The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-14
A TALE OF THE VATICAN.
HOW TIE EMPRESS CARLOTrA OF
MEXICO BECAMEINSAN

She Never Recovered Her Reason
Nor Heard of Her Husband Max
milian's Death.
From the NeU York World.
The following description of breakfast
with Pope Plus TX, at which the then En-
press Carlotts of Mexico went suddenly in
sane, is written by Manager Antonio Renter,
who was the pontif's chamberlain at the
time:
Poor Csrlottal l wonder now as | am
writing this incident Of her life, whether
she ever recalled the morning she took
breakfast with his holiness the late Pope
Plus TX. It was the last time the ex Empress
of Mexico spoke a rational word, and her
days since have been spent in a castle of
Trieste, where l last saw her in 1888, a
hopeless Iunatic, whose past, present and
future are a blank. That breakfast and its
tragic ending will ever be wildly photo
graphed on my mind.
I'll st saw the empress when her consort
Macmillan, afterwards Emperor OF Mexico,
was appointed viceroy TO the kingdom of
Lombardy. 1t was in the spring of 1854
and Austria had again taken possession of
LOmbardy AMI Venice.
establishing his court at either Milan or
Venice. Not altogether in accord with the
wishes of his brother, Francis Josef, the
present Emperor Of Austria, he chose
Venice. 1t was an old love and the asso-
Citations Of his youth that caused him to
select the city on the water. He had been
educated in the naval college of st. Anne
and had fond regard for the royal palace
in Plaza Of San Marco, where he took bis
abode.
He was the pet nephew of the dowager
Empress Marianne, the widow OF Emperor
Ferdinand, who abdicated in l84S, and with
the means furnished by his aunt he was
enabled TO live in great splendor.
Macmillan and Carlotta were very
devout. Every Sunday morning they
attended mass at the Cathedral of st. Marx,
preceded by twelve gorgeously attired
courtiers. AS they entered the church
portals they were received by a priest In his
surplice, who handed them the aspersory
filled with holy water. 1t so happened that
during the years 1851 and 1856 was an
humble assistant to the sacristy OF the
Church of st. Mark, and it frequently fell
20 my duty TO meet the august worshippers
at the church door. had known Maximil-
ian many years before when we were
students IN the College of st. Anne, at
which, by the way, the Emperor Francis
Josef also received part Of his military edu-
cation.
It was the custom of the students to go
upon excursions up the Grand canal or NAL
umocco during the holidays, and distinctly
remembered that both the emperors fire.
quently joined us in these outings. On one
or two occasions l enjoyed the honor Of be-
ing especially invited to accompany the
princes. with whom | was on speaking terms
Thus it was rather strange that we should
again meet at Venice at this time, Maxi
MILAN as viceroy and as an humble priest
Of the holy church.
Nor was it less strange that should aft
erward meet the Princess Carlotta-later
Empress Of Mexico-in the pri ate cham
bers Of his holiness Pope Plus TX, whose
chamberlain had become. Ihave not for
gotten the date; 10 was Oct. 4, 1856. She
was accompanied by Cardinal Antonelli,
the grand old assistant and secretary OF
state to the pontiff.
l remember her we'll. She was a grand,
noble woman, typical empress, whose
simple yet lofty dignity did not fail to i'm
press me- She was alone, having dismissed
her lsdies-in- waiting In the throne hall
She had requested an audience with the
pope, aud high noon of that eventful day
was the hour the pontiff set apart TO receive
her. AS | was the attendant in the ante
room Of the pope's private chamber, natur-
ally l was the first to pay my respects to
the empress. How the meeting did sur
prise me. Although / had often before
spoken to her she did not recognize the
priest who had offered her holy water SO
many times before in the Church of ST.
Mark when she was still a princess. How
sad she looked! Pale and anxious she
nodded in recognition of my low obeisance.
There was slight twitchlng of the muscles
of her face and her eyes had a fixed, vacant
stare. | opened the audience with the CHS
tom or Of 4 l..
way up to the popes private chamber.
The pontiff stood waiting at the door, and
after | had formally presented the EN-
press she followed him inside. This IN brief
was the etiquette of the vatican.
SovereIgns visiting the pope in private
were received in this way, while those
whose visits we're Of a public nature were
ushered into the throne hall, where his
holiness was seated in his robes of office, by
the prelstes of the ante-room. When the
empress passed into the private chamber
the door closed behind her About ten
minutes later | heard the ringing of the
pope's bell and l entered the room. bowling
low TO receive the holy fathers orders. To
my utter establishment he said to me:
Tell the steward to prepare luncheon.
The empress has not yet breakfasted. She
is hungry therefore command the steward
to make haste"
rose from Bonded knee aud hurried out.
The stewards apartments were not far
away, and soon | gave him the order All
the while l could not refrain from wonder
ing why the empress should come to the
pontiH without having eaten the morning
meal. l imagined that the trial and suffer-
ings she had undergone in the months be-
fore were more than likely the cause Of her
perturbed state of mind, although never for
a moment did l divine the tragic scene
whioh afterward occurred at that breakfast
table.
In less than a quarter OF an hour the
steward appeared bearing two silver trays.
We entered the private chamber through
the secret door. On each of the trays was a
bowl Of cOnsOmnle, two rolls, a pot Of choc-
olste. pitcher of milk, two cups, a saucer
containing sugar, dish Of sweet cakes and
a platter of thinly sliced toast, which.
dipped in the weak broth, was the pope's
favorite dish. The steward placed a tray
before each of the soveregns, who were
seated opposite each other at a small table.
The holy father broke the fast by slowly
slipping his broth and from time to time
eating small piece of moistened toast.
Not a word was spoken. | stood at one
corner of the table awaiting the holy
fathers commands, while at the other end
stood the steward, ready to attend TO the
wants Of the diners.
The silence was impressive. For several
minutes the empress sat there gazing in