been affianced to the Princess St6pbanie
Clotilde, seoond daughter of the limg of the Belgians.
The announcement was made at a diplomatic dinner
given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Baron
von Haymerle. who proposed the health of the
betrothed pair. The alliance is popular in Austria,
because Belgium is considered a model of constitu-
tional government, and it is expected to be well
received in Hungary on account of the Princess
being a granddaughter of the late popular Palatine,
the Archduke Joseph.

In noticing the betrothal of Archduke Rudolph
and the Princess Stephanie Clotilde, The Times, in a
leader, remarks
The best wishes of all parties in this country will be given
to the youthful pair. Austria and Belgium are and have ever
keen on friendly terms with England. There are no un-
pleasant memories to be set aside with respect to either of
them, no dark corner of the past which we could wish
forgotten and which we are doing our utmost to forget.
The tie, moreover, widen is to draw these two
eoumries more nearly together will form, in some
sense, part of a very ancient shain which has been broken
and has been again renewed. The old p connexion
between Austria and Belgium is at an end for ever, or sur-
vives only as the tradjtlon of another age. But the Belgian
Princess will not come ass stranger in blood to the land which
has adopted her. The memory of her grandfather, the late
Palatine of Hungary, is still fresh, and is caerieLed with the
warmest regard. His descendant will be taus entitled to a
double welcome. She will represent, it may be said, good
government In both countries, In the country she Is
leaving no less than in that in which her future
lot will be cast. Belgium Is looked upon as
the model of a Constitutional country, and it may
well be thought that a scion of the Royal House of
Belgium will not he found c-areless of the memories et her
early youth and of the habits among which she has been
brt•ught up. The loyal t fraction of Austria-Hungary is thus
secured in advance to the bride of tier future ruler. The
young Austrian Archauke will claim It for his family and
for himself. The composite empire which he will one day
be called to govern is loyal to the very core. Loyalty,
tweed, is the condition of its Laqoual life, and never, so.) s
our Vieena Correspondent, has the identification of the na-
tional and the dynastic family life been more complete than
it is now.

It is early as yet to anticipate what the state of Austria
Hungary will be when the Archduke Rudolph succeeds to
his father's crown. The reigning Emperor is till in the
prime of manhood. Born in 1830, he has net quite com-
pleted the drat half•ceutury of his life. But it is harm to
believe that he will bequeath to his successor as troubled
a let as that through smelt he has himself passed. What-
ever future may be in store for Austria-Hungary, there
can be no day darker than that on which Francis Joseph
was called to toe throne to meet the twofold pressure
of rebellion and of foreign war. His reign, too,
has been a chequered one. It hae had its triumphs,
but it has had its reverses first. The Italian provinces,
the so-called jewels of the Austrian Crown, were torn away
from it one after the other. The leadership of Germany,
which was the divided right of Austria and Prussia, and
which was exerehied effectively by neither of them, has
passed now into the undisputed possession of Prussia. But,
in spite of all defeats and losses, Austria-Hungary has sur-
vived, and has kept her rank among the Great Powers of
Europe. In spite of the disquiet of Europe her posi-
tion seems well assured. See is on terms of Mend-
e:do with her old neighbour and rival, and the
course of events bids fair to draw the two conntries mere
and more closeiy together in the pursuit of their common
Interests Austria-Hungary stands now as a sentinel In '
South-Eastern Europe. The hennur of the front post be-
longs to her of right, with its dangers, and with its promise
to. She has loyally accepted the duties Europe has assigned
to her, and she may look to a due reward. The reign of
Francis Jorepb, which began in storm, has thus something
more than the prospect of sunshine at its close.
The Archduke Rudolph, tkongh he has already by some
years pasted the age at which his fatner was crowned as
Emperor, has not yet completed his two-and-twentleth year.
Ills affianced bride is not yet sixteen. The Austrian Im-
perial family bids fair thus to continue its traditions of per-
petual youth. The Empress who is just quitting our
shores on her return to her own country, has once again this
year been the cynosure of all eyes in the hunting field.
But her Imperial id ejesty has kept her silver wedding.
however slight may be the trace which her twenty-five years
of married life have left. It was, we are told, on his
Journey to fetch the Empress home that the Archduke
Rudolph came to Brussels and saw and was conquered, and
telegnophed off the news of his submission and of his
triumph. Royal marriages have lost in the present day most
It is only in an indirect
of their ela political meaning.
way and at a probably distant future that we can look
tor any inch meaning in the marriage we this morning
announce. but married life has its private as well as lii
public aide. Whetner it be kings or pearants who enter it,
It Is, or ought to be, the union 01 two hags* the junction of
two lives in one. We may wish for the Arc'hiinke 'Rudolph
a less disturbed lot than his father has had; but in view ot
the contract he has just entered upon we can wish him no
happier one.

The news of the betrothal of the Crown Prince has
caused the most lively satisfaction throughout Austria.
In the two Houses of the Reichsrath a great ovation
followed its official announcement. The fact
that. it would be announced having been known before
hand both Houses were crowded, and it was resolved
to send addresses of congratulation on the occasion to
their Majesties and the Crown Priace.

CUTTINGS FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.
U modest gravestone
legend: tone in
ap pe roana
the plaintive "ills Vincennes
played the
cornet."
A young lady had her lover's initials tattooed on her
arm. The engagement was broken.
A Connecticut man, whose son was ill appealed to
break up the fever immediately, even If you charge as much
the physician, "Do bring him out of it at once, doctor : tl
as if he went through a whole coarse of fever."
A Chicago paper knows a thing or two. It says,
d a philosopher,
" When a man imagines he is a prophet an
he takes to long hair and a dirty overcoat."
"What is that, darling?" asked a young St. Louis
husband of his Chicago bed's... She turn th ed e heaven of her
_
deer, blue eyes upon aim, and answered: "That Is 4of
my
gaiters, dearest,' "Ah 1" he added softly, "
thought
was a dog collar."
A Danbury boy was taken to task by his mother for it
striking his companion. She told him he must ask *".e
forgiveness of the wronged one. lie went up to WM and
whispered through his clenched teeth, "I've got to ara YOU
to forgive wie tor hitthe, and you'd better speak right Tout
he
that you do, or liivictim spoke up give you something to remember.'
A Boston gentleman who had been at great expense
to adcrn his garden with statuary, was much chagrined
recently to hear an old man from the country say to his
wife, as they gazed upon the statues, "Jen see what a waste,
Belied& I Here's no less than six scarecrows in this
acre field." ten.foot
patch, and any one of 'em would keep the crows from a five-
The editor of a Chicago newspaper wanting the de
tails of a terrible inundation in Connecticut, telegraphed to
a correspondent in Hartford—`• Set d full Particulars of the
Rood." The reply came quickly—" You will find them in
Genesis."
A negro in Columbus dreamed that he found five dol-
lars at a certain place in the street. Be went to the spot
next morning, found one dollar, and now accuses the ghost
who told him to go there of stealing four dollars.

SINGING IN ELIMENTANY SCHOOLS. —A. Parlia-
mentary return has been leaned giving the amounts
paid in respect of the grant of is. for Hinging for the
year ended tha 31st day of Augnst, 1879. By thia it
appears that there was paid to 15,477 schools con.
nected with the National Society or Church of
England the sum of £70,662 2s. To 1,951 British
and undenominational schools was paid the sum el
£11,925 124 The Wesleyan schools, 835 in number,
earned £6,034 16g.; 1,235 Roman Catholic schools
earned £6809 141. ; and 5,203 School Board schools
earned £33,248 ft.