New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-15
lifted BY AN EMPEROR.
THE STORY OF THE PRINCxS OF ThUkN-
AND-TAXiS.

AND-TAXiS
rRoM Az OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF The l'"".
Vienna, June |.
Hardly has the Empress had time to recover
in n measure from the shocking death oi hei
only son last year when she is once more 'hro"h
INTO doom mourning by the loss of her favorl'c
sister. the Princess of Thurnand-laXlS' INC
latter was the eldest of the hVc 'edui-
ful daughters of Duke Macmillan oil bavaria
and was reckoned until her last illness pfo"'"l'
tho most handsome and intellectual woman Ill
Europe While mere child she was oetro'he"
70 tho present Emperor of Austria and was most
carefully trained and educated with view 10
fitting her for the proper discharge of her duties
as Empress When, however, the time LOT 'ne
marriage drew near, Francis Joseph fell violently
in love with her Younger sister Elizabeth, and,
much to the dismay of all concerned, INSISTED on
lifting the Duchess Helen in order to marry the
scarcely sixteen-year-old Duchess Ellzahcth'
Proud. ambitious and deeply in love with her
faithlpss fiance il was terrible blow 10 her 10
sec the Cinderella Of the family carry oil the man
sbe loved and the crown which she would nave
been delighted 10 wear. However, her good senS'
induced her 10 keep her troubles ana sorrows ~
herself and 10 put the best face possible Oh '"o
matter Not only during the marriage IcSu'i-
ties. but also throughout her subsequent me- size
acted to perfection the part of loving ana sym
na,bizing sister. and appeared, TO the public at
any rate to rejoice openly at Elizabcth's good
fortune.
After seeing her three other sisters married.
one after the other to the King of Naples, To MS
brother the Count de Trani and 10 the OrieahlSt
Duke Of Alencon, she finally conferred her mana
upon the Prince of Ihurn-and-laAls, the chlei VI
one of the most wealthy and powerful OF the me
dialized sovereign families OF the German 'oh-
federacv. He owned large and valuable estates
in Bavaria, Upper Austria. Silesla ana WuI'e"
berg. the principal residence of the family being
the palace at Ratisbon. But although the Iflhce
absolutely worshipped his beautiful wife, she
never professed for him anything more than mild
liberation, and retained throughout her mar
riare and 70 the day of her death an air Of
intense sadness and kind OF weary, absent look
about her eyes which nothing could drive away
A consummatc musician, painter oil no meal
skill and a woman OF the most HDcral ana pro
found culture, she became, after her husband 5
death in 1867, power III German pohtcs ana
was regarded as one OF The pillars ana main SiP.
ports OF the Catholic and feudal party. Her
death will prove an irreparabe loss 10 Herr
WndhOrst in particular.
Her eldest son. the present head OF The family
is already betrothcd TO one of the Empress 5
nieces tie daughter OF Archduke Joseph. Al
though the name Of Thurn-and-I axis is ooe "hl'l
I may not be familiar In the United states, Heu
there Is none tnat uEultS iuOI' li'i"''',. -" Va"
old folk lore and history OF medlaevai Germany.
There have grown around the princes number :
legends and traditions which read almost hKe me
doinus Of the bold bad barons Of the fairy tales
But the most dramatic and gruesome story OF the
family is not more than J 90 years old. The reign,
ing Prince of that day, Prince victor LOUIS OF
/ Tburnond- Toxis discovered that his cOnsOrt. the
Princess Olivia, had forgotten her conIu9al VOWS
Forthwith he sent 10 Strasburg for the puhllc cN-
/ ecutioner and caused him privately 20 decarltl1c
/ the unfortunate Princess in the old Owl lower
! Of his Palace Of Ludwigslust.