The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-03
AUsTRIA,s MURDERED EMPRESS.
Her Wild Rides and Sympathy with
the Poor While In Normandy.

In 1875 the murdereds Empress OF
Austria, upon the advice OF her physi-
clan. took up her residence in Normandy
in the Caux country. where she rented
the chateau of Sassetot. She arrived
there on July 81 with the little Arch
duchess Valerie. her daughter, and a
suit OF about sixty persons. On the day
after her arrival she appeared at Pc
tites-Dalles. where she was 10 begin the
sea bathing which had been prescribed
for her. During the two months she
was there she took thirty-six baths, for
which she had paid right royalty 5000
francs. Every morning the master
went for his orders and II he was told
that the Empress intended 10 bathe he
had everything prepared.
Often on her way TO or from Sassetot the
Empress would stop before some little
cottage. talk TO everybody near her and
caress the children. Her hand was al
ways open and her visit was god
send to the poor OF the country, where
her suit also spent money and paid for
everything royalty. Every day her
grooms bathed her horses in the surf.
The Empress was fond of boating.
Sometimes she went on board yacht
which was placed at her disposal by
rich gentleman from Rouen, but her
preference was for little sailboat ham
died by the son Of the master bather,
boy OF about IA or Is summers.
AS much as possible she suppressed
all formalities of etiquette. Every day
she mounted her horse and set out un-
accompanied, delighted at having the
chance of having a ride alone, and very
often, too, she went great distances
straight ahead. according to her cap
rice and TO the great despair OF the
functionaries OF her court. whom the
E'taNa I.aI ,Ctl fnr hAr Cd
". In the neighborhood of Sassetot
everybody knew her and before her ali
heads were respectfully uncovered.
Once she strayed a long distance from
the village and wandered about in
places totally unknown to her. one
of the grooms. who was dashing
through the country searching for her,
found her i'm a field where a maid was
milking cows. The Empress was chat
ting famiiarly with the young woman
and drinking out of a milk can.
The second time she got lost she was
on foot and asked the way of an old
priest. whose little church was in
ordinary visitor. he showed her the way
and on the road she entered into con-
Versation with him. He incidentally
spoke of the poverty of his parishion-
ers and was much surprised on receiv-
ing the next day considerable sum
of money, which seemed really TO come
To him from heaven. for he did not
know that the lay he met on the road
was the Empress of Austria.
An accident which might have had
grave results put an end, at least Tor
time. to these rather imprudent eXcur-
sions on the part of the Empress on
Sent IS 1875. her doctor having left
her in the castle. after her promise not
to go out. proceeded To Petites-Dalles
to take bath. After bathing mes
senger came to him and said that he
was wanted Immediately at the cha
teau. In great haste the doctor jump
cd into a carriage and proceeded TO Sas-
setot The Empress had been thrown
from a horse i'm the castle park and her
condition appeared to be grave. When
the doctor arrived he found her un-
conscious. JIer fainting spell lasted for
a long time, and il was decided to tel
egraph to the Emperor. from whom
they at first desired to conceal the ac-
cident After the telegram was sent
the Empress regained consciousness
and soon recovered. Her companions
implored her to abandon her wild and
breakneck rides. Shortly afterward IL
was reported that on receiving the
dispatch the Emperor went 10 Sassetot
incognito to see the Empress. At the
Austrian court the story OF this visit
was always denied. They said that he
was on the point Of starting, but on
receipt of reassuring news gave up the
idea.
The Empress quilted Sassetot on
Sept 20, 1875. On leaving she gave sub
stantial evidence of her generosity
Nobody was forgotten, not even the
master bather the little pilot, the
church where she attended mass, or the
poor of the country. whom she had al
ready helped over and over again. She
left Sassetot followed by many regrets
and benedictions. Later when she was
told of the death of the master bather
who was drowned while endeavoring TO
save swimmer in danger, she headed
a subscription list for his family with
a handsome sum Of money. 1t is not
astonishing that the news OF the sad
death of the Empress was received by
the Norman peasants with heartfelt