New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1916-11-24
United States, England and Prus-

III uIoWHCu
lake, yet these were but minor trag-
edies with that which befell the am
cient house of the Hapsburgs in 1889
when Rudolf, the imperial prince up
on whom the Austrians pinned their
hopes, met death in mystery which
to this day is not cleared.
Graves hold the secret of that fate
full night at hunting lodge in
Meyerling. There have been a dozen
versions of what occurred. One true
story" relates that the crown prince
was struck dead by Baltazzi, Hun
garian chevalier who loved the Bar
oness Marie Vetsera and who was
frenzied by finding the girl and
Prince Rudolf together in the castle
Iof Meyerling, after the crown prince
had given his pledge not to see the
girl again. Another that the crown
prince killed the uncle of the young
baroness when he came to rescue her
and that sboth of the young lovers af-
terward committed suicide. The truth
is not known.
CIouded in still deeper mystery, if
possible, was the disappearance that
same year of Francis Joseph's fav.
orite nephew, the Archduke Johann
Salvador. Heir to the throne at the
death of Rudolf, he renounced all of
his ynperial dignities and fled the
country as John Orth, captain of the
merchant ship, never TO be heard of
again. The next of kin, the Arch
duke Francis Ferdinand who became
heir presumptive, added further
burden to his uncle's heart by NOR
ganatic marriage to Sophie, the
countess of Chotek, by whom he has
had three children, no one of which
can succeed to the throne.
Death of the Empress.
But it is doubtful If any or all of
these reserves weighed more heavily
upon the emperor's heart than the
almost recent tragedy at Geneva.
when the Empress Elizabeth, who
had been called the most beautiful
woman in Europe. was stabbed to
death by a mad Italian anarchist, in
lso8 True she had been estranged
from the emperor. but he had never
ceased to respect and adore her.
When ia courtier brought him the
news of the crime he exclaimed,
ALAS. nothing can be spared me,
nothing"
After each blow he renewed his de-
votion to the state, his only. solacee
being in harder work. He labored
prodigiously. He was beloved for his
kindliness, his modesty and rectitu-
de, and his high moral courage made
- 1, A "a a c
the Czechs, the Poles, the Serbs, the
-Ruthenians and the Bulgars, who
made up the mosaic of nationalities
in his dual empire.
Romance and Scandal
Gossip dealt p'entifully with his
private life, filled with romance and
misfortune. 1t is related that his
mother intended him to marry Prin-
cess Helena, eldest daughter of Duke
Max of Bavaria. With passive in
difference the young emperor agreed
TO his mothers wishes and set out
to pay court to his intended bride.
He got no further than the park
surrounding the dukes castle. where
he spied little girl whose extraor-
binary beauty attracted him.
He learned that she was Princess
Elizabeth, younger sister of his in
tended. He resolved that Elizabeth
should be his bride and so she be-
came in 1854.
In addition to her beauty Eliza
beth was highly endowed with talents
but she found no welcome at court.
The emperor's mother would hardly
countenatee the match and all OF
the Viennese afistocracy held aloot
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
succeeded. 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
foxhunting in Ireland better than her
duty and preferred to remember her
always as the absent wife.
Enlargement Complete.
The enlargement widened. The en-
Deror was fond Of pretty women
and Vienna did not 'ack them. The
impress grew more and more to COM
,ider herself "a dutiful sovereign lady"
md less and less a wife. The tragic
leath Of her Sonly son drew her near
r to her husband for a while. but
here came a succeeding period of
tronger repulsion, and there fter she
lmost disappeared from the Hof-
urg.
Fifteen years ago appeared Kath-
rina Scharatt, formerly of the i'm
erial theatre By her tact and wit {
he succeeded in creating for herself
place below but beside the throne, ,
ever accorded before her time so
penly and so permanently to any
'oman. Speculation as to her re'a-
ons with the emperor was wide and
lalicious. OF course. il found its way
, the empress. and there followed
n incident which testifies to her p
ncommon delicacy and courage. n
Nettled by the continual humilia- e
on of such distasteful scandal-mon- r
,ring, she devised way TO end
One day she took her youngest
'ughter by the hand and. to the i'm y
easurable sstonishment of her c,
tests. set out to pay long call h
! Frau Schartt at her country palace m
'schl. where al the world knew q
2 emneror spent hours daily. That I
ded it effectualiy. II was impos- W
Ne to gossip before the empress tr
out a condition which she her
If had socially legalized by her
esence fo
Whatever the truth about Kath- A
ina and the emperor. she had the w
cd sense never to attempt to in
ence him politically. Those of her
edecessors who had dared more IL
ldly paid the pena'tv of sudden