New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-01-15
Francis Joseph's Home.

Deep in the beautiful valley of the
Salzkammergut, at the spot where the
wild mountain streams of the Traun and
the Ischl unite, embosomed in woods OF
fragrant pine, upon which look down
from afar the snow clad peaks OF the
Pavarian Alps, is the summer retreat or
the most hard-worked and conscientious.
and yet, perhaps, the most unfortunate
of European crown heads. ..a ~
Driving up broad gravel road Dor
dored on both sides by a closely sharen
sward, dotted with clumrs of majestic
evergreo rs, extending on your right to
lofty pine.clad hill with winding paths
and rustic summer houses, known as the
Kaiserburg, you approach the house,
plain mansion of white stone, looking
cool and refreshing in the sunlight, with
its bright green jalousies and its frame
work Of pine wooded hills. In front is
wide parterre, ablaze with beds of
dollhouse flowers in all. colors Of the rain
bow Thanking the vestibule are two
grand hunting subjects in bronze, the
size Of lie, purchased by the Empress
at the Vienna Exposition. a l#+
You enter the spacious hall, and are
told that the splendid antlcred heads,
each with little ivory tablet bearing
date, which line hall and staircase from
floor to roof, are all trophies Of the EN-
perOr's proves in the chase. A capital
shot and passionate sportsman, this is
his only relaxation from the cares OF
State. You happen to have a friend
among his personal attendants. Their
Majesties are driving out and you are
permitted to see their apartments. Those
of the Emperor are simple enough-two
plain rooms, covered with India mating
and simply furnished in dark sober-look'
walnut BY his bedside stands, before
priedieu, a silver crucifix, with ivory
Christus, the gift Of his father, the late
Arch duke Franz Karl, on his first com.
munion, as the inscription at its, base
tells you, and which always accompanies
him on his travels. On his writing table
are lying some course Virginia cigars
for he is an inveterate smoker-and on
shelf above are Well-WOrn military cup
and few books in several languages.
A long corridor divides these rooms
from the apartments of the Empress
still, in spite of her rising family of
grandchildren, a celebrated beauty. Here
is imperial splendor enough. Ante
chambers, filled with choice exotics,
Louis Quatorze furniture in white and
gold, rooms in rose and blue and pale
green silk, Aubusson carpets, and gilded
mirrors, curious cabinets, and. what most
attracts your notice, is a fine collection of
water:color drawings of Tyrolese scenery.
In one Of the ante-rooms is lying. on a
deerskin mat, a big full-blooded English
mastifi "a agreat tavoite with Her Majesty,
and her companion on all her journeys.
This Imperial dog has special attendant
devoted to his service-a gayly-dressed
Moor, sent as a present to the Emperor
by the Viceroy of Egypt, after his last
visit to Vienna. As you step out of the
villa you notice a large swing, with
which the Royal children amuse them.
selves; and grazing in the paddock are
half dozen Hungarian mares. i~-f25 q
The flash of chasseur's white plume
comes in sight, and their Majesties drive
past on their way homein a low, open car
riage drawn by span OF grays. A tail
snare man of soldierly bearing, in the
light blue uniform of an Austrian Gener-
al, who does not look much over forty,
though he is nearer fifty, with sandy hair
cropped close to the head, and turning
an iron-gray regulation military whiskers
and q mustache, small, restless gray eyes
and blunt features and heavy lips that
distinguished the Hapsburg family. This
is the man whom, thirty years ago, a
bloody revolution called to the thorne of
Austria. He is master of half doze
European languages, and wins the hearts
of his subject by addressing Populations
Hungary and Bohemia, from mother
tongue. In spite of his almost proverbi-
al misfortune in war, he is personally
very popular all over the Empire.
At Ischl, the Emperor rises with the
sun, and after a cup Of coffee and kip
fel, starts off in an old undress uniform
jacket and toraging cap. with stick for
companion, on solitary hours ramble
in the woods. Toward e1oht the Imper-
ial courier arrives in Vienna, and some
time is spent in attending to dispatches
and papers of State-1or Francis Joseph.
olds the strings of two or three port
folios in his hands, and is not a crowned
puppet. Then if the weather is fine, he
breakfasts with the Empress and his
children in a pretty garden pavilion. At
four he dimes generally en- famille. @a~
Prosaic and matter of fact as tie En-
peror is there is a touch of romance about
his marriage. The Empress Elizabeth is
his cousin. Her elder sister, now Prin-
cess Thorn Taxis, was destined for the
Imperial throne. But the young mon
arch, on going to Munich to visit his in
tended bride, was so struck with the