The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-03
HAT Emperor Francis

5
health In in a moro precariouS
L condition that official or semi
Official reports arc willing TO
admit. Is strikin~" shown by the fact
the court Of Vienna, in connection with
the 'Fasching," or carnival. have been
abandoned. and that authoritative notl-
acation has been made that this spring
there Will be neither "Hofball" nor
yet Ball. bel Hof"; that Is to say, no
court balls of any kind: neither the
customary Court Ball." nor yet the
more exclusive Ball at Court" or
for rcfraining from giving these balls,
which afford the only opportunity OF
oihcial presentation at court TO Aus
trian debutantes and young married
women possessed of the requisite gene
illogical qualifications. to newly arrived
secretaries and attaches of the vari-
Gus diplomatic missions. and their
wives. and to q few distinguished for
eignerS
Among the causes mentioned are
the eternal tracasseries and conten-
precedence OF the Duchess Of no.
henherG. morganatic wife OF Archduite
Francis Ferdinand. next heir to the
throne. But the principal reason IS
health. which Is in such condition
that while there Is no ground for i'm
mediate uneasiness: It has been in
ttmated that in Difference to the en-
remain at the suburban Palace OF
SchoeHbrunn until late in the spring
and not attempt to resume his daily
drives to the Hofburg. in tho centre
nounced that the only occasion on
which he will visit the Hsfburg be-
tween now and Easter is OIL the oc-
cnsion OF the impendinE marriage Of
his grandson, Prince George of Bavaria.
to Archduchess Isabella. daughter OF
Arohduke Frederick of Austria.
Tho young archduchcss, by the by.
lost tho whole of her trousseau. in the
partial destruction by firc OF her ia
TIERS palace the other day, her wed.
ding dress fortunately escaping. through
it at the appointed time. The palace in
question was built by Archdukc Charles,
who. after being the playmate at Flor
ence of Napoleon l. in their respective
by him at the battle of AspeTn. where
the archduke commanded in person
the Austrian army. The palace adjoins
the Hofburg, was inherited by Arch
duke Frederick from his uncle, the
late Duke Albert. and was crowded
from cellar to garnet with treasures
of every kind, including the hnest coll
lection in the world of engravings and
drawings. numbering over 100000, and
preserved in 900 huge portfolios.
Among the drawings. the most cele-
brated is Raphaers own sketch Of tho
"Traasnguration''; and there is also a
portrait of Emperor Macmillan. taken
from the life, by Albert Durer. with an
autograph memorandum OF the artist in
the corner 20 that effect nearly hun
dred studies of figures for The Last
Judgment" by Michaelangelo, and
twenty drawings by Del Sarto. II Is
fortunate that this unique collection
was spared by the flames.
] have seen IL mentioned that this
so-called Albertine Palace was the
scens of another notable tire--nota D! e
through the fact that it cost the life
Of member OF the imperial family.
namely. the burning OF Archduchess
Mathilde in 1866. This is not exactly
correct, for the archduchess received
the injuries which caused her death.
not at her fathers palace in town, but
at Schoenbrunn, where she was con-
versng with Princess Frederick OF
Hanover, when some one entered the
room. and she endcavored 10 conceal
the cigarette from which she had been
taking a few pufrs. 1t set fire to the
fiImy fiounces of her dress. and in
scarcely moments time she was
wrapped from head TO foot In hames
When her father, old Duke Albert
died. without leaving any male issue,
he bsqueathed the palace to his nephew,
Archduke Frederick. who Is. in point
OF stature. the shortest scion OF the
house OF Hapsburg, and the eldest
brother of the Queen Mother of Spain.