New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-02
OSTRACISM OF A PRINCESS.
sTrprIAyIE'S TROUBLES-A SAD ANNIvER-
SARY.

,ortbs, mourning for the Archduke TO close
Tho day was celebrated with much solcmnity
throughput Austria and Hungary by the people
But the clergy in quite number OF places
created a painful sensation by refusing to perform
the "Seelcn Messe, or Bout de Tan" mass, In
consequence Of the circumstances copnected with
the Princes death. The most glazing instance
Of this absence of charity was at Botzen, i'll the
Tyrol, where the widowed Crown Princes las
been staying for several weeks past Having
sent 70 request the dean of the cathedral to cele
brate the customary mass for the rcpose oil her
husbands soul, lie CURLY declined either to per-
form it himself or TO permit 1t to take pace III
The cathedral. The ceremony therefore took place
in the parish church OF Cries, little village In
he neighborhood of Botzen, and to which the
Princess drove out attended by her suite. Much
tisagrceable comment was caused by the failure
VI Stephnnic TO return here for the sad ami
sersarv. in order TO accompany the Emperor, the
Empress and Archduchess Valerie to Meycrlins
Tor the purpose Of being present with them at
The ceremony of tie conservation of the chapel
erected on the spot where her husband met his
ieath 1t was positively expected that she would
nave made a point of spending the day with her
little daughter and that she would have followed
heir Maiestics' example in passing few moments
n PRAYER at the Inflated Archduke's tomb in the
FAULTS of the Capuzin church in this city. The
fact is however, that the relations between the
widowed Princess and her parens-in-law are en-
,ecdingly strained The Empress whose mind
nos never entirely recovered from the shock
taused by the tragical death of her son. holds
stcphanie directly responsible for the circum
stances which led thereto, and has not only re-
fused TO meet the Princess since the day of the
tineral but even declines to permit her name
10 be mentioned in her presence. In lesser
degree, the sentiments of the Empress are shared
BY most of the members of the Imperial family.
For they are all OF the opinion that if Stephanie
had shown more good-tempcr patience and af-
fiction toward her husband, the latter would be
still in the land Of the living. The only person
who clnmpioncd her cause until recently, and
TO whom she could look for kindness and for
friendship, in the species of ostraclsm to which
she was condemned by her husbands relatives, was
the Emperor Unfortunately, however, she has
now q,nrreled with him on the subject Of her
little daughter Elizabeth. The child now about
five years Of age, was consigned by Rudolph 10
the guardianship of the Emperor, as chief of tie
family His Majesty content TO leave his
grandda ghter to tie care of Stephanie axS long
as the hitter remained in Vienna or in the neigh
borhood thereof But when the Crown Princess,
dislkes the city, expressed wish to take the
child u Ahbazia, on the Adratic, and to Bot
zen, in the Tyrol, the Emperor refused to consent
thereto OF course, Stephanie bitterly resents
this al the more it has given rise to all kinds
of ruuors as to the reasons which have led the
kindly and courteous Francis Joseph 10 adopt so
unconloromisng an attitude toward his daughter
in-law II is openly stated in official circles here
that her behavior during the first year Of her
wdovhood has been marked by lndscrctlons
which have been source of great distress to
the Emperor Not only has she neglected her
child in the most pointed manner, leaving her
alone at Laxenburg for whole months together
while she herself was travelling about In france
and Austria, but, moreover, her name has be-
come connected. first with that OF an austrian
nobleman, and subsequently with that OF Hun
parian. magnatc in such manner that IL YVES
evenly publicly ALLEGED that she morganatically
married 10 the one or the other Of them
The visit of the Emperor and Empress, with
Archduchess Valerie, TO Meycrllng, on the 3Oih OF
January, was marked by several exceedingly
nathctc incidents The scene at the railway
terminus. when starting on their pilgrimage ID
the fateful spot, was pitiiul in the extreme. lhe
Emperor had offered his right arm TO his con-
sort, who is as erect and graceful as ever; ana
with his left hand he was gently siroklnG the
small. black-elovcd hand that rested upon his
sleeve, as lie slightly bent toward her, murmurins
words Of consolation Archduchess Valerie
followed closely behind; and the TWO
ladies were attired in deepest mourn
Ing. and were weeping bitterly. On reach
ing the chapel which has been erected on the
scene Of the tragedy at Meyerling mass was per-
formed by the Abbot Baron Won Grimmenstein,
Never.
priests kneeling at an altar Of exqusitcly carved
Istrian marble, placed at the very spot where the
he'd had stood on which tie Archdukc had shot
himself. The chapel is built in antique Gothic
STYLE. and is entered by portal supported by
four pillars OF Swedish granite. Statues OF ST.
Joseph and of st. Theresa guard the portico,
above which there is a maanifcently painted win
COW The only persons present besides the In
perial mourners and their immediate attendants
were the Carmelite nuns, who have taken pos
session of the former shooting lodge. Their
superior. 10 whom the Emperor addressed few
gracious words at the conclusion of the service,
is a French noblcwoman, the young Princess
Jeanne Bibesco, whose mother was Princess
d'Elchingen. and member Of the family OF the
famous Marshal Ney.
At the very same time that the ceremony was
taking place at Neyerling the similar service was
in progress at the neghborins monastery OF
Hegcnfurth in honor Of the Baroness Mary
Vctzera, and which was attended by the two UNI
cles Of the latter Hector and Aristide Baltazzl
Tie bpenton Of their names recalls a silly and
wicked rumor which. originating at Paris, has
been circulated throughout Europe, to the effect
that the Crown Prince had SHOT himself because
he had suddenly discovered that the Baroness
Marie was a natural daughter Of his father. The
circumstances of the tragedy are sufficiently pain
full without adding this horror thereto, and the
rumor has been treated with the dcrison md
indignation which it deserves. Far from ever
having been famous court beauty in her younger
DAYS the Baroness Marie's mother was totally
unknown in Vienna until the day when her
daughter first attracted the Crown Princes notice
At municipal ball at Trieste. The social status
md II Ito ltnz vi. 4