Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-06-08

- the family skeletons OF the HapSburS
, for the present generation, has beer
: published at last, and great shout ha
> gone up from the court society of vi
emma. Not since the suicide of Kins
Ludwig of Bavaria has there been sucl
a sensation in Vienna.
Marie Larisch tells now for the frs
, time the true history OF the mad king
who was the patron of Richard Wag
ner, the recluse of the castle of Starn.
berg, and who took his own life after
he had killed five Of his suite in two
years Five years ago the Countess
Larisch wrote this book and
its publication was prevented by
the emperor, who bought the copyright
from the authoress at fabulous price
Nothing more was heard of the coun-
tess until year ago, when she left
one husband and five children to 60
and live with a Munich opera tenor
by the name of Otto Brucks.
Countess Marie Larisch has had one
of the most remarkable careers of liv-
romance such as the most fanciful
fiction-teller has never invented or
dreamed of. Nine. Marie Brucks, she
calls herself, and Nine. Marie Brucks
she would be but for the indissolu-
bility of Roman Catholic marriages.
AS it is we must still call her
Countess Larisch, and consider her
the runaway wife Of one of the richest
noblemen of Austria, whose castle and
estates in Silesia are among the best
managed and most remunerative pro-
perties in the country.
Countess Larisch is 40 years old eX-
actly, and may truly be said to have
seen something of the world in this
span of life. The truth was she had
lent willing aid to the fatal love Of
her imperial cousin, the crown prince
| for the Baroness Vetsera. She had
sought and gained the friendship of
Baroness Vetsera, the mother who
had for years been favorite of Arch
duke William, the grand master Of the
order of German Knights. She tempt
ed young Baroness Mary often to her
house took her for drives and visits,
went shopping with her, and managed
|
ally met the pretty girl with whom he
believed himself madly in love.
It must be supposed that the singers
| income, added to the annuity from the
book she never published, is insult
| ficient for Countess Larisch's wants,
and that she is trying for an addition
to her income, either by large sale
| of l., INV
sion of it, for which she would no
doubt ask high price of the regent
of Bavaria, especially as the mad
king, about whom she writes, Still has
live brother-mad King Otto, who
sits on the throne of Bavaria. She
cannot expect any pecuniary help
from her father, who only waited for
his first wife's death to marry another
actress, Antoine Barthe, who is his
present morganatic wife.
Countess Larisch's book, A Kings
Fairy Tale, has been prohibited for
sale in Bavaria, where the poignant
feelings excited by the tragic life
and death of their beloved King Lud
wig have scarcely yet been wholly ap-
peased. A Kings Fairy Tale, which
she is telling, is the poetic history Of
King Louis IL of Bavaria, the key to
his mysterious solitary life and the
true account of his tragic death. The
book will be read with breathless in
terest, as it is known that the author,
| Countess Larisch has learned much
from her aunt, Princess Sophie, who
was the kings betrothed for several
months.
The king of this tale does not seem
a real man, but youth from Swan
land, who wished to live for time on
earth.
The first chapter reveals the young
king in his private observatory alb
sorbed in astronomy. When his pro-
fessor in astronomy retires the king
goes to sleep and dreams dream. He
understands the language of the stars
and hears the music of the spheres
He sees three brilliant castles on the
shore of an emerald lake, over which
sail singing swans. With them sails
a mythical youth, a swan king, who
announces his intention of descending
upon earth, or, as the author ex-
presses it, "the will to live on earth
is awakened in him."
An angel warns him IN vain that on
earth kings have to suffer more than
other mortals.
The swan king refuses to be warned ;
the angel has to consent to his earthly
journey, but he comforts him by
promising that a noble human maiden
will reveal herself to him with song.
"a limit is fixed for your life,'' says
the angel, eff you live it to ,the end !;
but if you leave the earth of your own
free will, if you feel your powers
failing, then you will return here and
be swan again."
In the second chapter the reader is
initiated into the intrigues played by
the persons of the court of this king
Baron Won Decker, the favorite and
aid-de-camp of the king, is in con-
versation with a banker named An
thony, and both admit the necessity
; of getting the king to marry.
The reader learns that the courtier's
party intends marrying the king tc
Princess Clarisse, the daughter of ex-
Queen Honesta, who lives in Biar-
ritz. Suddenly an illegitimate daugh-
ter of the banker appears-a pas.
sionate beauty Of the southern type
Wally Won Sartory, who declares tt
her father that she loves the king anG
i will not let them couple the sun-goC
j Phoebus to an earthly princess. He
loves art. and she will become ar