Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-09-11
SAD LIFE OF THE EMPRESS.
Sorrows Came Thick and Fast Upon
This Royal Head, and Her Last
Tears Were of Unhappiness.

The empress of Austria was born Decem-
ber "a, 1887. She was the daughter OF Duke
MaXimillian. of Bavaria, and when Il years
of age she was considered one of the most
beautiful women in Europe. 1t was then
that Franz Josef first saw her. His father,
Archduke Charles. was married 10 the Prin-
cess Sophia of Bavaria and it was her
wish that a marriage be arranged for the
young emperor with a Bavarian princess.
the Duchess Caroline. But unfortunately
for this plan, Franz Joseph saw the younS-
er sister, the Princess Elizabeth. His ma
iesty fell deeply in love with her and de-
clared his intention of marrying no other
princess, so the marriage was arranged and
took place before the Princess Elizabeth
had completed her 18th year.
The emperor was very happy with his
beautiful young wife, but even in the early
days there We're many thorns in his path,
for the empress did not from the beginning
consider her lofty position sufficiently. and
constantly neglected her state duties, hay-
ing great dislike for the obsolete stiffness
of life at the Hofburg. During her girlhood
she had been accustomed TO the simplest
ana freest country life, and she was not in
the least adapted TO play the part OF an
empress, dignified and queeniy as she could
be when she thought it necessary.
Inc marriage WAS Il very unpopular one
In Vienna and the Viennese took their re-
venge in many little ways. They were led
III their persecution by the ArchducheSs
sophia, Dut the empress beauty ana frdnk-
ness soon Won over the sympathies of the
people. The condition OF the empire threw
into her hands the means of revenge. She
favored the Hunsarans and lived much
among them. Francis Joseph was anxious
TO please the Magyar portion of his do
mlnions. which had revolted once, and he
favored his lovely empress designs. She
was crowned with him queen of Hungary
and delighted TO live at Budapest.
daughter was born to the royal paif
the year after their marriage. The arch
duchess, VINO received the name of Sophie.
died, TO the great grief of her parents, when
? years of age; but by this time Il second
daughter had made her appearance, the
Archduchess Eisela,w no is now married to
Prince Leopold of Bavaria. The Crown
Prince Rudolph was born on August 81
1888. four years after the marriage of his
parents. He married Princess Stephenie
of Belgium. The Archduchess Marie VAL
erie. their youngest child, born ten
years later. on April D. 1865. She was
married to the Archduke Franz Salrator of
Austria-Tuscany The empress. who was q
devoted mother and very proud of her chill
dren, was especially fond of her only son,
while the emperor, proud as he was of his
heir, found his greatest pleasure with his
daughters. whom he had with him as much
as possible from their earliest years.
Empress Elizabeth showed that she was
able TO ride roughshod over old fogy ira
ditions and unwritten rules of her court
in which the etiquette was the most strict
and in which the mobiles were most jealous
| of their rights and privileges. She did this
Win sucn tact, however, tnat tne Olu court
favorites scarcely knew how it was that
they gradually fell to the rear and left
their places to be filed by another younger
and more liberal coterie.
The old court at Vienna was hotbed OF
| scandal. Royal names had been smirched,
and even that of the emperor himself was
not free from scandal; The young empress
| set herself TO the task of working out re-
| form. 1t was n difficult task. But she ac-
| complished more than II had been thought
| she would. and she made the. court at vi.
1 hAntt n 1g mr. III
ever been in the past.
| Fifteen years ago the empress was one
of the most beautiful women in Europe.
| She was then one of the best horsewomen
| of her time. She surprised even the daring
| cross country riders of England and Ire
| land when she visited those countries by
| her grace, courage and dash But grlefs
| and disappointment of late years subdued
| and broke her. She suffered from form
| of melancholia, and had eccentricities which
| would likely put a woman or less lmpor-
| tance into a madhouss. She was always
| yelled when she appeared on the streets, and
took part In no ceremonies or tunctlons.
| She loved the quiet of the royal palace at
Ischl, In the Salzkammergest and spent
most Of her time in sImmsr rnfaTe there or
other of her favorite places OF residence
| was "I'Achilleiou." the beautiful Roman
villa which she had built on the island OIL
| Corfu, in the Ionian sea.
| 1t was a series of misfortunes and dis,
| appointments that broke the empress
heart; the greatest Of these was Inc rr;,on Seaen
Rudolph. She was ambitious for his sue I,,
| cess and believed that he had great abili;
| ties, which were obscured by the dissipatec
life that he led. He was found dead with
| a girl, with whom he had carried on
liaison. in a sort of road house, patron
,zed by gilded youths of Austria not far
from Vienna. 1t was given out that he
had committed suicide; but this story /:
not believed. No one except servan,
and the emperor himself. it is said in Vi
emma, knew how he met his death. The
house in which the tragedy occurred has
been razed. the grounds around it have
all been changed, and every effort made
to maintain the secret of the young prince
death.
Then, besides, was the deep family griet
felt by the emperor when his favorit'
brother, the Archduke Ferdinand. Later
known as the Emperor Macmillan. of Mex
leo, was shot by the Mexican insurgent:
on June 10. 1867, and the tragedy was made
all the more sad by the fact that the eX
Empress Charlotte OF Mexico, became in
sane with grief. A favorite brother of tn,
emperor married a dancer, and. stripped o.
his honors and Offices he bought a mer
chant vessel and, taking his bride with him
started in 10 make his own living by trad
ing. His ship is supposed to have gon'
down at sea. Then came the humiliation o
Austria by Germany, and finally the trag
edy in which Prince Rudolph figured. S,
that the life of the poor empress was on