Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-09-13
The Plot Against
Princess Louisa
=
y HE TRUTH of the plot which
canSed the downfall OF the M

go He TRUTH of the plot which
caused the downfall of the IN
fortunate and much-maligned
imperial Princess Louisa An
toinette Marie, archduchess of Austria
and wife of Friedrich-August, now the
reigning king of Saxony, has never yet
been revealed.
l, of course, knew the charming i'm
perial highneSS, the Grown Princess
Louisa of SaxOny, as she often came
on visits to the kaiSerin, but l had
never spoken much with her until at
Easter, 1902, the emperor went to visit
Dresden. He took with him, among
other people, one of his untitled boon
companions, Judicial Councillor Lob
lein, stout, fabby-faced hanger-0n,
who at the time possessed great in
tluenCe over him.
Louisa was the most popular woman
in SaXony, and descrvedly 50, for hers
had been n love match.
After her marriage to the Saxon
crown prince the kaiser, in one of his
whimsical moods, became greatly at
tached to her because of her frank
ness, her love OF outdoor life and her
high educational attainments, hence
we often had her visiting at POtsdam
or at the Berlin SchlOss. She was
known to be one of the few feminine
royalties in whom the kaiser took the
slightest interest.
At the grand ball of Easter I found
myself chatting with Louisa, who,
recOllect, wore a most charming and
artistic gown of sea-green chiffon,
decollete, Of course, with pink carna-
lions in her hair and few diamonds
upon her cOrsage, as well as the Order
of st. Elizabeth and her magnificent
rope of matched pearls which went
twice round her neck and reached to
her knees-a historic set which had
once belonged to Marie Antoinette.
The Story of the Crown Prince Told
As we stood chatting in Il corner of
the room, watching the scene of I'M
usual brIlliancy because of the kaiser
presence, the princess turned to me
well, a curious thing happened
here about q month ago." she said
Il was" At that moment the en-
peror, in the uniform of the Second
regiment of Saxon Grenadiers, of which
lie was chief, and wearing the Order
of Crancelin of the House of SaNOny
strobe up, and, standing before US, eX
claimed:
"WeH, Louisa? What is the very in
2 nI,
Her imperial highness hesitated, Us
though endeavoring to avoid an explain
alton, but next second she waved hel
lace fan quickly and said:
Wei, recently F'riedrich-AuguSt anC
myself have moved into rooms in the
older wing of the palace-r0oms that
have not been occupied for nearly for
ty years They are old-WOrId, charm
ing, and remind me constantly of Au
gustuS the Strong and the times il
which he lived. Just about month
ago the king and queen of Roumani;
were paying us a visit. We were a
dinner, and while we were all laughing
and talking, for Carmen Sylvia ha(
been telling us one of her stories, We
heard a great clatter of horses hoof'
and the heavy rumble of wheels, jus
as though a stage coach was croSsin:
the small courtyard. All of us listened
and in the silence we heard it recedin;
quite distinctly. l at once sent m,
lady-in-waiting to ascertain who ha,
arrived or departed, fOur-wheelet
coaches being quite unusual nowadays
1t seemed just as though the coacl
had driven out of the palace gate. TIL
message brought back from the guard
room was that no carriage had entere
or left. l told this to those around tn
table, and the queen of Roumania, VIII
had taken much interest in omens an
folklore, seated opposite me, SCENE
much impressed, and even perturbed,
''Then the noise you heard must hav