The herald., 1898-09-11

mALDs SUNDAY MORNING,
showed one almost imperceptible wound.
the nle having penetrated the heart and
not causing exterior bleeding. The en-
press. II seems. only supposed that she had
received violent blow. At first she main
tanned great GOODNESS. When asked II she
wished to return to the hotel she replied:
mo, he only struck me on the breast.
and doubtless wished to steal my watch"
The assassin made a complete confess
sion. adding that he regrets that the death
penalty does not exist in the canton where
| the tragedy occurred.
Biographical
The Empress of Austria was born De-
cember "a, 1887. She was daughter OF
Duke Maximilian of Bavaria and was mar
ried to Francis Joseph. Emperor Of Aus
tria and King Of Hungary. April 81. 1854.
They had three children, the Archduchess
Gisela, who is married to Prince Luitpold
|of Bavaria: the Archduke Rudolph, who
married Princess Stephanie OF Belgium
and who was (seemingly) assassinated In
1889: and the Archduchess Maria Valera.
who married the Archduke Franz Salvador
of AustriasTuscany. The late Empress was
an enthusiastic horsewoman.
Much OF purely imaginative and
mendacious nature has been published dur
ing the past years concerning the empress
queen Of Austro-Hungary by persons who
have never had the remotest opportunity
CT obtaining any authentic information
about her Her intense horror Of publicity
of any kind, her love Of seclusion, and her
exquisi.ely beautiful and romantic person
ally have all contributed TO render her the
victim Of Misrepresentation, that Is mostly
ludicrous and frequently cruel. One Of the
most unfounded Of these statements is the
one which has recently obtained currency
both in Europe and in The United States,
TO the effect that her majesty had sue
cumbed 20 the hereditary curse Of the
house Of Bavaria. This was in no way true.
She was not demented, nor had she ever
been so, even momentarily. Broken
hearted, bowed down by sorrows which
were due to no fault Of hers, yes; but not
insane, no. even a prey to that melancholia
which has been so graphically described
by imaginative newspaper writers.
The emperor, although he has been drawn
into many so-called "affaires de coeur," has
sense Of the word, and that woman was his
wife. Unfortunately he has been some
what weak where women were concerned
Often. at first, Elizabeth was seized by an
empowering fit Of anger against him when
she saw him guilty Of this weakness. She
did not blame him openly, for she consid-
cred that her marriage vows bound her 20
obedience and silence. She found help and
consolation in a strong religious feeling, Of
which, it is true, she very seldom spoke,
but to which all her actions pointed.
Many Of her de;ractors allege that she
was uncharitable, incapable of human SYM
pathy, and too far above the emotions and
needs of mankind. Even If this were true,
II would but corroborate the assertion that
she was the most poetical and romantic
figure among the royalty Of Europe.
The empress no; Only smoked from fifty
to sixty Turkish cigarettes day, but dur
ing the course Of the evening she also
smoked several terribly strong cigars This
perhaps somewhat unfeminine' pastime
acted as a sedative on her majesty's nerv-
Gus temperament, and had become almos;
Indispensable to her. In spite of all that
doctors say to the contrary. this habit had
not lIupdilSQ kAC PCotAy ~ ava
teeth.
Ever ready 70 propagate cruel absurdities
concerning her majesty, the short-sighted,
frivolous and superficial society of the
Austrian capital remained blind to her iri-
Vulnerable acts Of charity. Elizabeth had
never known fear. Alone. she penetrated
into the darkest poores. and roughes.
auarters-quar;ers where were huddled to-
se her the fierce and hah-starved multi
tudes who make revolutions and who breed
anarchy. She was perfectly safe among
Them No one knew who she was; but her
courage, her gentleness and her open
hearted generosity caused The wretched
creatures whom she visited to regard her
in the light of an angel. They never sus-
pected that The kind lady who succored their
cruel need was the cold, proud and naughty
sovereign, who was taxed with heartless-
ness and Indifference by both high and low
in he great country over which her hus-
band reigns. Numerous families redeemed
from misery and suffering, many foul
places purged to moral and physical clean
illness, many young people, both male and
female, saved from crime and shame
these were the results Of her majesty's Wis
lis to the slums of her empire. She helped
the unfortunate Internationally, and con-
soled them, as did her ramesake, Elizabeth
Of Hungary, centuries ago.-Harper's Mag
azine.