Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-11-25
A REMARKABLE JUMP
AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE or THE
EMPRESS or AUSTRIA.

i
AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE or THE
EMPRESS or AUSTRIA. i
Her Horse Took the hit Between His
Teeth and Made Terrible xun--An
Almost sIiracaious Leap Over an Open
Dr.wbridxeA Piueky woman
Many years ago was an eyewitness
TO an accident which befell the empress
Df Austria. and which was SO terrible
that her escape from death seems to me
even now miracle
Elizabeth of Austria, az she liked to
call herself. was at that time not only
the most daring but also the best rider
in the world. No man or woman ever
knew better how to take an obstacle
than this most charming of all crowned
women. Though her majesty was then
already grandmother. on horseback
she could give odds to the best Hum
garian and English riders The party
at the event of which am writing con-
sisted Of the empress and large num-
Der OF Austrian and foreign gentlemen
riders, who seemed to have gathered to-
| gether from all parts Of Europe. Most
Of them were known as prominent
horsemen. This was not surprising con-
sidering that the empress would never
take the field in company Of poor riders.
| On this occasion the empress rode .
very spirited young horse, which she
had obtained in Lancashire when on q
visit to England, and to the training Of
which she had personally attended for
nearly q year. Everything went well
after the start until we crossed high
way leading to a small Hungarian
country town short distance of. Pass
ing white painted milestone the en-
! press horse SHE'D. and suddenly be-
coming uncomfortable it dashed down
the road in the direction of the town.
From appearance it was evident that
the animal had succeeded in taking the
bit between his teeth and that no earth
ly power could stop it on its mad run
away.
Although we all followed the empress,
none Of us seemed to gain upon her.
Flying we passed through the little
town, much to the amazement and the
terror of the few people in the streets.
A short distance beyond the town was a
shipping canal, and to our horror we
saw that the drawbridge spanning the
canal was open SO as to permit the pas
sage of some boat. In moment we
realized that the empress was running
straight into the jaws of certain death.
Faster aud faster we went on in pur.
suit, but faster and faster also seemed
the empress horse to fly. Now it had
reached the open bridge. Would il
stop? Before we had time to thirk WI
saw the animal dash mp the incline o.
the open bridge like flash of lightning
For moment we could not but clos,
our eyes and shudder convulsed every
man in the cavalcade. It was terribl,
moment-a moment during which feal
and horror alternately kept us merci
lessly in their pangs. When we opened
our eyes again. still riding as fast as ou
; horses could go, the fair rider and he
runaway had disappeared.
We had no doubt that the inevit1bl
! had happened and that Elizabeth o
! Austria was drowned in the slow AM
turbid waters of the canal
r | The idea was terrible one. My pei
r is too weak to describe the confusion
e among us and the agony of suspens
that followed and seemed to make eacl
|, rider CULVER in his saddle. Almost I'm
q consciously we had stopped our horse
q just before reaching the incline to tn
v open draw. As matter of fact our Ell
r citement was so great that we did NO
4 even notice that one of our number
Count Szepany. if remember well, wa
also missing. All our faculties natura
!. ly had followed the empress only.
! There we were, hating before tina
a terrible bridge like a pack of towards
e with nobody among us plucky enoug
t 10 ride into death with an empress.
p A few seconds later the inclines of til
5 bridge were lowered again. but nobod
of our company seemed to even attemI
y to pass 1T.
/ From the pangs of fear and horror W
= had passed into those of amazemen
: Several hundred yards beyond the bridg
q we beheld riding toward us lady on
foaming steed 1t was the empress, an
at her side the only gallant man of tt
crowd. Count Szepany. Her majest
u firmly sat her horse, and appeared ,
l. cool and collected as if nothing had ha]
le pened.
o. Smilingly did she make fun of us an
IS our anxiety. Her fine raillery was ju
in as much justified as it was inoffensi'
IN when she saw the pitiable figure we CT
s. in her exalted presence.
a The empress horse was very lam
er and closer examination showed that
n had dislocated its right hind fetlock.
of jumping the open draw between ii
r. wings of the bridge the hind feet of tt
IS empress horse had caught one of tt
o. iron rails at the edge and torn off one
r. it's hind shoes. The most extraordina
re feature of the accident was how tt
rs horse ever could have gone down Il
us incline without breaking its own al
e- the riders neck. The only explanati,
Ne for this small miracle, however, mig
If be found in the fact that the empire
In never lost her presence of mind for
minute when on horseback. and thu
though the animal was uncontrollab
she must have sat it to perfection. Wi
as regard to Count Szepany, he was unat
h, to give any account of his escape. Mol
G. over, he did not even remember wheth
a his horse made the jump before or aft
ge the empress. He simply said that dr
C. ing the jump he closed his eyes for
&c | 4vaaDnd on1 that ta thar, sayrQ1-i an cod