The Atherstone, Nuneaton, and Warwickshire Times. — 1889-02-09 (Atherstone, Warwickshire, England)

THE WEEK.  THE suicide of the Crown Prince of Austria is one of the most startling events of modern times. When the world learned that he had died of heart disease it was felt that the occurrence was peculiarly mournful and pathetic; when it subsequently transpired that Prince Rudolph had died by his own hand the terrible pathos of the tragedy stood out in still greater relief. It is a charitable theory that all suicides are out of their minds; but what a dreadful amount of mental agony must precede the final breakdown of the overwrought brain. Whatever ordinary troubles and trials have to be endured there is generally a strong desire to hold on to life as long as possible. Most people would rather bear the ills they have than fly to others that they know not of. One would have supposed this to be true in an especial degree of the heir to a great empire. Like lesser mortals, princes have their worries and vexations, and their pleasures are limited like those of ordinary men. They can only eat a certain quantity of the daintiest dishes, and drink only so much of the finest champagne; if they do more they are as liable as the rest of us to a vulgar headache. But when we remember how vast are the means at their command for the promotion of their own happiness, anything like misery—except under such circumstances as those which surrounded Napoleon 111. after the battle of Sedan— would seem out of the question. True, permanent ill-health would be sufficient to create a distaste for life, and it may yet be shown that Prince Rudolph suffered from the epilepsy with which all his family are more or less tainted. Such evidence as we possess, however, shows that he enjoyed good health. Furthermore, it is known that he had many wholesome tastes. He was excessively fond of field sports, and had considerable literary and scientific aptitude. He was not so keen a soldier as is the present German Emperor, for whose intellectual character Prince Rudolph entertained no great opinion. It was an open secret that the two were not at all on friendly terms. They met last year, when the following conversation is said to have occurred. The Austrian had engaged the German in scientific and literary talk, which bored the latter, who presently turned away and brusquely remarked, "I am not ashamed to say that I do not understand you. To occupy oneself with these futilities is unworthy of a soldier and a hereditary Prince." "There is only one thing," returned Prince Rudolph, "which is unworthy of a hereditary ' Prince, and that is, to aspire to the " throne while his father is alive." It is certainly a fact that the Austrian Crown Prince possessed accomplishments unusual for one in his position. On many r grounds, therefore, it might have been supposed that he would have found life extremely agreeable. But there is a dark secret behind his. Probably the public will never know the whole truth, but already a good deal can be guessed. It is well known that Prince Rudolph and his wife lived on the worst possible terms, and the reason was that the husband was notoriously unfaithful. Not many Royal wives, we should say, are particularly happy in their marriages, even if their ' spouses manage to avoid open scandal. But Prince Rudolph seems to have thrown all discretion to the winds in his love affairs. That he was driven to his death either by or on account of a woman can now hardly be doubted. The mysterious suicide of a young and beautiful Austrian baroness on the same day that the Crown Prince shot himself is a singular and very suspicious incident, reminding one of  Edgar Allan Poe's gruesome tale, "The Assignation." But we need not theorise as to the cause which led the unhappy Prince to kill himself. Suffice it that, high-placed and fortunate as he seemed to be, he found existence so burdensome that he flung it away; and the civilised world stands aghast at the deed.  THE Warwickshire County Council held its first meeting as a Provisional Council at the Shire Hall, Warwick, on Thursday. The Council only enters on the fall possession of its administrative and executive powers on the let of April, but in the interim it has to elect a chairman and Aldermen, appoint various committees, and  'AV