New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-26
MARIA THERESA.
TIE BRILLIANT ARCHDUCllESS VIM
i'''' BE EMPRESS OF AUSTRIA
Vienna, June III.

hal
soi"se o. T,,,one H. il true that her life mas
w.. r,rcb dor6ened. by more events una" on
- .bot abe has in late years rao'er 9"'
' opd is not much known 70 hef p'oP''
g.. .L.,r admiration and affection TOT Hcr - n"
,ha l.ss and she remains well worthy VI o."
7. !, moi IN he supposed that she iee'' ""S
degree of jealousy toward her ~S'i"e' =. law
Sbe would. in fact, be glad AZ onS ''''~ ni,.ato
-. ell. cares of state and retire 10 piN'.
no. And abe more probably feels oe' .aA
notis,oction in regarding the exquisite oie"'r
lion tragic fate a few years ago markeu a. nv
rrobahle successor, and feels ike cohsi'."
rho Austrian people on their future H'hp'e
For IL was only by s'roKe VI 10,
traocdv that Maria Theresa was ,a'ne" nd
80 exoIted rank So long as the ROBUST anu
C.o,,,n Prince Rudolf alive, she hau
s"' tln,,,,bt ~ Imperial honors. How couiu eN'
havoo She was only the wife OF the Emp
hrotbor She was OH Archduchess, pu' 'i'a' VIZ
not ,nottcr Archduchesses are PLENTIFUL aH" '"''
ore not looked upon az Important Pe'
Austrian etiquette consigns them 10 quicC p'
and inconspicuous positions az Tile co"'' Idol
almost regarded with pity, since she was .,,o
o. hroken down old man who had hao WV
wives before her ,,.ors ~
She WAS the second of the SIX dauen''i' =,
k,n Miguel, and by all odds the pIish''' "
most beautiful She was just finishing hct ''"V0
ing and was barely eighteen wears oi'
she was married to the Archduke ,hare' Ho
,,ho ,vas then past forty. He had been uiarrie'
W. ia lad bean so much in love with one
y, hi ,,ives that he had no heart left for MS
.hid JJc looked even older than he was anu
os tborouqhv broken down In health anu
snirits An extraordinary thing it seemed
H,L with him this glorious young creature Ju9'
m .,;o threshold OF womanhood and endoWeo WIN
a., hcautv that made her the admiration OF EUROPE
lie had not even political Importance 70 cohnic"u
him for he was pcrpetually at log8erhca"o "i'"
tbc Ministry and exceedingly unpopular WIN vi.
,rblic lie would live and die an ArchduKe' anu
sbo would he doomed TO the dull routine oi
court life cramped, fettered, stified. IL was
strange match. And when the couple appeaieu
together in Vienna. in lS73 every one epoNe Vi
them as spring and autumn" ana Vhe n"uio vac
not inapt ,.o,,;orol
life too great a burden 10 be borne. She was CON-
coded TO be the beauty and the Wit OF 'he
rr,r.,rio, court But that did not satisfy her.
She was so full of vital energy that she must 40
soue,hng some work The exercise she took was
amazing A walk Of dozen miles was only an
,,tcrroon's diversion Once she rode. without
, change Of saddle or a pause for rest, from
Pdchenon 10 Guns and back again. fully Zoo
miles But even thee things did not sunnce'
She must have something to do that woulu pe
excrcise for brain az we'll as for muscle. 30 ID
sheer despair she told her husband what she
wanted He looked ut her in surprise
Something 10 do? But You are an Arch
duchess"
yes: but I an woman, TOO
"Wel vou have your court engagements TO
t0l the balls. the receptions, the opera surely
these are sufficient All the other ladies OF the
court are
"An n set Of mummies, dead and dried up
mummics." explained the splendid young cre'-
turc. with flashing eyes. And don't propose
to sharr their fate, IL ] can help it,
The Archdule astounded. Or all the prouo
and cerernonious IIapeburgs, he was the proudest
and stateliest. Democratic notions were his most
,t,er abhorrencc For his wife TO talk thus
was treason. II was hasphcmy. He cntreated,
cynostulatcd But all in vain. Her mpetuous
snirt oyerruled him completely, and he let her
la We her own way, wringng his hands and shak-
ino his head forebodingly over what seemed TO
him tie tumbling 10 ruins Of the very pillars or
society.
Maria Theresa began by throwing orrn tn"
doors Of her home and inviting In all persons
~ real worth and Observation-Disclosures. scholars,
dinloma,s everybody worth knowing She well
co,,o1 them without ceremony that they felt
- much 40 case ~ though they were in their
own drawing-roons Thus was established one
Of the most brilliant salons in Europe. For her
invitations did not require repetition 10 WIN
acceptance. The people came eagerly Inc Eli
press had never done such thing. sShe spent
most Of her time away from the capital, in a
shootinc-lodCr in the mountains, and was only
70 No seen on stiff state occasions. when no one
lar She 1iali
did not conceal the fact But this radiant young
,rchduchcss had real love for her kind, and
was never 20 happy rs when in the midst oil
crowd The Prater, on II fete day, in her eyes.
v,s infinitely more Interesting" more humani2-
ing" she would say-than ann spectacle OF soil
,orv grandeur the Alps could afford. As hostess
she was perfect Ii was charming sight To see
her. OF one OF her grand receptions, passing from
g,r~t 10 guest, addressing 10 cacE In turn
cordial gracious grecting-a greeting Tor the
individual not for the mew unit IN the crowd
She had the royal Gift of never forgetting n face
mr. =, name and could congratulate author
on his latest book arl artist on the sketch hc
Ind Just finished, without any danger of confusing
the two: but then she had really mad the
book and seen the sketch, for her love of htera
turc and art was intense
Thus she soon became one Of the most popular
and most idoli7ed members of the whole lMlcrhi
family Her husband was partly shocked, parity
pratined But his admiration for her led him 10
stand aside and let her do MS she pleased Others
of his family were not ~ comphccnt Ihey an
not hesitate 10 express openly their disapprovA!
| of her condmct which they declared 10 he scan
| dalons Finding that she cared nothing for their
criticisms they strovc TO bring the disfhvor Of
| the Empress upon her. They irsinuated 10 the
latter that the young Archduchcss was setting her
| self up rs her rival, and was aiming 10 make the
palace of Charles Louis eclipse the lloiburs. But
| the Empress not 10 be thus deceived. She
sent for Maria Theresa ut once. and said to her
| frankly:
MY dear sisrrn-aw, you have q lot Of enc
| mics nj court who are trying 70 set me against