The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-08-11

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 Crown 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, a stout, f1abby-faced hanger-on,
who at the time possessed great in
fuence over him.
Louisa was the most popular woman
in Saxony, and deservedly so, for hers
had .been 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 attachments, 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-
tons in her hair and a 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 a corner of
the room, watching the scene of I'M
usual brilliancy because of the kaiser's
presence, the princess turned to me:
swell, a curious thing happened
here about a month ago." she said.
'I was" At that moment the en-
peror, in the uniform of the Second
regiment of Saxon Grenadiers, of which
he was chief, and wearing the Order
Of Crancelin of the House of Saxony,
strobe up, and, standing before us, ex-
claimed:
well, Louisa? What is the very in
teresting topic Of conversation, eh?''
Her imperial highness hesitated, as
though endeavoring to avoid an explain
alton, but next second she waved her
lace fan quickly and said:
"WeIl, recently Friedrich-August and
myself have moved into rooms in the
older wing Of the palace-rooms that
have not been occupied for nearly for
ty years. They are old-world, charm
ing, and remind me constantly Of Au-
gustus the Strong and the times In
which he lived. Just about a month
ago the king and queen of Roumania
were paying US a visit. We were at
dinner, and while we were all laughing
and talking, for Carmen sylvia had
been telling US one of her stories, we
heard great clatter of horses hoofs
and the heavy rumble of wheels. Just
as though stage coach was crossing
the small courtyard. All of US listened
and in the silence we heard it recedins
quite distinctly. I at once sent my
lady-in-waiting to ascertain who ha(
arrived or departed, four-wheele6
coaches being quite unusual nowadays
1t seemed just as though the coact
) had driven out OF the palace gate. Ths
message brought back from the guard
room was that no carriage had entered
or left. 1 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,
muchN impressed, and even perturbed.
'Then the noise you heard must hav,
been an uncanny one, eh?" asked tn
emperor. deeply interested.
"Quite. Two of the women at tn
table declared that it must have bee
thunder. and then the conversation
proceeded. I. however, confess to YOU
majesty that was very much puzzled
and the more SO because only tw
nights ago, while we sat at dinner
Friedrich-August and myself en- IA
mile, we heard exactly the sam
sounds agaia {"
Really laughed the emperor
'Quite uncanny. I hope, here in Dres
den. you are not believing in speokl