The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-03-03

The cradle of the house of HapsbuTg, that
is, the castle from which they derive their
nSme, is situated in the canton of Aargau,
S19tzer and From its appearance no one
would suppose it to be the ancestral seat of
the mighty Hapsburgs It is only heap of
ruins with few doleful looking towers Not
long ago the Austrian government sought to
obtain possession of it, and made advances to
the Swiss authorities for that purpose. The
latter, however, politely but positively de-
clined to yield to the request.
Perhaps they still remembered the tyranny
to which Switzerland in former ages had
long been subjected by governors sent from
Austria, and hence consider it a valuable re-
membrance Of the day when they unitedly
and successfully resisted the Austrian sup
preston and threw off the yoke that had so
long CALLED their neckS
Before the family attained to any promi-
nebce it was not distinguished whatever
frok those other ancient barons and counts
whose principal mode of obtaining iveli-
hood was by lying in ambush and robbing
merchants who had the misfortune to pass
through the domains subject to their juris-
diction-
The life of these mobiles was by no means
such a one as a reader not acquainted with
the history of those times would be apt to
imagine that noblemen would lead. A mod
est working man of the present day lives, on
the average, far more sunptuously than the
nobility could then afford Almost the only
occasions when they could allow themselves
luxury was when they made good haul in
their occupation of highway robbery. Such
ancestors have nearly all the monarchical
fami les of Europe, as well as the lower class
of the nobility.
Z One of the most distinguished Hapsburgs
of olden times was Rudolph, emperor of
Austria as well as Germany. He reigned
from 1878 to 1891 Perhaps his most remark
able trait was his great devotion to the Cath
ckc church. 1t is related that one time while
Oh journey overland he arrived at q certain
brook, which recent rains had swelled to an
unusual extent As he was just essaying to
cross it on his horse priest, with his attend
ant, came along He was on a mission to adj
minister to dying man the sacrament of ex-
IRENE JUNCTION. His Distress when he saw
that it would be impossible to cross the stream,
was great When the emperor perceived
1t he Immediately disnounted and assisted
the priest to mount his own horse, remark
ing: at is not fit that | should ride when the
servant of the Lord over all is walking" and
thus he crossed the water and led the horse
of the priest by the bride to the latters des-
tination.
This piety and adherence to the Catholic
church has been a family trait of the Haps-
burgs during their whole history, with but
very few exceptions The ono emperor who
departed most widely from family traditions
in this respect was Emperor Joseph II, who
reigned from 1865 to 1890. He issued an edict
of liberation whereby the Protestants and
the disunited Greeks obtained permission to
practice their religion undisturbedly. He
also abolished many monasterios and cur
tailed the power of the pope in the Austrian
empire.
The attachment of the imperial house to
the Catholic church at the present time is per
Gaps best Illustrated by the fact that the alb
bess of the greatest convent in Austria, the
members of which consist only Of ladies be-
longing to the nobility, must always be an
archduchess of Austria, who, as a perquisite
Of her dignity, possesses the privilege at the
GROWING of every queen of Bohemia to place
the crown upon the latter's head. 1t was