The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-10-23
The Love Tragedies
OF Two
Beautiful Women

Beauty is but skin deep" this r part
OF a popular locution. but inasmuch as
people 90 not generally sit in their
bones. beauty goes for a great deal
Renan. one OF the pIainest meD- practi-
cally said that a beautiful woman might
play the deuce with everything and ev-
erybody around her. and still none
would say her nay. Two OF the most
beautiful women in Europe were the
empress OF Austria and the empress OF
the French. And heaven alone knows
what a fatal gift il has been 20 them.
But for her beauty. Napoleon III would
not have married Eugene de Montijo-
II is not depreciating the ex-empress as
a woman 10 say this. II Louis Napoleon
had never seen the beautiful spanish
girl. he would have married some plan
German princess. in spite OF the rebufIs
he received at first from the various
courts Of Europe when he asked them
TO provide him with a consort But with
his heart and mind set upon the Coun-
tess de Theba's daughter. he was rather
glad than otherwise OF the rebuffs. and
pursued his matrimonial requests no
further. After all. sire. you'll have a
wife whom you'll kiss because you'll
like kissing her. not because you are
Obliged" said one Of his cleverest coun-
sellers TO him. and the emperor with
that sphinxlike smile Of his. nodded as
sent. You are right. Dupin,' he said.
But for her beauty Nile. de Montito
might. nav would. have married man,
good. bad or Indifferent. but less exalt-
ed in station. and the joys and SORROWS
that fall 20 the share Of all OF US would
have been less poignant. FOR though she
might have lost both her husband and
her son. time, that heals all wounds.
would have healed hers. But the high
est branches shake the most, and the
worlds tragedies in their inteusest de
velopments are always enacted by those
who stand above the crowds.
But for her marvellous beauty. Eliza
beth OF Bavaria would have probably
escaped the notice OF her cousin. the
then young emperor Of Austria, whose
troth was practically, II not nominally.
pledged TO some one else It was love
match. at any rate on one side. But no
young princess declines the hand OF an
emperor such as Francis Joseph was
then and as distinct from what Louis
Napoleon was Il years before.
Never, not among the most romantic
OF the romantic middle classes-for u Is
a libel TO say that middle class young
people are not romantic-was a young
fellow so much in love with his dancee
as was Francis Joseph with his l6-year-
old bride. The staid. demure and sober
courtiers OF the then most buckram
court OF Europe were positively shock
ed" at the Indifference TO all etiquette
the young sovereign displayed. At the
first state dinner Princess Elizabeth.
contrary TO custom. took Of her gloves
An elderly court lady remarked quiet
~ upon IL 10 the young fance. why
not2' he asked. Because II is a devia-
ton from al the rules was the an
swer. Then let the deviation hence
forth be the rule" was the retOrt. And
not that deviation only. but many more
henceforth became the rule. because the
new empress was not an ordinary prin-
cess. She a-as clever and accomplished
in the highest sense OF the word. and
her will was law. Men. even emperors.
will be men. and a man may be head
over ears IN love with his wife and SIN
BE tempted. A woman Of Empress E'z-
abeth's character does not easily forgive
an inhdeiity.
That was the beginning % the trag-
edy. which, though partly hidden from
the world. dragged its terrible length
along for more than 30 years. the has
band repentant as no husband ever vas.
the wife unreienting. though uniformly
kind 10 the sinner. willing 10 forget. yet
not 70 forgive. and roaming through
Europe and elsewhere by herself But
sor that voluntary roaming and DELHI
crate seclusion the assassin could not
have come near enough % execute his
fell design. Peace be 20 Elizabeth -
Austria's ashes, She has gone 70 rejoin.
perhaps. the son and orother-in-law.
5oth Of whom she loved 50 vel. and
perhaps her death was a happy release
for life had nothing 70 offer. had had
nothing 10 offer since the terrible trag-
edy Of Mayeriing. The one who suffers
most is the lonely old sovereign At Hot
burg