Arizona republican., 1898-09-29
FRANZ JOSEFS MARRIAGE
The True Story of Empress Eliza
 beih's Romantic COurfship.

A prominent member of the Austrian imperial household staff is in New York visiting relatives He is incog- nito and declines to permit the use Of his name in relating the true story Of the courtship of the murdered Empress Elizabeth, by her imperial consort, Elm perOr Franz Josef.
 All the world has known that this courtship was romantic, and score Of divergent tales have been told about it. ! The true story has never been known 1 here at least, and it is declared that it was never published.
 | When the mandate was given that the present emperor of Austria should i SC in search Of a wife, he took advice l of his counsellors and was told that ! the king of Bavaria had four charm 1 irg daughters, the eldest Of whom was i the clever Princess Helen. Sc it was decresd that the future emperor Of Austria and king Of Hungary should go a-wooing to the court of Bavaria for tho hand of the Princess Helen. The crown prince was received with great ceremony and his suit for the hand of Princess Helen was received with great favor.
 He had been at the Schloss for two days, which were given over to fetes and hunting trips. The royal party returned from one Of these trips after wild bears late one afternoon, and all went to their apartments to prepare for dinner. The crown prince had been assigned to Q suite Of rooms at the lower end of the palace and the way to it led through a long corridor
 During his visit, the prince had met only the three elder daughters of the king of Bavaria, and did not know of the existence Of a fourth. On his way to his apartments he passed a doorway lbefore which was hung heavy portieres AS he approached it he noticed a quiv- iering of the silken folds With thoughts of hidden assassils he sprang forward and pulled them aside, but nc assassin Of life was revealed-it was an assassin Of hearts-the most beau tiful creature the prince had ever seen and one Of the most beautiful of al
 history. She was dressed in pure white, and her glorious hair, wild ani loose, fell in a cascade of old gold fal
 below her waist. Her face burned the crimson hue Of maiden timidity ant
 bashfulness as the prince drew her to-
 ward him. She realized that she was
 
 taken identity, and gasped out that shs
 was the Princess Elizabeth.
 The prince instantly released her an(
 demanded to know why he had no
 been introduced to her and why sht
 was hiding behind the portieres. II
 answer to the first question she saic
 she was still a school girl, and was no
 presented to guests; and in answer t
 the second question, she admitted, witt
 many blushes, that she had heard tha the prince had come 70 her father: palace seeking the hand of her sister
 She had never seen a future emperor
 before, and she wanted to see one, ant for that reason she had hidden behind l the portieres.
 Prince Charming, who was at tha time accounted one of the handsomes men in Europe, laughed, and said tha he would ask for an introduction tt her. The demand was made that even , ing, and the princess was duly pre- sented, although in violation of al court etiquette. The prince instantl,
 surrendered to her charms Of physica
 and mental beauty. He immediatel,
 went to .he king and frankly told hin that he loved the child princess anS withdrew his dsmand for the hand O :. the Princess Helen.
 Then came a domestic scene Tht queen declared that Elizabeth was to, . young for marriage, and sine would nc listen to the proposal for her hand even if it did come from the future em peror Of Austria. The king sided witt , his consort, and the Princess Heller went into retirement. The prime
 pleaded his cause with eioquence, but
 failing to beat down the objections o
 the mother and father, returned to Vi
 enna. He declared that he would . never marry any one but the Princes
 Elizabeth, and the matter become subject of international diplomacy
 This finally resulted in the princes ia