River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-05-02
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boat steamed slowly out The Hungarian or
chestra struck up lively csardas.
Elizabeth tainted. The Countess Sztaray
cut her corset strings and found tiny tn
angular wound below the left breast.
Quick, a doctor. The empress is wounded!
There was no doctor, and the boat put BACK
to Geneva. Opening her eyes Elizabeth asked;
What is the matter?"
"Do-you suffer-" faltered the countess
Elizabeth smiled mo" and feebly waved heI
hand in time to the jaunty music or the csar'
das There was a melancholy smile on neI
face as she slowly shut her eyes.
Elizabeth had died in beauty.
An aged emperor dimes alone on gold plate
from the famous service whose central decora-
tive piece is worth $751; 0O There is but one
guest-a general aide-de-camp or high ohclal
of the court. The proudest monarch OF Europe
is alone with one guest. Etiquette demands ~.
Five gorgeous funkeys in pale blue, bun,
pink and gold, serve the two pnen. Ihere nave
been no flowers on the table since the tragic
death of the Empress Elizabeth; but the lights
of wax candles CLINT the golden service and inc
rare wines in cut glass They Tit from MS
toric tapestries to carved wood furniture ana
panels such as no museum possesses and
make dancing shadows in the distant corner.
Silence.
The aged emperor is dreaming of the gor-
geous gala dinners of the past. He sees the
ideal throngs of other days Again he hears
the three taps of the grand chamberlains
cane to announce the entrance of their I'M
perial and royal majesties. How lonely is the
immense palace, full of hiding courtiers func-
tionares, servants 1t is still early, not yet
seven.
Francis-Joseph rises. His guest takes cere-
monious leave and the sovereign goes to his
study
His real life begins.
confidential valet helps him into hat and
overcoat BY bijou elevator, whose door fm1-
tates a bookcase, he descends to the ground
floor.
He waikg twenty steps across the little court
ward to the door, where auto-limousine
awaits him. There is no special secrecy-it is
to avoid ceremony merely. He gives no direc-
tons; the chauffeur knows where to go.
Quitting the frigid, solemn Hofburg, out into
the bright-lit bustling early evening OF Vienna,
past crowds Fastening to theater and music
hall, into fair streets of residence the auto
stops at comfortable villa. The old sovereign
enters the gate alone. The front door opens
as he mounts the three marble steps. When
the door shuts he is no longer the dread lone
ly emperor and apostolic king, but Herr
Schratt, regularly called the colonel careless
and easy, negligent and slouchy, bright, warm
coy, snug among old friends.
Years ago, when the Burg theater was
rina Schratt-the Sarah Bernhard and Rejane
of Vienna-was presented to Francis-Joseph by
Empress Elizabeth herself. For long, she too
has lived retired; and the mourning emperor
found her so intelligent, so fine and also good
that old loves and sorrows having burnt out
an affectionate friendship grew up to give him
a kind of peaceful solace.
Leaving crown and scepter on the hat rack
he enters the bright little cardroom that adj
ioire two hiio,1 little narlCrS and takes the
best easy chair, while Madame Katharine has
tens with the fGot~warmer.
Herr Schratt apraWls in unspeakable content
The bell rings, and the partners OF intermin
able games of tarOk-a sort OF Austrian bridge
arrive. They two ancient friends OF the
great actress, become friends of Herr Schratt
always the same; Herr Palmer, director of the
Bank des Pays Autrichiens, and an interna
tional private banker so extremely ilustrious
that his name is as we'll known Franz-Jo
SETS and-a thing that never ceases to upset
the court-an Israelite by race birth and reli
gion in the strict sense!
The Jewish banker and Monsieur Schratt-
not the head Of the Holy Roman empire-are
fast old cronies to the sorrow and scandal OF
the Countess Chotek, morganatic but directing
wife of Archduke Francis-Ferdnand, heir to
the dual crown.
Often the emperor loses all the money in his
purse-a dozen forins-at the nightly game OF
tarok He plays badly. None wants him fol
partner; so they cut to see who takes him. He
laughs boisterously. Meanwhile tea is prepared
In the adjoining dining room.
At ten O'Clock the auto-limousine is an
nounced. and Madame Kathrina helps the "co1
onel" into hat and overcoat.
The auto rolls through the streets OF
Vienna, still bright and boisterous, to The
cold. solemn Hofburg. 1t stops at the little
door of the small courtyard. The old man en-
tiers, and a silent valet meets him. Up the
bijou elevator they ride, to the study he hat
left three hours ago. The confidential vaie
takes his hat and coat.
The emperor has returned.