Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-07-30
The Late Emperor Ferdinand.


\ German clrcesIon ent, who lived
many years in Vienna writes 10 Us Al
though the Emperor, whose death a- been
recent announced. has lccn almost entire
ly forgotten by the political world. the popu-
lation of the gay capital ol Austria viii be
always reminded of the simple-mintcl prince,
a some OF hisquaint sayings have become
pr0verbial among the fieruo~e. II anybody
in Vienna insists with stuhhornre-s on hav-
Ing a silly whim sratiied be viii certainly
be ridiculed with the phrase. KAISER bin i 3,
knoedel mus haben. The origin Of this
good naturcd rebuke j. this: Daring the
first year of bis reign the Emperor Ferti-
nand made q trip To >tyria, an! While on an
excursion u some mountain vl.iev was sur
prised by heavy shower. The Emperor,
with his suite. sought refuge from the storm
in a farmer cottage. where dinner had Just
been served. Dlnpiinc- OF very coarse
tiour iormel tine principa. feature Of this
meal. to which the Emperor waS cordially
invited by the farmers wife. T. the great
horror Of the ciamberlains and courtierS
Ferdinand helped hilu>tll very freely, and
made 4 hearter meal Of tie dG,ap.inES than
they had ever seen him enjoy ~ "a grand din
ner at the Ilof burg" in Vienna. After his
return to the capital the EmpeIior gave oT-
ders that duuplings Of coarse flower should
henceforth figure every day on the Imperial
dinner table. The di-gu~; Of the ctt de
CUISINE may easily be imagined, and tue Em-
perors physicians also unanimously vetoed
his new iavorite dish Bat Ferdinand, who
on other occasions never had shown awill
of his own remained this time firm as a rock,
and would not give up lis fancy for dump
lings. When the physicians positively de-
clared that they could not allow bis Majesty
to dine of dumFlings. be stamped with his
foot. and cried that he would not sign an
other official document anti. he had got
dnmpliugS for hi- dinner. Emperor | am
and dumplins- | viii have Kaiser bin
i, ind kn0edc mu>-i' habeu he shouted,
and 10 prevent complete deadlock of the
government machine in Austria, his fancy
had to be gratifed Another anecdote J.
worth repeating The Emperor was pre-
sidngat "a council Of ministers. and while
one OF these was making a report Of the
greatest importance, which it took several
hours to deliver, Ferdinand apparently list
ened with the greatest attention When
Count - bad finished, the Emperor.
who was sitting a, an open window, calmly
said Pour hundred and twenty five facres
and one hundred and eighty o,uuibuseS have
passed through the llo. burg during the lat
two hours" Every visitor TO Vienna knows
that the passage through the l!of burg from
the .sStadt" To the suburb Of Mariahulf Is
as crowded as Fleet ST get near Temple Bar,
and the counting Of the passing vehicles had
entirely occupied the Emperor : mind dur
Al ..f Another
very good story shows that the deceased
Emperor was not without certain degree
of dry hum.r, and that, though he may have
lacked brain, yet be possessed kindly heart.
The first year after his ahdcation, the Empe-
ror was always surrounded by spies. who
would follow him even into his private gar
den on the HFad>ehln in Prague, and who
reported all his doincS a. the police IN
Vienna. lie was NOT allowed 10 spend any
money. a. the government were afraid that
he might he able % win supporters; and,
though his private fortune was the largest
in Austria. he never could give away a form.
Once, while walking in the park in Prague,
he saw a young officer Of the army who looked
50 sad that the Emperor inquired what his
troubles were. The young man answered that
he was in love with beautiful girl. but that
he could not ;hink o. marrying her because
they were both too poor 10 raise the ten
thousand fiorinS caution money which every
officer who intended - marry had to deposit
with the secretary of war. The Emperor
syly smiled, and said II have got no ready
money aboutme, but bill signed by me
might perhaps do as WE'LL and saying this
he tore leai OUT from his pocSet-book and
then and there signed bill for ten thousand
iorins. payable on demand to the order OF
the officer This they will have to pay"
chuekled the Emperor, though they won't
give me any money" The bill was duly
presented and paid, but several weeks after
wards the "Obersthofmarshalamt' that
is, the competent civil triEunal for the mem
bers of the impern! iamily-issued decree
declaring the Emperor unit TO transact busi-
ness, and appointing curator for his
property and estates