Evening star., 1924-01-27
"Wasteful, wasteful-.


piness is mutual understanding" h
would muse, who understood SO littie
of tender Elizabeth, and treated her
so Ill. "a man ought to instruct his
wife in business affairs, and get her
interested in sound investments"
In the first years of the war, when
Francis Joseph still lived, there was
never mention of the war He did
not care to hear it. Frau Schratt
spoke of people who made money. not
of people who were fighting. (The
memoirs of Marshal Conrad Won
Hittzendorff. chief OF the Austro-
Hungarian general staff, are now ap-
pearing. In them he declares that
Emperor Francis Joseph never knew
that there had been a battle of the
MarneD
Have you paid the butchers
month? How much?"
Guess"
"A hundred and twenty forinso"
Ninety! oh, FranzerI, the white
cat, has kittens, and the parlor maid
has swelled face: 1 sent her t.
the druggist, and the druggist ser;
her to bed. So please don't notice
the service this evening""
Poor child, L will show her how
to make marshmallow hot uou,i,
wash. You boil half a pound OF tho
root in quart of water, or a pound
of the root In half pint of
cater
The doorbell rings. All is forsoi-
ten.
Two habitual guests arrive-old In
inmates the partners Of interminabI
games of tarok. a kind of Hungarian
bridge-Whist. They were always tn
same--Herr Palmer. president of the
Bank Of Austrian Lands. and
greater banker, international, and 50
illustrious that his family name *
better known even than that Of tn.
Hapshurgs, and "a thing which never
ceased to worry the court) an Is
raelite by race, religion, pride ana
practice in the strict sense.
(Where are those two now, kath-
arina?)
THE RothschiId and Herr Schratl
were old >cronies when they me.
here, twice a week, in intimacy
Twice week for years the game Of
tarok interrupted courtship, but Il"
other break-in on Francis Joseph
evening calls was known. Often al
tarok he would lose all the money
in his own purse-a dozen forius.
He played badly. They cut to So
who should have him for partner. il,
would laugh boisterousIy. Poor U,t
man. it was his one good hour
Tea was served in an adjoiniu-
room What a tea! The table re
sembled a mixed pastry cooks shcr
and pork butchers. The good "coj-
onel" (who ate next TO nothing a.
his palace dinner) stuffed with pick
led oysters. goose breast, fruit tart.
Jelly roll, foie-gras and all the deli
catessen of Vienna until Frau Kath-
arina put a. soft, restraining hand
man.
Every evening ne would risk apo
plexy from her hot mullins, jam and
butter. with sliced sausage: but tho
big spreads of the tarok parties were
yet more stimulating 10 the aged,
jaded appetite.
It was the one good hour OF Francis
Joseph.
He cast wet eye on the suay'
frau who moved so gracefully amouE
her guests. She was past sixty. But
to Francis Joseph that was all right.
The two bankers talked of the do
mestic virtues of the gracious and
high lady. They asked details of her
culinary secrets. They discussed
the wastefulness of
servants and the eleven ways 10
make a goulash.
When the colonel and Herr Palmcr
got started on goulash, they had I"
send for the cooke, ID decide the con
troversy. Then the colenel would Civ
her a dollar Ghis. too, happened twica
a week., which made Frau Katharine
(twice a week. accuse him of spelling
servants.
How much do you pay herr? asks
the Rothschild, as invariably.
"Fifteen forms a month, and
brought her from Bohemia at my own
expense. Vienna cooks are so eX-
travagant"
Herr Schratt mods ecstaticaily
From a jewel-studded case, tn"
Rothschild offers superb Havanas.
no thanks, friend" says the
colonel, 81 smoke only tsabucos.
(cheap and mildest possible cigar o.
the Austrian Reggie, alone permitted
10 Francis Joseph in his late years..
You save money!"
Such was the Rothschild's Joke
invariably. All laughed, invariably.
It was a solid friendship of the four
Nothing on earth could shake it'll
IP Frau Schratt should happen 10
see these present lines. IL would b.
interesting to know her present ideas
on the subject).
x :. i: i
THE car was announced at us"
pm. invariably. Frau Katharina
helped the colonel into his coat
Again through the streets of Vienna
rolled the limousine. 1t stopped NJ
the vast and solemn palace of the
Hofburg, entered the small court
yard. and stopped at the little door
with marble giant statues on each
side of it.
The old man entered. The silent
valet met him. Up they mounted in
the bijou elevator, two flights in the
secret shaft cut in the thickness OF
the palace wall. Up, up, to the en-
peror's study, which he left three
hours before. The valet took his hat
and coat.
The emperor had returned.
Francis Joseph, it must be remem-
bered, never knew that there had
been a retreat of the Marne. All un-