Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-11-26
Copyright, 1915. by W. q. Chapman.)

The life of Emperor Franz Josef of
Austria Hungary has always seemed
to me like one of those representa-
ltions of the Greek dramatists. in
which the hero, pursed by an aveng-
ing fate, struggles in vain against
tragic destiny that leaves him, in the
end, utterly bereft of all that life has
held dear for him.
Never has a monarch suffered so
many blows from fortune. Called to
the throne at eighteen, 1t was his fate
to lose his Italian provinces. to suffer
defeat from France and then from
Prussia, to see Hungary become quasi
independent. His son, Prince Rudolf,
died by his own hand under circum-
stances of the utmost pathos; his
queen, Empress Elisabeth, fell the vic
tim of an assassin's dagger; his heir
and nephew. Archduke John, resigned
his inheritance and disappeared; yet
fate had still in store for him the muir
der of Sarajevo, war, and its ensuing
miseries.
In my capacity as private and conf
Dental emissary for the British gov
eminent, with q commission to deter
mine what forces were making for
war in Europe, l had fixed my head
quarters In Vienna, the pivot-capital
of European politics. Although my
mission was not generally suspected.
or, rather, because of this, l was In
close touch with political affairs and
men.
! was returning to Vienna after
short trip home to England when my
carriage was invaded, about ten In the
evening, somewhere beyond the Swiss
frontier. by q man whom l knew very
well indeed. escorting a woman whom
I had never seen before.
It was evident that they had taken
the adjoining sleeping section. and
had inadvertently entered mine at the
little station. A few words Of explain
alton, and l had stepped into the cor
ridor and shown them to their quar-
ters. The man had not recognized
me, but the sight of his face. which
could not possibly have mistaken. for
reasons connected with q bygone ex-
perience when / was an attache at W.
emma, aroused In me the utmost aston
ishment and keenest curiosity. For
I knew him perfectly well as being the
missing archduke and heir to the
throne, who, when he resigned his
rank and inheritance. had sailed on
tramp ship a. Johann Orth, able sea-
man, to find his grave, as everybody
believed, In the depths of the Sargasso
sea.
The story Of Johann Orth il common
property. It II also known that per-
sons have asseverated. from time to
time, that they had met the archduke
in distant parts Of the world; but no
body of responsibility had ever be-
lieved the tale. had not.
The man was 90 like his cousin.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and heir
apparent, that. but for the experience
to which l have referred, l should
have mistaken him for the heir appar-
emit himself. What was he doing here?
Who was his companion?
As I stood at the door Of my sec
ton the man opened the door of his
and stepped into the corridor. He
saw me, stared me. and suddenly
grasped me by the shoulders and
dragged me into my compartment and
shut the door behind him. Then he
thrust out q huge. sunburned. toll
calloused hand. and gripped mine with
the clasp of steel wise.
well met" he shouted, calling me
BY name. Il could not have had
more fortunate encounter. You know
me, Ell? You are ambassador at W.
emma now? Never mind! You will
vouch for me In case my uncle has
grown nearsighted? YoH win stand
by me, as an old friend ought to-"
did not know what answer to re-
turn to this outburst. The mans ap-
pearance was that of one who had
been On q protracted debauch. and yet
there was no smell of alcohol upon his
breath. And soon began to realize
that 1t was excitement and apprehen-
sion that gave him his wild appear.
ance, not liquor.
He poured out q story In flood OF
words that left me gasping. And
had not the least doubt of him at any
time.
He had escaped from the wrecked
ship in one Of the boats and landed
on the shore Of Brazil. In that coun-
try he had become a successful coffee
planter. and none Of his neighbors had
guessed his identity. But to one who
had lived SO full life the monotony
became uncomfortable. Under various
names he had travelled with his wife
In many countries Of the world. occa-
sionally recognized and challenged,
but always managing to conceal his
identity. until the year 1912 found him
ranching in California There the
woman for whose sake he had sacri-
feed his rank had died.
He had married again. an ambitious
woman who somehow discovered the
secret of his birth. She had urged
him to return to Austria and regain
his rank and Inheritance. Her pleas
had fred him until his resolution be-
came a. great as hers. And 50 they
had started together on the maddest
and most impracticable quest that was
ever undertaken.
Az he ended his story his eyes were
blazing, and he smote his clenched
0s< Int, ths .~a1on ~ Ma hand