The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1912-05-16

her hand she called her old nurse brought
from Possenhofen.
"Pack my valises." said Elizabeth, I'VE
leave tonight
For long?"
"For always"
The two women slipped from the Hofburg
and took the first train at the southern station.
Only the next morning did her motherinlaw
learn of Elizabeth's flight. An hour later the
chief of police had discovered that the empress
was en- route for Trieste and the imperial
yacht. A telegram was sent to retard it's de-
parture on some pretext. while high function
aries followed on a special train.
What they were empowered to promise is
not known, but Elizabeth returned
The scene was terrible, between husband.
wife, and mother-in-law. Francis Joseph, fear
Il ing scandal, dragged himself on his knees be-
fore Elizabeth and even reproached his mother
for her cruelty.
But nothing could change Elzabeth's deter
mination She would only consent to avoid
scandal. That night Professor Skoda Of the
Vienna faculty, after much repugnance and
long discussion, signed bulletin declaring
that the health of the empress demanded
milder climate than Vienna. The next day,
companied by high dignitaries, she left for
Antwerp, where magnificent yacht was hired
to take her to Madeira.
She tired of Madeira. The imperial yacht
was put at her disposition. She visited Nor
way, the Mediterranean, the Adriatic. Francis
Joseph came her unexpectedly at Venice
and persuaded her to return temporarily to
Vienna for the sake of appearances.
To distract her mind she spent millions
on chateau at Linz, where her great pleasure
became to break in young horses. This was
the period of her friendship with the famous
circus woman, Eliza REM, whom Elizabeth de-
clared to be better lady than any of the vi
emma court. Finding Linz too near Vienna, she
spent other great sums on the chateau of Goe-
doelloe, in Hungary, where her tanning of the
man-killing stations of Count Festitics became
almost a historical event.
1t was whispered that Elizabeth was try
ing to get killed without the sin of suicide.
There were reconciliations. To return to
her husband was represented to her religious
duty Each time, however, the interest of
Francis Joseph in the theater seemed so para
mount that she started off again.
She returned for Rudolphs marriage, where
she wept bitterly She rejoiced a while In
Rudolph's baby child. On the morning after
the tragedy of Meyerling it was to her that
Count Bombelles brought the awful tidings-
Rudolph had committed suicide with Marie
vetschera, and it was Elizabeth who broke the
news to the emperor.
Her hobby now became her palace at Corfu
the Villa Achlleion, which will remain famous
in history as the greatest folly Of luxury and
art of a prodigal sovereign. 1t cost above
$16,OOO,0O0
William II. of Germany now has it.
Only terrible craving for sleep caused
Elizabeth to leave Corfu. Now commenced
round of climates and specialists At Baths
Nauheim the population SO followed her about
that she decided for Switzerland. Francis Jo-
seph who had joined her for week, objected.
"I have bad reports on Switzerland" he
said Full of anarchists"
81 am only a poor woman, Francis" she
replied "They will not hurt me-"
Yet Lucchini stabbed her as she boarded
the lake steamer at Geneva-like a simple
tourist with single companion None sus-
pected that she was more than jostled. The