The Late Empress of Austria.

Manawatu Herald, 22 September 1898, Page 2

The Late Empress of Austria.

L mm l r A l Ti conoporfon /with! f fie dreadful and tragic death of tha lute Emprest of Aiisr,rin,wbit!li the- whole oivilised world i- now deploring, an incident has, came to, our .knowledge whioh demonstrates the gdngine kindness of heart which was a prominent trait to rhu disp wn'tion* of flic deceased lidy. Borne 20 year* ago, the Em* press was on a banting visit in Northamptonshire in England, and a meeting of the Pytobley Hnnt ClUib waa to be held at^Uhorpe OiStlp, the residence of Lord Spencer, in that county. The Empress was viaitios another uobISBEHHJ, r tome fww milea distant, and was *o ode over to Alihorpe to take par| iii.TOB hunt. M.'st of our readers are probably aware that the Empress was one of the most accomplished borsfcwomen iv the world, and perhaps also the finest figure of any lady -of '-her time. Althorpe Castle was undergoing exteneive repftirt, and, the weatbtr being cold, the usual «coop)modation hr ladie* to warm themselves before starting had to be hastily improvised. .In the emergency recourse was had to the rooms used as offices, by the clerks and secretaries attached to Lord Spencer's establishment. They were informed of the difficulty, and it was proposed that they retire into the adjacent smaller office, leaving the larger room* hi -Which a tjood fire had been lighted for the temporary use of the Empress and her attendants. This suggestion waa oarried -into effect, ana what preparations were possible In the short time at disposal were oarried out, special attention being paid 10 making 1 the rooms as warm and comfortable as possible". -Juat as all was done that time permitted, the Empress accompanied by her suite, rode up to the castle, and the circumstances having' been explained to b^er, she-, and the ladies accompanying her; wire shown to the apartment wbioh had /been improvised into a temporary reception room, in which they made themReives as comfortable as possible during the short time which ..elapsed prior to the hunt startirig. t)n the return of the clerks and secretaries to their usual room, each found on his desk a five pound nq|g, .Qne of them now resides in T)annevirke, and no wonder he speaks in terms of gratitude of the kindly and con-

wderate act of the thoughtful and generous lady who, in this unostenta. . ttious way, showed her womanliness of character and disposition in the little incident we have just narrated. . And this is the woman whom fate decreed to end bier days at the hand of an assassin. Ob, the horror and the degradation of such a deed !— Jkmnwirfo Post I