The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-11


publishing her case" That Is pre-
clscly the story told at length and
with fulness Of detail by the Countess
IANARpI l.ANpi in The Secret OF an I'm
press ,Houghton Mihlinb. II is as Tar
from being any part Of our desire as
II obviously IL from being any part W
our business 10 pass judgment on the
veracity of shc tale. Truth Is OFTEN
boldcr and moro romantic than ro-
nance itself: the startling quality OF
IL is no charter of disbelief. WhiIc
this autobiography will find ready ac-
ccptancc in some quarters ana ready
rejection in others. alike unreasoned'
the iud!cious will find it highly enter
tanning whether true or not. and de-
termination Of It's truthfulncss no con-
Germ at all Of theirs.
40 the Countess tells her story. at
the tender age Of "a few weeks she
took her first journey, from NORMANDY
To Vienna. What conversation passed
between the imperial parents AT
petites- Dalles will never he known
but Elizabeth. having the true mother
nature. rebelling against the artiiic'ai
requirements Of imperial etiquette
that took from her the care OF her
children. resolved to take unto her-
self the upbrnging Of this, the latest
of Them THAT at any rate one III hcr
family should he as she had wished
them all to he" And the Withholding
of maternal recognition" lie who rules
an empire is himself ruled by DINERS
in the politics Of the family ana inc
court there is no room Tor ne"
grandson of Francis Joseph and ELIZA
both, "Only quite recently nave
been told that the Emperor shed tears
when he learned that he was not 10
be allowed to meet me ana my TWO
children" Just before her death the
Empress Elizabeth told her daughter
"weiberl little womanl. ! had a mes
sage to-day from the Emperor ne
wants TO talk matters over with me
AGAIN. We will fix the date when !
am TO present YOU to him and your
sis,ers That was the last talk the
mother and daughter ever had. n
little later she Wa. assassihateu' 'h'
Empress who had said: austria sha'I
! not see me again until you nave your
/ nights" Now, the Countess thlhhs'
/ better success may attend the endeaN-
ors of those members Of the famiiy
who are trying to help me.
But-back TO 1882. The Empress
physician, charged with responsibility
for the arrangements Of a Niennese
domicilc for the child. IN the nome OF
some educated. refined family OUTSIDE
Of court or clerical influence, placed
her with his friends. the kaisers' new
comers from Berlin, where Herr
Kaiser had been manager of the
Deutsche Bank. Mrs. Kaiser. Aunt
Ely" was a kind and faithful guar
dian and tho little girls first personal
recollecttons are OF her anu Oh ire
uuent happy visits from the Empress
mother, VINO sang ana tolu stories
And there were many things TO puzH''
her childish mind until they became
clear in the hight of deferred knowI'
edge: as why. after MayeriinS
Mamma" wore so much deeper
mourning than "Mimeli' Kaiser ant
the resi- OF the people. ana why sh'
was so deeply grieved. although
"Nimeli' so soon became quite cheer
ful again
After a while the child was placed
in an establishment II her own. Wner'
sh. and the kasers daughter were
under the charge OF an English gov
or,ess a Miss Ives. and a French one
Mile. P!don. The governesses wer'
harsh when there was no one to Guar'
the guardians. and full of sweet solici
, tude when the employers eye wa
unop them And then by accident th
child, already wondering at the I'm
position OF secrecy as 10 her real rela
tiun to Mamma" and Mlneh'
learned that she was princess. " mel
next the mother called she opserNe'
, the chid's excitement and they MAJ
an unusually long talk. An petIt
. miserable" screamed mademoiseII
when the Empress was gone we WI
teach Won 70 listen at the doors an
Z cossip afterward'" Perhaps made
moisouo had cared kcyhole too. IT.
covcrncsscs. in a fury of fear an
, AMER. punished" her unmercifulA
The next day the Empress, paying n
, unexpcc.cd visit. saw that tho chill
was in distress and got the Who'll
p story:
. "oh whai dia intend - do 81
doing up 20 now
with the INFINITE rcnt,cness ana svee
! ness that We're all her own my mo'h'
gave m. to understand shat from now O
Q she wished Ne 20 work hand In hand
a you will lead me, mamma won't YOU
q viii follow YOU as II blndfolded ever
= step Of ;he way. II sometimes Ia
/, spur me on by reminding me OF u
= promise which | have given YOU to-day
At these words my mothers face ight'
IN with JOY. You have given me .
u dav.' she said the first real pleasure
have .e't for many years, ana now
believe that some PoVcr above must ha'
suggested MY course OF action TO me
Then with much emotion she g.
piaincd how her other babies had bee
' taken away from her; even Nalcri
whom they" had pretended TO lca'
u, in her charge, she could not "hrii
u up" cXcep, as "a common, everyda
y princess" without experience ~ re
Il life, breadth Of view, deep fcelin
e unselflsh interest IN others. IT,
' Empress was robe.
- The governcsses were sunmari
" diSm ssed. and a Frau Won Fricse toe
e. the place Of Mrs. Kaiser. In 1898 q
" girl Caroline, called Lily or Lntcl
went 20 a private school. \ fall fro
u a ladder resulted in painful injuries,
u that she had 10 he put in plaster
u Her mother nursed her, with VIII
" anxious misGivings Of llapshu