The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-21
Becomes First Lady in Aus
trian Society.
KEEPS HER PLACE WITH PAY
As "Spinster," She Is Disqualified.
bat Her Position IA Head of Con-
vent, with salary of 100000 Yearly,
Entities Her 80 Take Coveted Posi-
tiOn-She Is EmperOr's Niece.
rbe Washington Hsrald.

I
her sister-in-law, the Archduchess Maria
Josepha. as first archduehess and Arst
lady in the empire. Through the death of
Archduke Otto. his widow. Maria Josepha,
was compelled to relinquish her high posi-
ton at court, and it became necessary 20
choose another archduchess to I'LL the
/ place which would naturally be occupied
/ by the Empress were she living.
/ To make a selection was somewhat en-
baTrasstng. as half dozen aTchduchesses
were available. Among them was the
Archduchess Alice OF Tuscany. but she
did not care to leave her charming home
at SaIzburg as much as would be neces-
saTy were she to preside over the Vienna
court And so. after much delay, the old
! Emperor selected his niece. Archduchess
/ Maria Annunciata. for the high and re-
/ sponsible dignity.
Position Not Easy One.
! It is no light or easy matter TO stand
at the head Of the Austrian court. There
are many duties to be performed which
call for ability and tact and graciousness
/ in no common measure. Maria Annun-
ciata will be virtually a deputy empress
/ She will have 10 receive the visiting
royalties and take the most prominent
part in all court functions, receptions.
/ balls, and banquets. AT court balls she
sits upon a crimson sofa placed on
raised dais at the top Of the ballroom
/ Here she receives the wives Of ambassa-
doris and ministers and a few highly
/ favored ladies of the Austrian and Hun
garian aristocracy. They are brought up
10 her by a lady-in-waiting. one at a
time and after sitting on the red sofa for
about two minutes trying 20 look
supremely happy and making few polite
observations, they retire into the crowd
and make room for somebody else.
/ The Archduchess Maria AnnunCiata will
/ make "a stately and striking hgurehead
, faI the gorgeous ceremonials of the Aus
uian court. Just thirty years Of age,
she is unusually tall and distinguished
! looking. with a face which presents more
( OF the Hapsburg racial features than
/ that of any other archduchess. As a
/ splnster. she would not be eligible to
preside over the imperial court, but as
abbess of the Convent for Noble Ladies
] at Prague she is qualified for the dig
/ nifty and ranks as a married archduchesS-
/ She became the abbesS in 1893, succeeding
her half-sistcr. the Archduchess Maria
Sophia. who in that year became the
wife of Duke Albert Of Wurttemberg.
Convent Famous One.
The convent is one of the most famous
in Europe, and to belong to it is high
and greatly coveted distinction. 1t was
founded by the great Empress Maria
Theresa in 100 for the daughters of the
highest aristOcracy The members must
have at least sixteen ancestral quarter
iugs. and are nominated only by the En-
peror The convent is built on a high
eminence overlooking the ancient city
OF Prague. where stand the cathedral
and Hradschn, or royal palace Of the old
kings of Bohemia II would be hard 10
find q more beautiful position.
Each convent lady has her own apart
ments. consisting Of two rooms and a
kitchen and her own servants to wait
on her besides an annual allowance of
| about $lo00 in addition 10 whatever means
she may possess. Asceticism finds no
place within its walls The establishment
/ is kept up like a royal palace Hand
! some carriages and horses with liveried
/ coachmeu and footmeu are placed freely
/ A. box at the opera is always reserved
for them. The freest association with
the outer world is allowed them. They
can come and go as they choose. They
can reside within the convent as much
or as little as they please. The religious
/ duties imposed on them are Of the light
est character. They are required to sing
/ in the choir and attend a certain num-
Der Of church services on the annual
/ feast day of the convent they have 10
take part in "A long and somewhat tedious
ceremonial But as compensation the day
concludes for them with a gala perform
ance at the opera.
Wear Handsome Gowns.
In the convent they wear a black dress,
with train bordered with ermine, and
for headgear a long. white veil flowing
from a Mary Stuart type of cap. Out
side they can dress as they please
As head Of this ancient and noble foun-
dation the archduchess enjoys a magnih-
cent suite of apartments and a yearly
! income of between $4,000 and $4,000 Such
a plum as this is invariably reserved for
q member of the imperial family. and
there is always an archduchess ready to
take it when a vacancy occurs. And as
the abbess and all the other noble ladies
of this cloister are free to marry and
depart from its walls whenever they
choose, vacancies are more frequent and
unexpected than in ordinary religious
houses
In her magnificent ermine- trimmed &c
cIesiastical robes the abbess presents an
imposing sight On the middle finger OF
her right hand she wears an episcopal
ring and her headdress. studded with
precious stones and dating from 1903, is
a splendid memorial of the renaissance
period. She carries a bishops crozier
made by the order of King Wenceslaus II
and bearing the date 1903, a very rare and
precious specimen of medieval gold
smiths work.
Places Crown on Empress.
Among the special privileges enjoyed
by the abbess is that of standing at the
) right hand Of the Empress at the corona
ton in the cathedral, and herself placing
the Bohemian crown upon the Empress
head Her selection as first of the i'm
periaI archduchesses will i'm no way affect
Maria Annunciatas position as abbess
at Prague. She can retain it as long as
she remains single. Marriage is about
/ the only thlng mat would dlSqualty heI
for the Office and deprive her OF its
princely emoluments and dignities. 1t is
on that account, perhaps. that-althougf
thiTty-she has never married. and ap-
pears not at all anxious to abandon such
a snug haven OF single blessedness for
the uncertainties of a matrimonial voy-
age. Some years ago she was engaged 10
Duke Siegfried, nephew OF the late En-
press, but broke it off after a brief period
during which she had time TO reflect or
the many good things she would have tc
relinquish if she became the dukes wife
As sninstar. TOO she runs no risk %.