The Washington herald., 1914-08-02

grounds that the priest of the parish
was not present, that the required wit
nesses were lacking and that he had
really been married without his own
the church, the Pope alone could decide
question concerning the validity Of a
sovereign's marriage, but the decree OF
Annulment by the Paris tribunal 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 my
fathers wishes?' She had been 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-
luton, 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 its 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 child. In all the battles
with toy soldiers on the nursery floor the
most villainous among them had unfail-
ingly 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 obediently dismissed every
thought that conficted with her duty
as a daughter.
While she had been we'll instructed in
the classic and modern languages and
could speak French almost as well as
she spoke her native German. her think
ing faculties had received no more train
mind had been left a clean, white blank,
according to the Hapsburg rule Of rear
ing a princess, which exalted ignorance
into the virtue of innocence. Every al
fusion to forbidden subjects had been
laboriously cut out Of papers and books
before the modest eyes of Marie Louise
were privileged to see them. She had
dogs and cats. horses and birds, and all
manner of pets. but they were carefully
chosen from her own sex. and not a male
of any species had been permitted to steal
into her virginia. precincts. Her whole
world had been thoroughly expurgated.
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 a growing in
terest in her new fortunes as an EN-
press. She frankly enjoyed the humble
Difference Of a court which hitherto had
ignored her as a child, and the popular
interest she aroused. the people standing
before the palace morning after morn
ing 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 womanhood in
a month.
When Prince Berthier came as Napo-
Icons special envoy to make formal de-
mand for her hand, he found her full of
questions: rs the Art Museum near
enough to the Tuileries for me to go
there and study the antiques and mon
uments? Does the Emperor like mu-
sic?' Shall ] have a teacher on the
harp" Doubtless the Emperor will let
me have a botanical garden?'' II am
told that the country around Fontaino
bleau is very wild and picturesque" 'T
don't know how to dance quadrilles but
il the Emperor desires 1t, I will take
lessons"
The French ambassador who sent that
report to Paris added reassuringly, 'T
must say that during the whole hour of
my interview her imperial highness did
not once speak of Paris fashions or
theaters!" Metternich, however. thought
she ought to improve her acquaintance
with the fashions. for he wrote his wife,
when she is properly dressed and put
in shape she will do very well. have
begged her to engage a dancing master
as soon as she arrives in Paris and not
to dance until she has learned how"
The bride and groom never had met
and indeed had not so much as seen each
others picture. For obvious reasons Ma
poleon's likeness had not adorned the pal