New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-06

DEDICATION OF THE CHAPEL IN MEMORY
OF PRINCE RUDOLPH.

| Meycrling, whittier he goes every year TO sperd
! the anniversary Of the Prince ImperaFs death IN
prayer and religious exercises. Certainly IL wouh
| secm 10 be a favorable spot in which to mediate
mon the insignifcance Of earthly power and Tie
| vanity of human hopes. IL has not been for
gotten that shortly after the Princes death hs
| august parents decided to dedicate the Chateau
Meyerling 10 religious purposes, and this year
Witnesses their project fulfilled A Gothic chapel
rises nm the very spot where the tragedy took plaza
The rest of the chateau Is occupied by community
of CarmeIite nuns all noble ladies, but as rgoroas
clustered as the humblest OF st. Thereah
daughters The superior OF this convent bean
one OF the greatest names In Austria, and the
| lieutenant is none other than the widow q
| Prince Esterhazy, a charming woman who dazzled
| all Europe with her beauty and wit, and was fof
many years a leader In society On the day u
| her husbands death she cut on her luxuraat
tresscs and retired from the world forever The
| Princess Esterhazy was born Lobkowitz, one Of
the most aristocratic families OF bohemia, and b
| in her own right duchess.
THE chapel was dedicated and the convene
formally blessed by Cardinal Gruseha. Primes
| BIshop of Vienna, during the late visit
Of the Emperor. All the officials Of
the court were in attendance, besides
members of the clergy priests and monks. togethee
with a number OF Government notables. and tie
ceremonies were OF a most imposing character
The little chapel Is built Of white marble. fronted
nv pillarcd portico the whole in style as simple
and puse az elegant. The interior has been dec
GRATED by tn, best artists IN Austria
On the left is a small chapel or oratoy. sep.
arated from the nave by railing In this is
large picture OF the Mater Dolorosa, the }ladonn,
Of the Bleeding Heart 1t SEEMS the very imper.
sonaton OF the absent mother prevented from al
tending the dedication, lest her suffering be In
creased beyond endurance. Directly beneath the
picture stands rich pric-dieu. beside which the
Empero. knelt during the ceremony; the heavy
velvet OF that rric dieu. embroidered with the
imperial arms. drank the bitter tears Of one Of
the most powerful rulers ir the world. Imme-
diately after the ceremony the Emperor paid
brief visit 10 the convent, then FASTENED to reon
bis train at Baden This visit at Meyerling was
made almost incognito, the Enpcror's sole At
tcndant being his aiGe-dc-camp, Count Paar.
The place has suffered many changes in two
years and retains only sugg ,stion Of its original
character. The house and park were the personal
property of the Prince, who bought them in 1879
of Count LcnngcI. The manor much e.
hrged and newly decorated by the Archduke. who
also built the stables and ;he kennels. and added
the famous game preserves. All the budinp
are rooted with peculiar pearl-eol0red slste
which lends a brilliant and very modern aspect
to the whole. 1t does rot look the place iog
such sombre tragedy
The location is picturesque in the extreme. The
little valley of IIelenenthll lies between TIVE
mountains crowned with ruins of feudaI castles,
and the landscape OF woods and STRAINS Is IN.
surpassed in Europe. Poor MeyerIing with Its
silenced revelry It's deserted walls and its fallen
statucs-suIcly future poets and rOmanccs viii
find il rich in inspiration.
And what drama thoec woods hay, witnessed
Ore autumn they rang with hunters horns, laughter
and the rush Of the chas,. Next autumn-two pis-
tol Shots silence the sound OF weeping next year.
After that, organ music, chants and the voices
OF women. night and day imploring grace for the
son of an Emperor!
1t is improbable that the true story of Meyer.
ling will ever be told. The public has never
believed that the Prince committed suicide, al
though the Vicnncse physicians solemnly sttested
to the fact. IL is generally believed throughout
Austria and the TyrOl that he was assassiEated.
The vencration with which the royal family 10
regarded amounts to superstition. Under God,
the Emperor, and only next TO him, the younger
liapsburgs. But however impartial history may
dispose of the rest Franz Josef cannot fail 10 be
spoken of with respect. High.minded, majestic
dignified and strong throughout his unhappy reign
few characters OF the century stand out in holder or
purer relief. His life has been one long series
of Affections, disappontments and defeats the least
of which sufficient to crush weaker man.
But his nobility, faithfulness and courage in the
,nds. OF misfortune after Queretaro after
Sadowa, after Meyerling-have so endeared him to
al OngalA that
strengthen their loyalty TO their sovereign His
treatment of the Empress after the tragedy was
particularly characteristic of his generous and
chivalrie nature. Every liberty has been granted
her, and the unhappy woman has continued 10
drag her incurable melancholy over seas and
through strange countries. Her mind has been
threatened many times since her sons DEATH and
of late her eccentricities and caprices have become
more marked than ever. She has recently erected
on the beautiful island of Corfu Roman villa
modelled exactly after one of the larger houses
OF Pompeii. This mansion was designed less as
o residence than as monument to the dead prince.
The Empress has named it Achilleyon, and the
entire history of Achilles son of Pcleus. Is painted
in freseo the walls. In the atriuu
group in marble represents the Greek heroy
death. and throughout the place painting and
sculpture draw attention to the parallel in tbs
history of the two princes, Achilles and Rudolph
or the ill.fated girl who played the nos
miserable part of all in the dismal drama httk
can be said. She was the villain, he the martyr,
in the eyes Of the court. She was refused
Christian burial; nation wept over his bier
She sleeps in nameless. dishonored grave he
has monuments and shrnes built to his memory,
and convent Of holy women prays for him
houry-all of which would be grotesque were 10
not so sad.
Mile. de Vetsera was the victim of her oM
passionate and iil-guided nature. She had oil
the impetuosity OF an Oriental with the senta'
mentality Of German To this beauty, charm
and vanity. add the ignorance and recklessnes