Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1911-04-13

Il A tive piece is worth $4,000
There is only one guest, q
general aid de camp or high official OF
the court. The proudest monarch OF
Europe is alone with one guest. Ell
quette demands it.
There are eight services. Hofburg
ceremony does not permit less. Five
gorgeous flunkeys in pale blue, pink
and gold serve two men. There have
been no flowers on the table since the
tragic death Of the Empress Eliza
beth; but the lights of wax candles
CLINT the golden service and the rare
wines In cut glass; they fit from his
toric tapestries to carved wood furni-
ture and panels such as no museum
possesses and make dancing shadows
In the distant corners.
There are faint, mysterious noises in
the Hofburg, as of furtive steps up
secret stairways in the walls, and
there are silences in which you feel
eyes peeping through holes. The
great palace has an invisible popula-
ton of effaced officials, gliding ecclesi-
astics, soft-footed domestics, noble old
danes and ancient courtiers, whose
only sounds are creaking joints as
they slip through dim corridors where
sentries stand immobile.
1t is the frigid court of a lone, aged
emperor bereaved by bloody loss Of
wife, son and favorite brother; so high
that none dare offer him sympathy,
stern and unbending in his naughty
isolation. When his daughters, Marie
Valeria, with her battalion of children,
or Geisele, became a morose old wom-
an, are not there on some rare visit,
the emperor is alone" It is his wish.
He is too old for state dinners and
court functions, except the most indis-
pensable, brief and infrequent
The aged emperor is dreaming Of
the gorgeous gala dinners Of the past
He sees the ideal throngs Of other
days. Again he hears the three taps
of the Grand Chamberlain's cane to
announce the entrance Of their impe-
rial and royal majesties. BY enchant-
ment doors fly open and the glittering
throng, bejeweled and perfumed fash
ing colors amid plumes, aigrette and
flowers, laughing and murmuring to
the clink of gala swords and sabers, is
struck to silence. Their majesties
pass
Vanished all that. The aged en-
peror sighs, and plans little pleasures
which the doctors will permit him. He
may still hunt; doubtless he no longer
climbs crags after the chamois or the
woodcock; but his hand is still firm
as he waits on his camp stool in the
forest; and stag or roebuck that
comes within range is sure of his af-
fair. Horseback riding is more diff
cult and It is doubly painful to give
up a favorite exercise that kept him
IN touch with the great love Of his
life-the army. Twice a year they
hoist him to the back of a strong. tran
quill animal, a phantom OF the bril-
liant cavalier of other days; and Fran
els Joseph, stiff and bruised, watches
the spring review and the finale of the
autumn maneuvers. He loves his
cigar and smokes continually the
green and juicy marvels made for him
BY the two famous Cuban growers.
The aged emperor looks up from his
cigar. How lonely is the immense pal
ace-full OF hidden courtiers. func-
tiouaries. servants. II is still early.
not yet seven. Francis Joseph rises.
His guest takes ceremOnious leave and
the sovereign goes to his study. What
A place, that study. Suites Of libra
ries and Offices on endless corridors,
from which once went out minute ad-
ministration Of the dual empire! Fran
els Joseph sighs with relief