New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-03
AN EMPEROR'S FRIEND.
COUNT TAAFFE IRISH PEER AND AUS.
TRAN PRIME MINISTER


While Celtic names abound among the nobility
Of Scandinavia and OF France Irish patronym-
les are equally plentiful in the ranks of the aris-
tocracy OF Austria The Scots In the northern part
~ Continental Europe. such as, for instance the
Douglasses and the Hamiltons of Sweden are the
descendants OF those officers who fought under
King Gustavus Adolphus In his great struggle
on behalf Of the Protestant Church. while the
forbears Of those In France followed the Stuarts
70 that country and settled there. The sons OF
Erin on the other hand. seem to have been at
tracted to Austria by the bIilancy OF its Court,
by the facilities which 1t afforded for seeing ac-
tive service in the army, by their devotion to the
Catholic Church. OF which the Holy Roman En-
pire was In these days the principal champion,
and last but not least by great similarity OF
character For there is much analogy between
the Irish and the Austrian. especially among the
higher classes both being equally fond of pleas
ire reckless alike in their daring and in their ex-
travagances and always eager for fresh excite
ment and adventure.
Indeed in the las century. when Catholicism
constituted bar to advancement in the English
service. there scarcely single house OF the
Irish nobility that was not represented by one or
more Of its members in the Austrian army. To
this is attributed the fact that the princely fam
fly of Nugent processing allegiance to Emperor
Francis Joseph has its chief in an Irish Earl
young Lord Westmeath. now attached to the
British Embassy in Washington. while the most
conspicuous and popular statesman who has ever
held the office Of Prime Minister at Vienna since
the beginning of the present century is the Irish
Viscount Taaffe whose life Is now drawing to a
close.
BY no one will hts death be more deeply
mourned than by his boyhoOd friend and chum,
Francis Joseph. to whom may be said to have
devoted the major part Of his long and busy life.
II was nothing but deep affection for the En-
peror and a patriotic sentiment Of duty to the
Fatherland that caused him to sacrifice his in
clinations and tastes to politics. which at heart
he despised quite as heartily as stock exchange
operations and "coups &c bOurse. Office could not
add to his social importance consideration while
It has left him considerably poorer than when
he first entered the service of the Crown Indeed,
he always used to give me the impression that
he regarded the whole thing a dreadful bore.
and that IL was only his Austro-Hbernian cour-
tesy which kept him from yawning in the Reichs-
rath as frequently the Duke of Devonshire
was wont to do when he sat in the British House
Of Commons
STRANGE-LOOKING ARISTOCRAT
Count Taaffe. when l knew him In the early
eighties. was one Of the most peculiar-looking
and sloped downward to the back and he wore
his coal-back hair rather long. falling on the
collar Of a strangely cut old frock coat that bore
the mark Of having been built by exceeding
" provincial tailor An old and rather disreputa-
BILE silk hat OF antiquated architecture was
perched on the very back of his head its mario"
brim afording shade whatsoever to the hu-
rnorous black eyes that sparkled on either side
OF an aquiline nose which, in turn, was perched
above a dropping black mustache. The cheek
homes were high the complexion olive coored.
and the general aspect Of the man, If not ORR
entail WIS at any rate that Of Spaniard.
It'll needless to say that he has proved perfect
gold mine to the Vienna caricaturists, who when
he was in Office. never tired OF portrayins MIN
and his old coachn,an "Pep" who was almost
as we'll known Niennese character as his mas
ter Pepi who used to abuse and order about
the Count in the amusing fashion that
francisco, the old valet o. Senior Canovas used
70 boss" the autocratic statesman who is now
Prime Minister Of Spain, had been when last
saw the Taafres in their service for more than
thirty years He used to trim his hair In the
same odd manner as the Count wore the same
kind OF tile perched on the very back OF his
head. and detesting his livery as much as the
Count did his uniform, was ordinarily arraYed
when driving his master in one OF the latter
old gray frock coats. Then too. Pep aped all
the little mannerisms OF the Count to such de-
gree that the resemblance between master and
man was startling-so much so as to be positive
" ludcrous and constituted for many years one
Of the stock jokes Of the comic papers OF Vienna
THE IMPORTANCE OF "MoPPL"
Another member Of the Taaffe household whose
GOODWILL am proud to have possessed was that
of "Moppi," the most famous poodle OF the
Austro- Hungarian Empire. and certainly more
nonuIar than was ever Prince Bismarck's
"Reichshund" "Moppi' was for many years the
constant and inseparable companion Of the Count,
and was probably acquainted with more state
secrets than any other dog in Europe He used
70 sit solemnly In a chair in a corner OF the Prime
Minister'S room at the Palace where the CABINET
councils were held and where audiences were
granted with a look OF truly statesman-llke
sagacity on his clever and intelligent face IN
fortunately "Mopprs official decorum and I'M
tmpeachable conduct in official matters ala NOT
extend TO his private life, which was character
,zed by numerous indiscretions, and as soon as
night set in "Moppi' wont 10 cast aside the
cores o- office and 10 become one of the gayest
dogs In Vienna L. was during one OF these ih'o-
night excursions that he was SO mauled ana TORN
bv a rival Don Juan Of the canine species tha' he
snccu,nbed to his injuries. although tenderiy
cursed bv the Prime Minister of Austria ana oS
Countess Irma who is one Of the grandest iauies
in the Empire "Moppi' lies buried in one Oh 'ne
prettiest corners OF the park surrounding '"s
count.s beautiful country seat at Eliischau' anu
tho tombstone that marks his grave pears the
words .M0ppi the favorite OF all, ana Is SUI
rounded by a beautiful bed Of flowers 80
The story Of the Emperor's hrst meeting VIZ.
Count Taaffe after his ascent to the throne .."u'
almost like a story of the Arabian Nights FRA"
=, ~ fav wears after his succession, nap
- - nov an official visit 10 the ancient CITY
r,I,rz The Governor of the place In acco'u-
.noa With the requirements Of etiquette Oh sue"
oocasions begged for permission 10 present M
Lac u