The times., 1898-05-25

The emperor of Austria TO Baroness
Elizabeth Seefried." II was thus thar
telegraphic dispatch was directed from
Munich to Semlin, a Slavonan fortified
town on the Danube facing Belgrade II
was April q. in the present year of the
emperor's golden jubilee. The dispatch
conveyed to the royal baroness-a young
Bavarian princes, who, after falling des-
perately in love with a lieutenant, had
e.oped with and married him-the joyful
intelligence that the emperor. her mater
nal grandfather, had been pleased TO ele-
Vate TO the dignity of a count of the
empire her devoted husband. This. in
deed, was good news for the romantic
couple. who. ever since their mad esca-
pade, had been roughing it on next TO
nothing year buried alive in out-of-the-
way Morayian, Silesian and Slavonian
garrison towns. And the glad tidings
came opportunely. too. for on that very
day the baroness royal parents. with the
emperor and other kinsfolks, were cele-
bratinG their silver wedding day And
the runaway couples absence was due
solely to the unfOrgiving spirit of the
baroness paternal grandfather the
Prince Regent LuitpOld, who had declared
that both Elizabeth and her lieutenant
should be made to feel the severity of his
displeasure. The effrOntery OF the lieu
tenant in aspiring to the royal hand Of
Wittelsbach was objectionable Be
sides, he had deserted his flag and gone
away and got married in Italy without so
much as asking permission and furlough.
and with the refractory princess parents
fin hot pursuit. True the emperor had
subsequently sanctioned the lieutenant's
serving as an ensign in a marching regi-
ment. had received the runaways in audi
ence at the Vienna HOfburg, had
given them stiffish bit of his Imperial
mind. had then agreed with the penitenls
who prostrated themselves before him
that there was no earthly good in crying
over spilled milk. and that after all he
would not turn from them his GRANDPA
therly countenance. provided they be-
haved themselves in future with decorum
suited TO EliZabesh's exalted rank He
had made them no monetary allowance.
but he had paid their debts on the sIy
over and over again since that memora-
bic day of reconciliation at the Hofburg
when they had put up at a cheap ho.ei
for the night and gone in a one-horse cab
in search of the imperial ear. And now
he had missed their presence at the Mu-
Mich family board on an occasion so fest
i've. and as further proof of his benevo-
lence he had raised them TO the pearage
Besides the kaiser derived consolation in
having spited the ineXorable Luitpold
The prince regent, adamantine of heart
sat feaSting there in the best of spirits
after having stipulated with Luitpold his
son. and Stella, his daughter-in-law. that
the runaways should not be invited to the
feast.
When the emperor's telegram reached
Semlin there was quite a commotion
among the authorities, for the SeefriedS
had left town that very afternoon on a
shooting expedition to Keepinovo. bent on
a four days slaughter of wild ducks in
the morasses. So a messenger, armed to
the teeth, bearing the imperial intelli-
gence, was sent riding after them with
all dispatch across country. On the See
frieds return Princess EliZabeth's first
act was TO deck herself in her gayest
Spring plumage ere setting out with her
lieutenant fer the sanctuary to return
thanks for Francis Joseph's latest act of
benevolence. The romantic couple are
convinced that grandpapa, having raised
them to the peerage, will graciously
grant them an allowance out of his prvy
purse. on which to support their new
title, and thus put an end to genteel pen
ury and makeshifts for good and all.