Smyrna times., 1870-06-15
.MiSceIIU n eOUS.
Maria Josepha.

! In the vault OF the, Imperial Chapel at Wen |
ma there rests one small, simple coffin. More |
than a century has elapsed since the day when |
it was deposited in that gloomy mansion of the !
dead and perhaps very few persons are ac-
quainted with the brief, touching story of the |
young princess whose ashes it contains The |
ArchduchesS Mariah JOsepha was the fairest, |
the gentlest and the most beloved of the six !
beautiful daughters of Maria Theresa and
| Francis of Lorraine. The Emperor dozed
her, and the imperiOus EmpressQ Queen, who
had little time or inclination to lavish caresses
on her children, was known to regard her with
! peculiar indulgence. Contemporary writer's all
agree in praising the beauty, the peculiar
sweetness OF disposition, and the winning grace
which made the young Archduchess so lovely
and so lovabIe; whilst her passionate attach
ment for her family, and especially for her faith
cr, made her their idol. The sudden death of
the Emperor Francis in l7G4 was the first shad-
Ow cast on the bright existence of Josepha
and it is said that from thence1orth a deep
melancholy oppressed the young ArchduchesS.
Time passed away; the Princess was now in
her sixteenth year, and rumors of her approach
ing marriage had already been for some months
in circulation, when it was officially announced
that the hand Of Maria Jo.cpha. of Hapsburg-
Lorraine, had been plghted to the young King
Ferdinand III. Of Naples. The alliance was in
every way brilliant and advantageous it secur-
GU qIu 'Ol lolIlC any " tue AUS
trlan Empire; it increased the dignity Of the
) imperial family; and it enabled Maria Thcr-
, eSa to enclrclG the brow of her beautiful daugh-
ter with a crown matrimonial. The marriage
treaty was signed, the preparations completed,
, and the betrOthal took place on the Sth of Au-
i gust, 1867. The Empress was radiant with
# smiles; the court put aside the mourning and
If gloom which had hung over it since the En-
perOr S death, and become once more the scene
of gayety and splendor Fetes, balls enter
II tainmentS Of every kind, followed in rapid sue
!, cesslOn, and only one person seemed to shrink
n from the bridal festivities that person was the
imperial bride herself From the moment
when the fact Of her betrothal to Ferdinand OF
Naples had been announced to her, Joscpha
Of deep melancholy had steadily increased. Day
by day she became more gloomy and depress
ed. She showed no interest in the prepara
D." tiOns for her journey. She appeared indet d al
the court festivities, but it was evident that hel
thoughts were far otherwise occupied. More
let than once she was heard to declare that he
III marriage would never take place, and that tn,
journey to Naples would never be undertaken
by her But no one needed the Princess, pre-
dictiOn. The day for her marriage by prox
was fixed, and also for her quitting Vienna
The evening before the wedding day the En-
press sent for her daughter, and commanded he
to repair alone TO the imperial vault, and there
kneellng by her fathers coffin, to pray for tn
M repose of his soul The Archduchess shran
'i' from this ghasty ordeal She entreated he
mother to spare her so painful and terrifying
task. But prayers and entreatics were in vair
etc Maria Theresa was little used to opposition
especially from her own children She refuse
to listen to her daughters pleading, and sl
peremptOrily insisted on her orders being obey
IS, ed. Josepha descended alone into the vaul
where short time before had been buried I'll
remains of the Empress Marie Josephine
b. Saxony, wife OF Joseph Ii. ,.who had died
'"o uo malignant smallpox. " | go to my tomb,
as were the mournfu words OF the Aarchducl
ON ess and her presentiment was fatally veri6c
The following day she was taken ILL., SmaI
pox soon declared itself, and after a We
rs short struggle for life, JoSepha died on Il
ver day that had been fixed tor her leaving Vienl
lice for Naples. The coffin of the Archduche
was placed by that of her father; and if Mar
2. Theresa felt any remorse for her cruel dc
potism, she speedily forgot her bereavement
- negotiations for securing the NeapOlitan al
b ance to her next daughter the ArchduchC
"A Caroline. She became Queen Of Naples, and b
career of political and personal intamy is t
we'll known to need any recaptulatiOn. L
n eagerly y-desired alliance brought only shaI
- and disaster to those concerned in it. Al
IA who will not say that the more fortunate of t
very royal sisters was the early dead, dying
ches the springtme of her youth, unsullicd by t
very world, ignorant alike Of its pleasures and
,oId sorrows? Truly, of Josepha of Austria nj
ans it be said, that she was taken away from t
evil to come.