The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02

of the church. the pope alone could decide a question concerning the valio- fty of a sovereigns marriage, but the decree of annulment by the Paris trl- bunal sufficed to quiet the conscience of the archbishop of Vienna.
 Marie Louise
 When at last Metternich pretended to consult Marie Louise herself about the marriage she only asked, What are brought up to entertain no plans of her own and to know no law except her fathers will.
 From childhood the archduchess had been taught to abhor the French revo- lution, which had slain her beautiful great aunt, Marie Antoinette, the latest archduchess that Austria had given to France, and to look upon Napoleon as the incarnation of it's savagery. He had always been held up before her as the outlawed foe of the human race, the usurper who had driven from their thrones her grandmother, the Queen of Naples; her uncle. the Grand Duke of Tuscany. and her stepmother's father. the Duke of Modena, and who had been the unrelenting scourge of her family since she was a child. In all the battles with toy soldiers on the nursery floor the most villainous among them had unfailingly been chosen to represent him and had received from her girlish hands the cruelest assaults. But now that her father bade her throw herself into the arms of the hideous hobgoblin of her girlhood, she obedienty dismissed every thought that conflicted with her duty as a daughter.
 While she had been well instructed in the classic and modern languages and could speak French almost as well as she spoke her native German, her think ipo foa I,a m train- ing than a well coached parrots Her mind had been left clean, white blank, according to the Hapsburg rule of rear ing a princess, which exalted ignorance into the virtue of innocence. Every ill'1- sion to forbidden subjects had been la boriously cut out of papers and books before the modest eyes of Marie Louise were privileged to St. them. She had dogs and eats, horses and birds and all manner of pets. but they were care- fully chosen from her own sex. and not a male of any species had been permitted to steal into her virgnal precincts. Her whole world had been thoroughly ex- purgated.
 Naturally enough when this prisoner of caste suddenly found herself the be- trothed of the mightiest ruler of earth and destined for the most brilliant Of thrones, she began to feel growing 1n- terest in her new fortunes as an Elm press. She frankly enjoyed the humble difference of court which hitherto had ignored her as child, and the popoular interest she aroused the people stand- ing before the palace morning after morning to see her on her way to mass Her feminine curiosity was awakened about the great unknown world opening before her and she waxed into woman hood In month.
 When Prince Berthier came as Napo. fn 1o1- a Tand fer her hand. he found her full of questions: ''Is the Art museum neal enough to the Tuileries for me to gt there and study the Antiques and mon. uments?' Does the Emperor like mu- sic?' Shall have a teacher on ths harp?" Doubtless the Emperor will le me have botanical earden?" "I an told that the country around Fontaine bleau Is very wild and picturesque" .l don't know how tos dance quadrilles. but if the Emperor desires it. will talk, .esscns a
 The French ambassador who sen, that report to Paris addei reassurinely 'I must say that during the whole hour of my interview her imperial highnese did not once speak of Paris fashions or theatresw Metternich however thought she ought to improve her ac- quaintance with the fashions, for he write his wife. when she is properly QTtS SSeQ duu put III 1HdDe 6He VIII QC very well. I have hegeed her to en- ga ee dancing master as soon as she arrives in Paris and not to dance until she has learned how" t'
 The bride and g-oom never had met and indeed had not so much as seen each others picture. For obvious req sons Naroleons likeness had not adorned the raiace waI1s of the flaps hurrs But Prince Berthier brought a miniature of him. surrounded ny l6 dia- monss and costing S1n0.000. Marie Lou iee- however. only glanced at 1t as she pinned 1t on her waist
 quickly executed portrait of the bride was. dispatched to Paris in ex-