The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-30

The death of the Duchess d'Alencon
IN the Paris disaster recalls some in
terestsag facts tn the life of this ex-
traordinary woman. remarks the New
York Sun. She was a daughter of the
Archduke Macmillan of Zweibruecken-
Birkenheld, a side line of the royal
house of Bavaria The Archdu1e Max
imilian was very democratic in his
character and manners, and insisted
upon educating his children upon a
democratic plan. SO unconventional
was his plan that ii SHOCKED Munich,
and both he and his family were most
unpopular with the people.
Besides SOPHIE, the late Duchess
d'Alencon there are several children
% the Archduke Maximilian, of whom
Elizabeth, the empress of Austria. and
Carl TheodoT, the famous physician.
oculist and philanthropist, are the
most widely known. An the children,
however, for some reason or other have
attracted the attention of Europe at
some time. The empress of Austria
was regarded long as the best horse
woman in Austria. She was a beauti-
ful woman, and the Niennese still re-
member her tall, 1.-THE form on a Hun
garian thoroughbred, passing through
with the Hungarian mobiles in a .steeple-
chase. The Archdul1e Carl Theodor Of
Bavaria. high up in the Bavarian Alps.
maintains a hospital and clinic on the
shores of the lovely TegernSee, TO
which he deVotcs all his time and at
tention. He is regarded as one of the
best oculists in Europe and his own
services, as we'll as those of his assist
ants, are rendered gratuifously.
But neither the empress of Austria
nor the Archduke Carl Theodor has
attained TO the notOriety of their sister,
Sophie, for she forfeited a lingdom and
on the eve Of her marriage to a. king
lost the crown because of her frivolous
filtration with a young officer. The
Princess Sophie was born in 1877 and
at the age of l9 was the most beautiful
woman at the Bavarian court. Like
her sister, the empress, she had a mag
nificent figure, dark eyes and black
hair. At this time Ludwig II was king
of Bavaria. being then 81 years of age. 4
The king was Of romantic character.
He was ambitious and ideahstic, a
great lover Of art, and one of Wag-
ners most enthusiastic admirers and
protectors. His love OF WagneT's mu-
sic amounted almost to q passion. In
this the Princess Sophie sympathized |
with the king. The common interest
il music attracted them TO each other /
and soon the king became the con- /
slant companion Of his cousin. 1t was /
not long before the court perceived that /
and that she seemed to reciprOcate l
his affection. The enthusiastic ma
ture of the king manifested itself in /
these days of his first love. He was ex- /
tremely happy, and wrote to his |
fiancee letters Of the deepest tender
ness and affection. The princess was
in the habit Of turning these letters
fH her father nd fhrOrfoh n e
carelessness they fell into the hands
of interruptions courtiers. One of them
is addressed To My Dearest Elsa"
and is signed "Lohengrin.''
Great was the preparation made for
the royal nuptials. It was the ambi-
ton OF the king to make it the great
est royal wedding % modern times.
He was during all his life most lavish
in his expenditures and a great lover
of display His castles are monu-
ments OF prodieality. All Munich was
to celebrate the wedding. and the
crowned heads of Europe were to lend
pomp 10 the occasion by their pres
ence. While the preparations were
proceeding on a great scale, the king,
without a word OF warning, left
and, accompanied by two
servants, went 20 his castle on Staren-
berg lake. Soon afterward dit was an
that the king had broken the
=
few knew the true reason for the
kings action. and these few were SO
nearly concerned in the shipwreck of
royal love that they were most careful
10 guard the secret. The wedding had
been set for Aug. 25 1867. the date
which was also the birthday of the
king. Ludwig, however, forbade any J
of the anniversary, and
5 pent the entire day in the solitude of
the Bavarian Alps Only a few days
before he had written to the Princess
Sophie: Il thought 1 had your heart,
but 1 know 1 never possessed it. You
want my hand. but you care nothing .
or my heart. My hand IND my
hrone go only with my heart. She
who is to be my queen must love me !
ruely. Farewell"
The rumors which were first whis- {
oered as to the cause of this love
ragedy at the Bavarian court have {
ince the death of the king been /
proved historical fact. While the king I
aid his devotions to the princess, and a
While she simulated affection for him.
he secretly maintained a desperate
irritation with handsome young Of
lcer, named Hanfstaengil one of the I
most versatile artists of Bavaria So !
leep was the love of Sophie for young q
1anfstaengl that she gave to him some v
y her most costly jewelry, and the dis
overy of these gifts led to the dis
,iosure of Sophie's unfaithfulness. She c
vas obliged to leave the court Soon
-fterward she married the Duke
: Alencon. King Ludwig became a
woman hater.. He had lost all faith G
n the sex. {;
On June 16. 1886, King Ludwig COM c
nitted suicide in Starenberg lake. The G
cath of her cousin deeply affected G
ophie. She became mentally I'M II
and spent a number of years p
n an asylum at Gratz in Austria v
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LIFE BUILT ON A LIE. T