The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-06-20
ROMANCE OF AN Ex.EMPREss.
rhe story OF an Afrair Remembered by
Only Few People.

++-S = = ~ ~Nh'%~"
A Berlin letter has the following ro-
nance about the recently deceased
Empress Augusta of Germany:
A member OF the suite of one OF the
best known among our Princes tells
romantic story concerning the dead
Empress Augusta. and It Is believed
that 1t has never before been given to
the public. Augusta was Princess In
the petty court of Weimar, where she
was hedged about with all the strait
laced etiquette the small German prin-
cipalities affected. When she was sew
enteen She was a romantic e ri and had
learned by heart the stories of the
previous half centnry's gallantries at
the court Of Louis XIV. and SO well
had she read that she was prepared TO
fall IN love with any man who might
first appeal to her sense of beauty; but
the rigid surveillance of her ducal IA
ther and mother made male acquaint-
anees almost impossible.
Before this romantic spirit had lived
long enough to die a young French no
BILE scion of more or less long lineage
stopped at the Court Weimar in the
progress of pleasure iaunt from
Auvergne. He remained for some
weeks at this place and became a fa-
vorite of the Duke. He was accomp-
lished, handsome. and dare devil. At
a court bali shortly following his ar
rival the Frenchman met the princess.
They were permitted TO become part
ners and indulged in mutual love at
first sight.
This love soon developed into indis-
erection. which took the form Of secret
meetings in the palace grounds. The
only people aware of these trysis were
the maid and valet of the principals.
who served as the medium through
which the correspondence was carried
on and the meetings arranged. The
maid, whether through carelessness or
spite. lost one of the letters intrusted
to her. and it was picked up by the
Duchess, mother of Augusta. before the
maid could recover il.
The letter was impassionate and elo-
+ quent, burning with the love song of
( the smitten Partisan, and filed with all
those pretty words that came in with
the Grand Monarch. This was all very
we'll. for the two were young. but it
+ led up 10 the suggestion of an elope-
ment. 1t implored flight, and pie
tured the ideal life of love on the pas
z toral lands of the new America.
The Duke and Duchess were con-
+ sumed with rage at this discovery. and
I poured their indignation in uustiuted
I volume. So high did feeling run in
/ court that the Ducal Chamberlain chal-
lenged the Frenehman to a duel, and
/ the lover fell, mortally wounded. As
T he fell the Frenchman tore open his
tunic, aud there. pressed against his
[ heart, was handkerchief belonging TO
the Princess. Toward it his hand fee
+ bly, moved, and he died at the moment
he had seized the lace and was strug-
+ Cling TO carry it to his lips.
+ The Duchess was so affected by the
incident that she silently placed the
/ handkerchief on the breast of the young
( man as he lay in the coffin, and it was
buried with him. His body was COW
cred with roses. strewn upon him by
the devoted Augusta, and she, from
+ swoons and sobs. became hysterieal
and almost crazed. For weeks the
( Princess sobbed about the palace, un-
Ill her parents We're convinced thai
4 her sorrow must have some relief OF
+ she would become insane.
They suggested a marriage with
Z Prince William of Prussia. and the
I Princess gave her Indifferent consent.
careless aud thoughtless what might
become of her. With William it was a
matter OF equal unimportanee, for he
had iirst been crossed in love affair,
and he was heart broken as well.
There was no misunderstanding be-
ween them on the subject of their mar
riage. 1t was an affair exclusively oi
the parents and of an obedient but dis
consulate youth and maiden. During
their lifetime the Emperor William
and the Empress Augusta maintained
toward each other the most perfect
and severe politeness- They were
friends. they respected each other, but
that was all. They were not lovers,
and they could not tear from their
hearts the memories of their early love
and their early disappointment The
Empress always preferred French
books. IDEAS dress, and sentiment. and
it was her favorite language. The in
iuence of that unhappy loss remained
with her until the last moment, and
she doubtless carried the sweet regrets
to the grave. Years have effaced re-
membranee of the affair, and it is safe
TO say that less than dozen great per-
sonages know of it to-day.