The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-05-17

The mother who knew his temper
Immediately ceased arguing with
him.
No sooner had be stormed from the
room than she sent for General Dit.
mar, the commander-in- chief of the
little army of Anhalt, and the young
Princes military superior The
Duchess told him all about her sons
project
4 will put stop to it, said the
old General
He sent for the prince
/ Prince be said to him, how soon
can you be ready to leave Dussau?,
In two hours replied the Prince.
'In one hour thundered the Gen.
eral i send you as our com missioner
to the army, lighting under Prince
Eugene against the troops under the
King of France. Captain Bellmann
and Won Fliess shall be your aids
Two orderlies shall accompany you.
March,
Leapold was an enthusiastic SOL
dier; and be knew that the orders of
his superiors must be obeyed at all
hazards.
So he hurried to Annv Liza and
bade her an afectionate farewell; af-
ter making her promise that she
would remain true to him, no matter
how long be should stay away from
Dessau.
In three years, be said, Il shall be
of age; thea l shall ascend the throne,
and my FIRST act as ruler shall be to
make you my wife,
For eleven months he remained
with Prince Eugene, fighting brave
ly against the French, and obtaining
among bis comrades the honorable
surname, the lion Of Anbalt.
Then be was sent to Italy, and
kept there until he was of age.
During all this time be had con
stantly correspondent with his girl.
His letters have all been preserved;
they are those of "a very iIli,erate
man, but in other respects they are
quite as remarkable as the famous
love correspondence between Abelard
and Heloise.
He returned with the utmost
quickness 20 Dessau and rode straight.
way to the house of Mr.. Foeshe,
the druggist, his intended father-in-
law.
The old druggist did not at once
recognize the young hero, for be had
changed markedly since be had gone
away from home
who may You be, sir?' asked the
Druggist.
Himmeldonnerwetter, Mr.. Foesher
cried the Duke, don't you know
me?'
-'Great hesvensl is that you, your
Highness?'
Where is Anna Eizas'
The poor druggist had turned very
pale. for, believing that the Duke
would never marry bis daughter, he
bad encouraged Mr. Peter Ahlers, o
young licentiate Of theology. to court
Anna Liza.
The latter had turned deaf ear to
the solicitations Of her clerical suitor
By truly fearful coincidence,
Ahlers was at that very moment
with the girl, making last effort to
win her.
Where is Anna Liar tbundered
Leopold, as the father of bis sweet
heart was vainly endeavoriug to hide
bis confusion.
Il will call her, be stammered out
at last.
Where is she!' demanded the
young Duke, with a terrible scowl.
In the front room mp stairs, but
Without waiting tor another word,
Leopold hurried up stairs and burs.
into the front room.
What spectacle burst upon him
there!
Kneeling before Anna Liza, who
kept her face averted, was the young
llcentiate, who just breathed the
words, in the turgid style Of that
period
Angelic creature, Cupid has sent
me to thee on the wings OF love-
Plunge me not into the abyss of de-
spair by refusing my himenyal Of
fer
With an unearthly yell of rage,
Leopold tore bis sword from the
sheath, and before the eyes of the
frightened Anna Liza, he slaughtered
the hapless licentiate.
The girl tainted away. Leopold
stood, still trembling with passion,
over the quivering body of his victim
Then he went down stairs, and told
Foeshe what he had done.
So unlimited were at that time
even the powers of petty German
sovereigns that this dreadful crime
had absolutely no unpleasant conse-
quence for the murderer on the
throne.
On the contrary, the poor licentiate
was ANONYMOUSLY buried in the pot
ters' field, and a few days later,
Leopold of Anhalt married Anna
Liza amid great popular festivities
and reioicings.
But now arose another question
for the Duke Anna Liza, it is true,
was his lawful wife, but having no
prineely blood in her veins, she could
not sit on the throne by his side, nor
claim the title of Duchess. This title
could be conferred upon her only by
the German Emperor.
Leopold of Austria, who was then
the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire
of German Nstinolity, as his curious
title was, however, was decidedly
averse to conferring such distinctions
and priviledges upon low-born people
for whom be entertained the utmost
contempt. He was, beside. some-
what effeminate person, and be bad
heard, with horror and disgust of the
escapades and violent deeds of the
young ruler Of Anhalt.
SO, when Leopold applied to him
for the elevation of bis wife, Anna
Liza, to the ducal dignity, the EN-
peror sent back very curt and al
most impolite refusal. Nothing could
exceed Leopold's anger upon receiv-
ing the reply. For days he raved |