The Portland daily press., 1899-04-01

and the Troubles OF Recent Years
Her Life ms Described by One of Her
Friends
One would know, after reading the FIRST
page Of The Martyrdomsof an ., Empress,
just issued by Harper s. Brothers. that.its
author was woman, even without the
statement of the publishers to that effect.
That the author was also the intimate
friend and companion Of Elizabeth ID a
fact that Ii evident on even cursory
reading. 1t Is biography which only a
woman could write, and the question Of
the Importance Of Its subject, or whether
Elizabeth deserved biography or not.
does not enter into the consideration. The
book does not pretend to be a valuable
contribution to the history Of European
politics OF to biographical literature. and
perhaps that is one reason why IL Is a
thoroughly readable book. 1t is quite
evident that the authors object has been
to present the Empress rs she really was,
and to clear away the ISLANDERS and mis-
judgments which have so long been cur
rent about her. 1t is a biography which
might be called "a labor Of love-" and If
the portrait OF the Empress here present.
ed 10 q true one, and there Is no reason to
doubt IT., she has certainly been entirely
misunderstood and has been more cruelty
maligned than any figure of contemporary
royalty. Some of her most cruel detract
ors were to be found even at the very
court of Austria, and actually among the
members of her own family.
1t was to her friend who was afterwards
to tell her tragic life -story that Elizabeth
turned for sympathy and oompanionship.
The author tells why they were first
drawn together.
1--WE heartily disliked pomp and
pageantry, the empty, vapid amusements
of social life with its hurry and fever. Its
fussing and Tuning, its SETTLING caldron
of oalumny kept boiling by malice and
envy; and both found no pleasure what
soever in chatting and scandal -monger-
ing with other women, preferring horses
aud dogs to the company of most human
beings. Last, but not least, alas! we
had alike failed to find in matrimony
W nat we foolishly fanoied we had right
to expect from it, and scorned the thought
of seeking consolation after the fashion
common to so many women when thus
disappointed.
For these reasons the report that Eliza
beth was insane was widely spread, and
the case of her cousin Louis. of Bavaria
was cited to prove that insanity was
hereditary In the family. The author
refutes the charge in the following:
"She did not understand the art Of for
getting, of laughing and dancing when
her heart was full OF sorrow, says her
biographer; she did not take kindly to
fools and their follies, and refused to
make perpetual show-tigure of herself
for the benefit CT a pageant-loving public.
Those were her crimes. How unpAr-
donable they were every sensible world
ling will readily understand. Her lovely
face and her luminous eyes were accused
of being too sad. Alas 1t was this sad
ness Ct noble nature that has borne the
burden of other peoples sins, faults, and
lack of comprehension"
. And the following passages will ex-
plain why the Impress did not find In
matrimony what as princess of sixteen
she had expected from 1t. Her marriage
had been wholly for love. love at first
sight, too. The Empsrors mother was
one of the chief causes of the separation
of the royal pair. The Emperor's unfnith
fulness was the other.
"As soon rs the young couple were
definitely established at Vienna, ls parti
de Nine. Mere grew every day stronger,
covert teunts were not spared to the
young Empress, who. with smiling lips
and an aching heart, was made to under
stand that the portionless daughter of
mere non royal duke WAS Dot worthy IF
the honor that had been done her. She
was treated by all with q GOODNESS and
disdain calculated to break the spirit of
less courageous woman, but as she al
ways hated to he an object of pity, she
never complained to the Emperor. who,
save in her gradual if very marked reooil
from all those appearances in public
which she could possibly avoid, and in
her increasing sadness, noticed no change
in her. He himself treated her with the
most constant courtesy and solicitous
care, but misunderstanding arose be-
tween them, fomented by wounded pride
and feeling ON her side. and on his by the
continual intrig uing which was brought
to bear upon him.
"Yet Elizabeth still dearly loved the
man who ha3 come into her life to change
at first, all its dulness into fields Of light
and of Joy; the distant sound Of his step
still thrilled her with delight. the very
sound of his voice made her pulses beat
quicker. but tho spiritual and enthusiasts
tic love which she bore him was little by
little forced back into the innermost re-
cesses of her heart, and the very excess of
1t held her pale and silent when she
should have coniided her sufferings to
him. for fear of appearing in his eyes the
troublesome child her mother-iu-law told
her SO frequently that she was
The mother-in-law was proud. cruel
woman wEo eOuld NOT hear that her