The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-07

"GRAND OLD MAN.
great trouble. Early in his twenties =
had been arranged for him TO marry '''e
eldest daughter OF Duke Maximillah "
| bavaria. but upon visiting her hei 4.
| desperately in love, at tirst sisn'' w.
her little sister, Elizabeth, Wholi, ao
saw playing IN the PARK. . 6s he
| off the enEa cement with her sislei, ''e
married the little princess, who wa.
| received in Vienna with a coiui 'i ..
which during the remainder or her ~ ), !.
caused her to dislike the A ,,,sa ~
Her husbands family, OF the ilouse y.
ing the bluest of royal blood no"t hs,
IN rho world. snubbed her because hel
| father was a mere duke ana a poo'
one at that So the empress neGa., ~
exclusive, and to fight down her uttHa
piness she took to violent outdoor
snort and tobacco. Even when she was
in middle age she was in the habit o.
| smoking from thirty to forty Iurkist
| cigarettes during the day, TO "hich sns
| added strong cigar, which, Win n n,,
Turkish coffee, was orought 10 sr me- na.
| a gold salver after dinner. she De
| some regarded her as close 10 'ae
| borderland of insanity
In Pursuit of the Empress.
Following a mysterious quarrel E.t tsa,
beth left Franz Joseph nVe years 49,
their marriage and hed 10 SSsIu
was in pursuit. she sped on her Sac.i,
to the island of Minorca. Hither nc
hurried also, but arrived only III 'tt n,,,
to learn that she had put on, rev
hours before, for Madeira. The youns
emperor on falling again to locate her
gave up the pursuit ana they Wete
estranged for eight years. after "hicn .
the court persuaded her TO return anu
take part in the joint coronation which
l,a ,b ir1nerial rnuDle hlDg
and Queen of Hungary and at the
same time announce their reconciliation
to the world. Following this reunion
the empress remained under the
emperor's roof. although they were no
longer lovers. ,
Then a great tragedy cast its pail
over the imperial family before 1t had
been reunited fortnight. This was
the execution OF Francis Josephs PROM
er, the Emperor Macmillan OF Mexico,
upon the plain Of Queretaro, where
his two generals We're also riddled 10
death with bullets. And at about the
same time word had come that Meximt.
lians consort. the Empress Carlotta.
while at the Vatican, begging Plus In
to aid her husband, had FALLEN sudden
~ insane in the presence of that Pope,
The mad Empress Is still confined
in the Chateau of Bouchout. near Brus-
sells, and she is still ignorant OF the
fate of her beloved Macmillan. Her
seventeen birthday y. occurred ecu eaTly
Two years ago Prince Augustine de
Iturbide, adopted son OF Macmillan
and Carlotta and one time heir to
their throne, became franciscan
friar.
Still True to Youthful Affinity.
by all of these woes. and while he was
still unable TO revive the Empress
love that chance threw In Francis Jo-
seph's path a person destined TO. infiu'
NJ I = r o. n q r n.
Twice a week. as was the custom o.
the Empress before him. Francis
Joseph has always thrown open the
palace gates TO any one who Wisheo
to complain 10 him of the way things
were going on in the empire. Dur
ing one of these audiences 1t came
the turn OF a remarkab BILE pretty girl
TO address the Emperor, but she remains
ed before him, speeches. with emoar-
rassment.
We'll. Fraulein, what have you to
say" asked Francis Joseph.
II had Ii all beautifully by heart.
your majesty, the girl replied. but with
You looking at me can't remember a
word"
Such was the meeting of the Emper-
or with Kathi Schratt, formerly an
actress of the Berg Theatre, Vienna
who ever since has been to him ~
private what Pompadour was to LOWS
credit, however, that he has never
allowed himself TO be seen. with. her
in public, nor has ne ever allow We ~. ns !
beneath the rodfs of the royal palaces
that have sheltered his wife and child
rem And he has never allowed her
10 take even small hand IN ponies.
Even now. when she is a woman OF
middle age, he daily visits her az ner
apartments near the palace IN vienna
or at her villa adjoining MS nuhtlns
lodge in the Alps.
The Meycrling Mystery.
But the greatest tragedy of Francis
Joseph's life was that drama or real
life often referred to as the "Myernns
mystery" The Emperor and Empress
had but one son, the Crown Prince Ru-
dolf He was pupy lad. but grew
TO be man of magnificent physique
and IN 1881 married Princess stephanle'
daughter of King Leopold OF Belgium
In 1883 their only child. a daughter,
was born to the young couple. They
were wretchedly unhappy and Rudol.
on becoming enamored OF the beautitu!
young baroness. Marie Vetsera. agreed
to divorce and the Remuneration o.
his rights 10 the throne. II allowed 70
marry the baroness. This course, now
ever, The Emperor sternly forbade, and
closely following the stormy intersle"
between father and son both the crown
prince and his beloved baroness "eIe
found dead In the Castle OK MeyeflttI's,
near Vienna Al first the court sase
out the statement that apoplexy nae
caused The Princes death. but when
the public refused TO credit this another
oticlal statement gave suicide as Inc
cause of death. ~
The mystery has since plasaeu aan
whole world and there nave oeen
orlntea no less than dozen "solu-
tong 10 It. According 70 one theory
liz taroness cornmitted suicide upon
nearing Of the Empsror's refusal OF
pndciss aiyorcc and that the latter
~ .finding her dead threw himself
:, non the floor at the foot OF her couch
"a ,Isw cut his brains. Another
tory ~ that the baronesa' wound was
IN ,he back, where she could not In
DICT II herself and that The crown
nr,nra after both had agreed to die