The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-19

r,laits around her shapeiy head, walked
up. rot 70 her mother. but to her grand
fathe-. 70 whom she IS pass5onatesy 1T
tarhef ard who Immediately bent down
and ciaspe1 her In his arms.
Archdurhess Elizabeth, Our Little Wo-
man" as the Viennese fondly call her, Is,
IN srsIfe % her tender years. the most popu-
lar member Of the reignIng house, with the
solitary exception OF the emperor The Aus
TRANS and EuagarianS IN general AMI tire
Niennese n particular seem 10 have trans
ferred that affection which they manifested
toward "Unser Rudi," as they were won't 10
style the late crown prince. TO his little
daughter for. notwithstanding all his fall
iugs. Rudolph was universally loved by his
fathers subjects. In fact. they looked upon
him In much the same light as Eugl-Shne1
regard the Prince OF Wales.
The Austrian newspapers abound with
anecdotes and stories Of little Princess ELI
abeth. which are circulated throughout ths
empire. while her daily drives IN the Prater
with her governess and ladies in waiting.
bat seldom with her mother. evoke from
rich and poor the kindiiest manifesto tons
o. good WI and sympathy.
Il is only Just. however. to point out by
way OF explaining-though not excusing-
the heartlessness Of the mother OF the 1T
tie girl, that the latter was by her fathers
viii expressly made the ward OF her grand
parents. no mention being made in the tes-
famentary disposition OF his wife. Judging
by the attitude of the emperor since the
tragedy Of Meyerling he has accepted the
trust In the fullest sense OF the word
II the first place he has resolutely OBJ
jected to the child leaving his dominions.
Crown Princess Stephanle spends at least
nine months OF the year In foreign travel.
exciting comment OF no pleasant character
by her extravagant behavior, ffighty con-
duct, synical utterances and thoroughly
frivolous and undignified behavior at Monte
Carlo. at Spa, at CoHes and almost every
where else besides.
During these absences IL IS the old en-
peror. and. in minor degree. his consort,
who I'll toward the little girl the place of
father and mother X IS the emperor who.
IN spite OF the multifarious duties that take
up his existence. still finds time 10 super
wise the lessons Of his orphan grandchild.
10 whom she shows her copybook and her
tasks when they have been especially wei
done, and TO whom she is accustomed TO
look for all those manifestations OF pater-
nal tenderness which every child Graves.
The empress. too. is very kind TO Ter
whenever she is in Vienna, while the other
members OF the imperial family vie with
one another In trying TO soften any sorrow
that the child might feel by reason OF her
mothers attitude
Archduchess EIiZabeth's future is shroud-
Ell in mystery, and ii is possible that she
may Yet be called upon to play an impor-
tant role in history. II. as asserted by the
great historian, Hormayer. the signatures
to the .pTagmatic sanction" were forged
and the document was of no value, and,
II, moreover. the reluctant admissions OF
the government OF Austria and Hungary in
the legislature as well as in the semi-oih-
cial press OF Budapest and Vienna 10 the
effect that no trace Of the document known
as the pragmatic sanction can be found in
the state archives are really well founded,
then IN that case II is the little Archduch-
ess Elizabeth, who, as only daughter OF the
late Crown Prince Rudolph, is the heir TO
the throne OF Hungary.
The pragmatic sanction was supposed 10
provide for the succession of a woman TO
the throne OF the dual empire only
In the even Of there being no
male member of the dynasty left
alive But if this pragmatic sanction does
not exist, then the old laws of succession
must. as asserted by the patriot and ex-
dictator. Kossuth. be considered as still in
existence: these provide for the succession
according 10 seniority in the direct line. 10
matter whether the heir be male or female.
There Is no doubt that little Archducness
Elizabeth would be infinitely more welcome
to the Hungarians as their sovereign than
the emperors brother, Archduke Carl IAld-
wig who throughout the last ten or fifteen
years, has opposed IN the strongest and
most vehement fashion all those liberal ie-
forms and popular privileges that by de-
grees have been accorded to the Magyar
nation by the brOad-minded and progress
sive Emperor Francis Joseph. While the
latter represents the most beneficent phase
of rulership OF a constitutional character,
Archduke Carl Ludwig, by his antagonistic
attitude to Hungary. recalls to mind all the
worst characteristics OF the Austrian
tyranny exercised in the Magyar kingdom
IN bygone days.
The sons OF Archduke Carl Ludwig are
little better than himself. and whereas he
elder OF the two, Francis Ferdinand, is dy-
ing OF consumption in Egypt, the other,
Archduke Otto. IS renowned as being the
biggest blackguard Of old-world royalty,
even the disreputable eX-King Milan, OF
Servia, being a high-hred and honorable
gentleman in COMPARISON.
So great indeed. are the disadvantages
presented by the possibility of the advent to
the throne of either Archduke Carl Lud-
wig or Of his son Otto that Emperor Francis
Joseph has persstenuy refrained since ku-
dolphs death from giving the slightest
Countenance 10 the rumors and reports re-
ferrlng 70 his brother and his nephews as
heirs apparent Within the past fortnight
he has, on the contrary, given serious indi-
cation OF MS intention TO avail himself or
the power which he possesses with regard
To the disposal Of the Austrian crown, TO
bar them both from the succession.
xrAtr,.tr.,r.r t-nIs TINE nARY