Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-08
THE EMPRESS OF AUSTRIA.
At One Time One Of the Most Beautiful
Women in Europe.

Women in Europe.
! do not think that the present generation
of young royal ladies can present as exquisite
types Of ioveliness as did that now passing
away. Twenty-Five years ago the empress
Of Austria, for instance, was simply dazzling.
She would have been noted for her beauty
had she been barmaid or ballet girl. The
slender, graceful figure, the finely nodded
features, the large, brilliant dark eyes, the
beautifully formed head crowned with a
wealth of black silken tresses, all went to
make up an ensemble of physical perfection.
| saw her once at that period, when l was
staying at the Archduke Charles hotel at
Vienna. The radiant Elizabeth came there
with her imperial husband to call upon the
Countess of Flanders, the sister-in-law of the
king of the Belgians. She passed in front Of
large window opening upon the balcony.
and on that balcony was stationed party of
Americans, one of which was myself, all
eager to catch glimpse of the famous royal
beauty. With true queenly courtesy she
paused for a moment on beholding the
group, and stood there for a brief but ap-
preciable space of time, as II to say: "You
wanted to see me-here amp Then, with
a stately inclination of her beautiful head,
she turned away and rejoined her husband,
leaving every one of the spectators in rapt-
ures with her loveliness. She was attired in
a costume of transparent muslin and Valen-
ciennes lace, with broad sash in violet silk
thickly embroidered with steel spangles
From beneath her compact little turban hat
there fell at the back of her head mass of
black, glossy braided tresses, coiled round
nd a,,l to- .,f,, 10
| silk. A simple dress enough for an empress
to wear while paying call on princess,
| but its very simplicity only served to enhance
| the splendor of its wearers beauty. Of late
years the empress will never consent to sit
| for her photograph, and dislikes extremely
TO be gazed at in public, sure tokens of the
waning of her once resplendent charms.
She was the one beauty of her family,
none of her three sisters, the queen OF
Naples, the princess of Thurn and Taxis
and the duchess d'Alencon, being in any
way remarkable for their good looks In.
deed, the last named princess was positively
| plain A good deal of regret has been felt in
Austrian society that the emperor had not
selected Princess Helen, now Princess Of
Thurn and Taxis, as she is very brilliant
| converSationalist and is fond of music ant
society; whereas the empress dislikes even tt
show herself at the opera and really care'
for nothing except riding and hunting. Sht
is growing rather old to indulge in th
last amusement, being over 81. But she pre-
serves many of her charms, and especiall,
the shapeliness of her figure and the luxuri
ance of her long, thick tresses At the cour
concert given at Vienna in honor of the EN-
} peror Of Germany, she created a profount
sensation by her coiffure. She wore her hal
falling unconfned at the back, in long nlasse
over her shoulders and studded with stars 0
diamonds held in place by slender, concealet
, wires This "Berenice coiffure,n as it wa
, called, wS greatly admired, no less than it
, stately wearer. The empress is said to
! the queenliest royal lady in Europe to be
hold. Ii is a sight to see her at court prs
! sentatlon, passing down the line of ladie
\ who are to be introduced, and turning at th
end with grand sweep of her regal train
{ whose folds are never disarranged by tn
: action, so adroitly is it executed.-Paris Coz
t st. Louis dispatch.