The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-10-24
AuSTRlA'S EMPRESS.
The Once Beautiful Woman's Secluded
Life at Wiesbaden.


Life at Wiesbaden.
Ever since the unfortunate death OF
her only son, Prince Rudolph, the EN-
press of Austria has been in declining
health She has been a veritable re-
cluse, and society at Vienna and else
where sees very little of the once famous
and beautiful woman. Lately she has
aged rapidly, and although she still re-
tains traces of her former loneliness few
would recognize in the sad and faded
woman of fifty-three the once graceful
and agile equestrienne whose beauty
and prowess delighted the courts of
Europe and were the especial pride OF
the Viennese.
Wiesbaden, always gay, has expert
enced something of futter over the
arrival of this distinguished invalid
who comes to be treated for rheumatism
and govt by the most famous of Euro
pean masseurs, DR.. Metzger, of Amster-
dam. DIR. Metzger has had under his
care at different times the Prince OF
Wales, who visited him here; the En-
peror of Russia, whom he treated at st.
Petersburg, and almost every crowned
head in Europe, with the exception OF
the young Emperor of Germany. His
latest royal patient has, with her house,
hold, taken possession Of the lovely
villa Langeubeck, in the suburbs. The
villa is situated on looking
height, which overlooks the town and
affords superb view of the surrounding
country for many miles. Here the life
Of the Empress is very simple and Sc
cluded. She rides great deal, but, as
at Vienna, she is rarely to be seen and
is denied to visitors. Her constant COM
panions are the Fraulein Won Ferenczi
and another lady of honor, her youngest
daughter, the Archduchess Valerie, and
the Countess Korniss.
She rises very early, and with Valerie
strolls in the greet rose-gardens attached
to the villa for an hour or more, till the
time for mass, which she attends in the
private chapel attached to he villa.
Then she takes her massage for an hour,
after whictHomes mineral bath for
the govt. the whole treatment occupy
ing the time until one o'clock, when
dinner is served in absolute privacy.
She eats very lightly, and in the even
ing little tea with sandwiches is all
the ladies of the modest court take be-
fore retiring. Indeed, the daily routine
at the villa is more like the life of a
convent than any thing else.
But. despite rheumatic pains and the
feebleness of age, the Empress yet re
tains her old love of adventure. FIRE.
quently during the afternoon she takes
long excursions in the mountains and
climbs to heights that would be fatigu-
ing even to younger person. On these
trips her companions, besides such OF
the ladies of the court as have the en-
durance needed for the task, are the
Oberhofmeisterein Grain Goess and
Oberhofmeisterein Baroness Nopcea.
Her ailment has compelled her to aban-
don forever her horseback rides, as that
form Of exercise was largely the cause
of her illness. 1t was not an uncommon
thing for the empress to be in the sad
die six or eight hours day for week
at a time, either following the hunt or
for the mere love of the exercise. Now
DR.. Metzger has forbidden it absolutely,
and although she looks with longing
eyes at her stables and pats the glossy
necks of her favorites, she is an obedi-
ent patient.-Vienna Cor. Philadelphia
Times.