The times., 1898-09-12

ranged for him When the time came to
papers, he sought her at home, with his
mind fully made up to make the Prin-
cess Helene his wife
Then he saw the Princess Elizabeth.
There are very many stories about the
meeting. Some say that he was in the
great hall reading the papers when he
saw her gliding down the banisters. 9th
ers declare that he met her in the park,
romping with her dogs. Certain it is
that he did see her before the papers were
signed, and that at once he declared that
he would marry her and none other.
She was the most beautiful woman in
Europe. 1t was said so afterward, even
by her enemies, when she was an en-
press. She was tall for a woman, with a
perfect figure and queenly air. She had
wonderful glossy hair that fell TO the
ground when she stood erect. All her life
the Princess Elizabeth had been the COM
panion of her father, bluff, hearty man.
fond Of the chase, fond of the forest, and
caring little for the artificialities of court
life. She was a veritable hoyden, this
young Princess Elizabeth. None could
ride better nor harder. There was no
horse she could not subdue, No man on
the estate could walk or climb as far as
SHE one was
joyous, and she caught Franz Josefs
fancy.
Franz Josef returned to Vienna and an
nounced that he was to wed the Prin-
cess Elizabeth. Duke Max had given his
consent. He could understand how a
man could prefer his unaffected, untram-
eled second daughter to her carefully
trained sister.
It made a stir in court. None is adj
zt- -l1- -,
days, who could not show eight genera
tions of noble blood, and it was the law
of custom that the wife of the emperor
should be of the blood royal. But the
young emperor, since that day when he
had been struck by an assassin, was a
different man. He found that he had
strength to perform when he saw his way
clearly. He brushed aside opposition, and
married the Princess Elizabeth, on April
a. 1854.
The Empress of Austria and Queen of
Hungary went to Vienna a bride of eight
| cen, with no more knowledge of the nice
| ties of etiquette, the iron-clad yet un-
| written form, than stag she had chased
| through the forest, and she cared for
| them little.
The court circle was hostile. Princess
| Sophie would hardly speak to her. The
| great mobiles and their wives treated heI
| could awe this country-bred girl, this
! creature of the open air, of the forests
! of the streams, and make her bend tc
| their will. Perhaps, too, they were jeal-
| Gus of her beauty, which was vaunte6
| through the courts of Europe.
| But there was no personality about hel
| so strong as that of the girl empress
| She paid back scorn for scorn, blow fol
| blow. and lived her own life
Cha RaVarian h,
! furnished her for dinner. The court of
! ficials objected. But she had her way
| One day when she came from riding i
is said she horsewhipped a gentleman OF
the stairs because he had seriously of
Tended her. He rushed into the emper
| or's room and demanded redress. Fran
| Josef bestowed upon the outraged on
| the Order of the Iron Crown fifth class.
| Almost her first demand after she ar
| rived in Vienna was for her horses ant
| dogs That she could have these with
out number and have the finest park
and forests in the empire to ride in wa
| her chiefest delight
All day long she was in the saddle
firing out three. four, or five horses. A
times she would ride mile after mile, ex
hausting her attendants who tried I
| keep up with her.
And yet she found time for study. Sh
possessed really great mind in tn
student sense She had remarkabl
facility in acquiring knowledge, particu
larly languages and classics. And sh
found time, too, to try to reform he
court, the most corrupt In Europe.
Now, the Austrian Caesars, as those o
the House of Hapsburg have been called
have court rules and regulations whicl
were to those enjoying privileges almos
as precious as life itself Even the easy
going and democratic emperor was boun
by them and burst not move beyond tn
| narrow lines.
The Empress Elizabeth rode over thes
rules and traditions roughshod. But sh
did it with infinite tact and cleverness
Those who had been in power through
favoritism or by virtue of long tenur
and found themselves crowded out am
their places taken by strangers coul
ner explain how it came about. But the
knew it was the work of the empires:
and they hated her.
The empress went farther than thi:
The court at Vienna was hotbed O
smirched. She determined to purify il
1t was gigantic undertaking. and n
one save herself thought she could sue
ceed. But she accomplished wonder
and made the court healthier than it ha
ever been. But it added to her unpopu
larity in Vienna
/ But if she was hated at court she. wa
idolized by the people. Her kindness, he