The times., 1899-04-23
The Empress Elizabeth.

As one might infer from the title. The
Martyrdom OF Empress" is record
of the life OF Elizabeth OF Austria. The
book is published anonymously. and there
seems to be no very clear idea among the
bookmen as to the identity of the author.
From the way in which it is written oae
would suppose the writer 10 have bsen
lady of the court who CHANGED to be
close to the person of the Empress al sew
eral critical times: but this of course,
may be merely a blind. 1t has been said
by some that the author is certainly an
Austrian exile of rank, since no one but
a courtier could have known the facts &c;
forth. and the writer would not dare re-
main in the empire after their appearance
in print. Time. which reveals most things.
may reveal this.
The style of the book does 10. indicate
much literary training. though the Ian
guage is good. The author claims TO have
become acquainted with the Empress many
years ago. and to have been admitted TO
her confidence. The following paragraph,
which occurs in the first chapter. iniicates
the nature of the intimacy:
Perhaps it was the singular similarity of our
fatcs which Al first drew 50 closely together
similarity which from the sweeping
tempt with which the naughty Niennese aris-
tocracy had eDveioped US both at different pc
RODS and under different circlsms; ances; proba-
bly,, also because neither OF Us was OF what is
called ''royal birth" and because neither Of us
was Austrian born. Moreover. we heartily dis
liked PoInp and paseantTy, the empty, vapd
amgsCncHts OF social life. with its hurry and
fever, its fussing and fuuiing. its SETTLING cal
dron Of calunny, kept boiling by malice and
envy; and both found no pleasure whatsoever
In csai,ing and scandal -Iioneering with other
women. prefeTTing horses and dogs TO the
Iany ri most human beings. Last, but not least.
slas. had alike failed to find in matrinony
what We foolishiy fancied had a right TO
expect from il. and soorned the very thought Of
seeking consolation after the fashion common 10
- many women when thus disappointed.
Among many other things, she accused Of
having an unbalanced mind This was 4 cruel
mistake, Tor there WAS accomplished,
level-beaded. and sagaoious woman in the length
and breadth Of Europe than she. But her horror
cf the shanls and the conventionalities of
modern existence made her avoid. as inisch as
she could, the requirements Of a bauhie-loving,
vulgar social sgstenl-truly uupardOnable
crime in the eyes of both classes and masses
and one which has led society 10 punish it by
Screaming over the very house-tops that the En-
press mind '-unbslanced'' Would TO heaven
there were in This sad planet of such
'uiitaiaficcd minds, and less Of these who. from
u
kirneted that they ind their greatest joy in
tearing to siiTeds what they unable under
stand
The somewhat extrayagant strain of adu-
lation which appears in these paragraphs
is continued throughout the book In fact,
the author seems unable TO see single
fault in the Empress, a single action of
hers which can be called wrong or even
indiscreet from an ethical point OF ylew
The impression given is that hers was one
Of those rare, pure, sensitive, and beauti-
full souls who are occasionally found in
courts as well as elsewhere; who. If they
make mistakes. do SO from lack Of the
lower sort Of worldly wisdom rather than
from neryersity or folly The other mem
bers Of the royal family are by no means
painted in as fattering colors. and the
Archduchess Sophia, mother Of Franz JOS
eph. comes in for z very bitter dose of de-
nunciation, being charged with RESPONSE
bility for all the dissensions between the
Empress and her husband. Whether or
not Elizabeth was the perfect woman
here pictured. there is no doubt that she
suffered during her whole life from the
intrigues, ambitions and jealousies of
other people, and this in itself might well
make her melancholy in the extreme and
fndisposed TO take part in social affairs
AT any rate. hero worship has always an
element Of charm. and the work of this
namelsss author is full of enthusiastic ad-
miration and love for the Empress. and
charming pictures, sympathetieally drawn
of her public and private life especially of
her life with her children. There are sew
erel portraits OF Elizabeth, Of Franz JOS
eph, and of other members Of the family,
and they are all extremely good. One por-
trait OF the Empress rs she appeared at
the age Of twenty-eight is particularly
winsome in expression and attitude II
confirms the opinion of her little son Ru-
dolph, when he remarked 10 his father:
Papa, l think the angels must have faces
like mamma"
One of the prettiest pictures of her home
life has fer its setting a room in the Kaiser
villa at Ischl. and IL is worth reproducing
Just as it stands:
Late in the autumn the Empress was sitting
in room which she called her studio, with her
three children about her. This studio was OF
oval shape, hang with old Flemish tapestries. and
with collection OF Nielsen china figures
carved brackets upon the walls. On the open
hearth great logs of cracking wood were burn
Ing. and all around there Nas, usual, the
greatest profusion Of flowers. An Old Dutch
clock, which stood between two Of the windows,
was half covered by Australian crecper, the
WAY blossoms Of which peeped out through
clusters Of shining green leaves Opening out
from this there conservatory, filed
with cainellias, Gardeniss. ferns, and Orchids
artisiicaliy grouped about pink marble foun-
tain. in the crystal waters OF which slyer and
gold fishes from Madagascar swimming,
rounded by masses Of fragrant ;roPica! flowers in
sstsuma boxes.
..MutzeTi.' as baby Valera was called was
asleep on her mothers lap, and Rudi and GiselS
were dancing up and down the large
room, which was lighted only by the
bright rays Of the moon and by the
ftfui CLEANS from the Ere The scene had
noemthirlg fsirylike and unreal about it. Gisela
IN her shor; lace peiticoats was pirouetting
the tips Of her tiny feet, bounding back and
forth 50 lightly and gracefully that it would
have seemed in keeping with this cf-dance TO
Bee the little silhouette suddenly glide up the
broad, slsnting Iroonheam, which fell from the
lofty window, and disappear in the dari-blue,
ftar-studded sky. Her little slippers hardly made
dropping on the polished fooT. There was
no other sound throughout the dim, shadowy
1he Empress held her breath she watched the
little girl. ard Rudi. who had flung himself down
on bearskiD at Elizabeth's feet. lay quite still.
Giseia then an uncommony graceful child.
Her long curls brilliant eyes, and small pink
mouth made her look like picture by Sir Joshua
Reynolds. There charm in every one Of her
movements. Suddenly the little white shadow
slglged the edge Of a large arm chair, and
Remained poised like dfAgonhy On willow
branch.
II will be seen from this extract that
the home life OF an Empress is made by
the author as real as words can make it.
IT is said OF this same baby "Mutzerl' in
after years, that she insisted each Christ
mas on having Christmas tree, decorated
with her own hands, for 100 poor children
selected by herself, on the day before the
family celebration. She inherited her gen.
erosity from her mother, who helped TO
found the Vienna "yolkskuchen," OF peo-