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

boat steamed slowly out. The Hungarian Oh
chestra struck up lively csardas
Elizabeth tainted. The Countess Sztara
cut her corset strings and found tiny tr'
angular wound below the left breast.
Quick, doctor. The empress is wf@nded!
There was no DOCTOR and the boat put Dacl
to Geneva. Opening her eyes Elizabeth asKeo'
What is the matter?'
"Do you suffer-" faltered the countess.
Elizabeth smiled mo" and feebly waved ne;
hand in time to the jaunty music of the csar
das. There was a melancholy smile on ne'
face as she slowly shut her eyes
Elizabeth had died in beauty.
An aged emperor dimes alone on gold plab
from the famous service whose central decora
tive piece is worth $4,000. There is but one
puest-a general aide-decamp or high oncla
of the court The proudest monarch or Europe
is alone with one guest. Etiquette demands II
Five gorgeous flunkeys in pale blue, DUH
pink and gold, serve the two men. There 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 the
rare wines in cut glass. They fit from his
toric TAPESTRIES to carved wood furniture and
panels such as no museum possesses ana
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 chamberlalnS
cane to announce the entrance OF their I'M
perial and royal majesties How lonely is the
immense palace, full of hiding courtiers. func'
tionaries servants 1t is still early, not YET
seven
Francis-Joseph rises. His guest takes cere
monious leave and the sovereign goes to he
study.
His real life begins.
A confidential valet helps him into hat and
overcoat BY bijou elevator, whose door lml-
tates bookcase, he descends to the ground
hoor.~
He walks twenty steps across the little court
ward to the door, where an autolimousine
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 busting 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,
cozy, snug among old friends
Years
wing Of the Hofburg, the great actress Katha-
rina Schratt-the Sarah Bernhard and Rejane
of Vienna-was presented to FrancisJoseph 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,
&ha hrioI ri hot I'D.
joins two bijou little parlors and takes the
best easy chair, while Madame Katharine has
tens with the foot-warmer.
Herr Schratt sprawls in unspeakable content.
The bell rings, and the partners Of intermin-
able games of tarok--a sort of Austrian bridge
arrive. They are 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 illustrious
that his name is as well 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 FrancisF Ferdinand, heir to
the dual crown.
Often the emperor loses all the money in his
purse-a dozen f1orins-at the nightly game Of
tarok He plays badly. None wants him for
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-limousne is an
nounced and Madame Kathrina helps the "col-
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-
ters and silent valet meets him. Up the
bijou elevator they ride, to the study he had
left three hours ago. The confidential valet
takes his hat and coat.
The emperor has returned