The Washington times., 1904-09-18

Vienna. 7 was then a lieutenant in the
Thirteenth regiment of Uhlans and was
on furl1ugh i'm the Austrian capital. one
morning in May or June when Vienna
Is at its best. / was trying a new horse
on the Prater. and was having con-
siderable difficulty with the high
spirited animal DefyiEg my best ef-
orts. the horse refused to be managed,
and had backed up on the pavement,
endangering a number of men, women.
and children who were attracted 60 the
scene
Love at First Sight.
II was trying my best to get the
horse back into the street when a carri-
age. containing the Princess Louise
ana her lady i'm waiting. Countess Ser
mage, was driven mp. On glancing at
the princess and feeling her eyes resting
upon me, o strange, indescribable sensa-
! ton took possession Of me Il mOmen-
I tariIy forgot my horse. and came near
paying for my negligence with my life.
as the animal dashed out with his heels
and only missed striking me by a few
/ inches. In a fraction Of a second
barely the time required for US to ex-
change glances-my whole being under
went a transformation, and, though
] / did not know who the princess was
i at the time. I knew that she would
/ henceforth mold and govern my life
Finally on conqUering my horse. my
soul experienced a strange exaltatior
when the beautiful woman smiled heI
approval and ordered her carriage tC
pass on.
AS il was her custom TO drive daily
in the Prater and ~ I was absorbed in
breaking my mount. it so happened tina
we met frequently during the next few
weeks. Those glimpses Of her becam'
vital 10 my existence. From day 10 da!
1 lived In fever Of expectation. j Otter
waited for hours on some corner, believ
ing. knowing. that she must soon driv
mast was seldom deceived I'm my con
viction.
1T was during the following autumn
that. for a month or so. The princes
failed TO appear in public. 1 was il
despair. 1 became like a famished man
Then I learned that she was III Ha'
she succumbed l firmly believe that
should have died
MY first sight Of her, following ne
} illness. was ar the Royal Opera on
night. She and her daughter were sit
! ting in the royal box. far back I'm III
shadows. but our eyes met by a strang
fatality. and she smiled. Regular,
thereafter she attended the opera, some
b times noticing me, as il seemed, an
sometimes falling TO respond TO m
glsnCes.
''See-sawing thus between hope an
despair 7 would some days believe tina
|. the princess deigned to regard me a
; more than a stranger, and on other day
! | I was forced TO the bitter conclusio
, that she had not recognized nor remeH
! bered me at all.
! In February, 1886. the princess an
s her daughter left Vienna on a visit
:; the Crown Princess Stephanie, her sis
= ter. at Abbrazia. Hearing Of her d
psrture I found occasion 10 follow. TT
Crown Princess was charmingly Ii
formal in her social going and comm
= and 1 contrived 10 be presented TO N
- with the result that she invited me
e an informal dance at her villa. The
II I was presented to the Princess Louis
u There / saw her at close quarters Al
conversed with her for the first tim
although 1 had seen her every daY +
q months. AbbrazIa was my heave
y Princess Stephanie was the center
the wit and beauty OF the place. IL
= was gracious enough 20 admit me In
~ the charming circle. Soirees. card "a
3 ties, dances, and small dinners were
. frequent occurrence. all Of which .
o. forded me chances to meet the princes
&c learned during that time that she h
-h noticed me at the opera and had ;
u ways seen me while driving In the pr
N ter. Nothing else was needed TO nh ?
N cup OF happiness 10 the bTim.
o.. Sister Was Heartless.
he Having closely observed the afe
o. tionate relations between the prince
u and her sister at that time, IL IS incol
IS prehensible to me that the Countt
he Lonyay could have treated Prince
n, Louise with such heartlessness in
ce DAYS Of sorrow that were so soon 10 4
V low.
70 Beyond their physical resemmblan
the sisters we're as opposite as the 20
W OF the oarth-in temperament. habits
ne mind. and attitude toward the world a
OF toward life. Stephanie was consum