Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-24


tracted him.
Welded THE SISTER.
He learned that she was Princess
Elizabeth, younger sister of his in
tended. He resolved that Elizabeth
should be his bride and SO she became
IN 1854.
In addition to her beauty Elizabeth
was highly endowed with talents, but
she found no welcome at court. The
emperor's mother would hardly coun-
tenance the match, and all of the
Viennese aristocracy held aloof from
her. Elizabeth returned scorn FOR
scorn Her enemies bore her every
tale that could wound her pride and
estrange her love. At last they sue
ceeded. In a burst of pique she fled
to her native Bavaria. She came back,
but the Viennese never forgave her.
They charged her with loving fox
hunting in Ireland better than her
duty and preferred to remember her
always as the absent wife.
The estrangement widened. The
emperor was fond of pretty women,
and Vienna did not lack them The
empress grew more and more to con-
slider herself "a dutiful sovereign lady,"
and less and less a wife. The tragic
death of her only son drew her nearer 10
ner husband for awhile, but there came
succeeding period of stronger repui-
sion, and thereafter she almost disap-
peared from the Hofburg
Fifteen years ago appeared Katha-
rina Schratt formerly of the Imperial
theater. By her tact and wit she sue
ceeded in creating for herself place
below but beside the throne, never ac-
corded before her time so openly and
so permanently to any woman. Spec
ulation as to her relations with the
emperor was wide and malicious. OF
course, it found its way to the en-
press, and there followed an incident
which testities to her uncommon dell-
cacy and courage.
Nettled by the continual humiliation
of such distasteful scandal mongering,
she devised a way to end il. One day
she took her youngest daughter by the
nand and, to the immeasureable aston
.shment of her guests, set out to pay 4
long call on Frau Schratt at her country
palace in Ischl where all the world
anew the emperor spent hours daily.
That eneded il eflectually. 1t was i'm
possible to gossip before the empress
about condition which she herself had
socially legalized by her presence.
Whatever the truth about Katharine
Schratt and the emperor, she had the
good sense never to attempt to influence
aim politically. Those of her predeces-
sors who had dared more boldly paid the
penalty of sudden and noiseless removal
from his surrounding. When the assassi-
nation of the empress put the court into
mourning, Fran Schratt was seen but
little. Shortly, the old intimacy was
openly resumed, but it was impossible to
continue malignant about a friendship
that heightened into old age, and the
sting of criticism gradually died out. AT
Shronbrunn Castle, Frau Schratt appear
ed nearly every Afternoon to keep the en-
peror company for an hour or two. In
turn, he delighted to call on her at her
town house as private gentleman,
where he could meet few friends of his
own choosing. and not guests imposed
on him by etiquette or reasons of state
Politics was never discussed Frau
Schratt had her town house and her
country house, together with a goodly al
lowance but it never was objected that
the emperor was lavish with her and
she had the discretion not to make her
ostentation a national scandal.
AS soldier, the emperor was beloved
of his army. In a crushing reverse by
1.-The French at Solatrino, he suffered such
humiliation that he is said to have so
wished to die with his men that he stood
motionless in the fire Of battery hoping
to be struck down. But none OF his re-
verses made him any the less popular
at home.
In recent years he interrupted his win
ter rides, but each spring found him or
horse back again and he attended the
army maneuvers to the last. In the field
he was the embodiment of interchangeable
energy. Three or four horses a day ne
would wear out riding in a gallop to the
foremost wing to acquaint himself with
the last tactical details.
IDOL OF HIS PEOPLE.
His popularity reached beyond the
army. He was truly the idol of his
people and especially of. Vienna. His
tall, gaunt figure was familiar to every
viennese. He rode through the streets
unguarded. bowling to the salutations OF
his loving people. If it became known
hat he was to leave the city, a crowd
would congregate to see him drive BY.
He was imperial yet democratic, and for
years he held weekly audiences with the
common people, at which any one of his
subjects could appeal to him for the
righting of "A wrong. When there was
rioting in the city once and a cabinet
minister proposed to quarter two regl-
ments in the center of disturbance, the
emperor said, BAH Send them the I'M
periaI band" All night the band played
and the people danced, and in the morn
ing they went home to sleep of their
anger
he worked harder and permitted himself
fewer recreations. A week of shooting
each year and few bottles of priceless
Gastein 10 warm his chilling blood, a
daily hour of gossip with Katherine
Schratt, who held his affections to the
last-that was all. He complied rigidly
with the required etiquette of the court,
but personally his tastes were simple.
He ate a breakfast Of freshly boiled ham,
rolls and coffee every morning at
o'clock. smoked three-cent cigar, stroll
ed in the morning air until and then
got down to the serious business of the
day He Seldom slept more than five
hours, and not that much when he trav-
eled or a press of business awaited on
him. If he felt fatigued in the middle
Of the day, he lay down for half an
hour and rose as fresh as new. His first
word to his new prime minister was:
For work you will find me always
ready, for any cause, at any time" and
| the promise held good for life.