The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-09-25
Its History Is One Con-
tinuous Story of Tragedy,
Relieved Only by the Ro-
nance of Franz Josef
and Elizabeth.

her part. had proved more susceptible.
Proud. ambitious and deeply in love
with her falthless fiance, 1t was ter
rible blow TO her to see the Cinderella
Of the family carry OF the man she
loved ana the crown which she would
have been delighted TO wear.
However. her good sense induced her
TO keep her troubles and SORROWS 10
herself and 10 put the best face pos
sible on the matter Not only during
the marriage festivities, bat also
throughout her subsequent life, she
acted to perfection the part Of a loving
and sympathizing sister and appeared.
10 the public at any rate, to rejoice at
Elizabeths good fortune.
The marriage was celebrated on April
"a 1S5i Her beauty and elegance cap
tured her new subjects, but failed 10
win the approval of her husbands fam
lily or his court. Her own mother-in-
law. the Ddaager Empress Sophia,
beaded the cabal against her. angry, 1t
is sad. at her continued violation ol the
etiquette of the palace at Vienna. whose
prim and starched formality little suit
ed the eager and high spirited young
Bavarian. The great families Of Aus
not look upon mere scion OF the col
lateral branch CT the royal house. of Ba-
varia as a fitting cousort for their em-
peror.
The empress never forgnvo tho
sights to which she was subjected in
those early days,
When later she had trumphei over
her enemies and became recognized as
one of the social lights of royalty, she
paid back with interest every slight
that had been heaped upon her. Her
keenest delight was won by the gradual
emancipation of her husband from the
influence OF his mother, SO that even
before her death, in 1872. he had be-
come in fact as we'll as in name, the
ruler Of Austria.
Nevertheless. the empress Elizabeth
had contracted a great dislike for Von-
ma ana the Niennese, which she never
shook off. Her Hungarian subjects
were more TO her taste. She was fond
OF travel and of horses and took es-
pecial delight In her long visits to Eng
land and Ireland. where she spent a
large part Of her time in hunting TO
hounds, She practically renounced the
throne for the saddle aud einancipated
herself from all the irksome duties OF
her station.
Vienna appeared like a prison to
her. She was always glad 10 leave 1t.
Her absence extended over three
fourths of the year.
But painful nervous complaint fin
ally obliged her to rellnquish her fav-
orite amusement. Then came the va
4. o.
and drove her into seclusion.
Political oatastrophes ware followed
by domestic Affections. which culmin-
eted In the suicide or assassination Of
her favorte son. the Archduke Ru-
dolph. After that fatal event she aged
rapidly. and withdrew more and more
into seclusion.
1t was even said that she had become
insane. Certainly sho was kept under
surveillance. She was not crossed
or interfered with Her whims we're
not noticed seriously. although they
were sometimes very expensive, and
she did practically as she pleased, Nev-
ertheless, she was carefully and loving
ly watched and guarded.
Her favorite winter residence for
many years past was the villa, which
she built herself on the Island of Corfu.
This she named AchGlleion, after
Achilles. the son of his mothers suf-
ferings." in evident commemoration OF
her own bereavement
The situation ~ a fine one, over
looking the bay. and upon the house
and grounds architects and artists have
expended all their ingenuity.
The statue a He,ne. of whom her
majesty was an admirer. stood in front
OF the villa. She was a great reader
and knew many languages. Among 9TH
ers she had scholarly knowledge OF
Greek which she first took up in 1889.