CROWNS LOST FOR LOVE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 16 November 1907, Page 4

CROWNS LOST FOR LOVE.

ROMANTIC AUSTRIAN ROYALTIES. The marriage of the Countess Montignoso with Siguor Tosclli, the unpretentious musician, recalls how many Austrian Royalties have forfeited -their thrones, or their prospects of sovereignity, for love. There was the Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria, wlw threw his regal prospects to the winds to marry the woman he loved. He fell in love with Countess Cliotck, a handsome, high-spirited woman, hut socially hiti inferior. The news of his nephew's infatuation reached the ears of the Emperor Francis .Joseph, and he swore the marriage should never take place. lie sent for the Archduke j and pointed out, in terms of command, the advisability of the youth's allying himself with a princess 'of one of the Kuropean lloval houses. "li you persist," he said, ''you will forfeit your right to succeed to the throne of Ami tria. lhe line of succession shall be .■hanged, and the Archduke Karl shall become my heir." But, in spite of this august threat, the young Archduke married the Countess, and, in proper accordance with so romantic a, union, lias "lived happy ever after." He voluntarily and formally relinquished all claim to the Austro-Hungarian throne, 1111(1 declared himself pleased to be able to have made a sacrifice for love. Since those (lavs the aged Emperor has relented, and has declared the ardent Archduke as his successor. TIIK MYSTERIOUS JOHN ORTH. The Royal Family of Austria seems particularly chosen, by Destiny to supply examples of sacrifices for love. There is the strange case or the Archduke Johanii, who renounced his Royal rights and lied from Austria with the daughter of a shopkeeper. Passing from Die patrician world of purple to that of the plebeian homespun, lie assumed the name of John Orth and adopted the calling of a mariner. The history of this I strange love match is one of the most romantic in the entire annals of Royalty. He courted llizzi Strul cl under the names of "John Orth," and until the girl saw him at the head of the Roya

troops at some army manoeuvres, she had no idea of his identity. When next he visited Struliel's shop his advances met with a rebuff. Tlis intentions were suspected, despite his assurances thitt they were wholly honorable. But, notwithstanding the Emperor's opposition, the marriage took place, and the Duke and his bride sailed for Valparaiso. The ship was wrecked, and, although rumor from time to time insists that the Archduke is alive, he has never since been heard of. '• LEOPOLD WOELFLINC." J'he hero of another Austrian love match is the Archduke Leopold Ferdinand. lie is the brother of the Countess Monti'gnoso who has chosen the registry office for the civil ceremony of her second marriage. It was he who assisted his sister to elope with the •schoolmaster, Giron. when she left her palace in Saxony for ever. He fell in love with Wilhelniina Adamovitch, the daughter of a postman, and a secondrate actress. It was pointed out to him by some candid friends what a marriage of this sort would mean. Eank, income, and hope for the future would require to be jettisoned, said tiiey. But their importunities fell on deaf cars. Tli.> Archduke married the actress and lived happily for a considerable period. All would, perhaps, have gone well had not l Archduchess contracted the "simple life* craze. She became a strict vegetarian and was able to preach the ad vantages of a fleshlcss diet so well that she speedily converted her husband. Then she discarded the garb of civilisation and took to a one-pieee garment, to say nothing of sun baths and other forms of the health fad. Next she joined a simple life colony on the banks of Lake Maggiore, which rejoiced in the inspiring name of "New Men," 01" Nature's Children." Thev came 90 close to nature in the Cachings and practices that even the easy-going Loopo.d Woeifling revolted, and'their pretty romance has temporarilv ended. A WOMAN'S LOVE STORY. The Archduchess Elizabeth, the favorite grand-daughter of the Emperor of Austria, is another Royalty who chose the man she loved rather than pomp and circuumstance. She first met Otto von Windisch-Gratz at a reception, and several times had him for a partner ill tenuis tournaments. By degrees their accircumstance. She first met Otto Yon length ripened into love. But the rigid etiquette of the Austrian Court forbade young Otto from incurring the Princess's displeasure by proposing. Elizabeth surmounted the dillicnlty by proposing herself. She is the daughter of the ill" fated Prince Rudolph, whose strange death still remains a mystery. At the time of her father's death she was six vcar.s old, and the Emperor lavished more affection on her than 011 any member of the Royal Family. His consent to the marriage was wrung from him. How great an effort it was is realised when one considers that an ancestor of Otto's was the celebrated ballet dancer, Taglioni. As the daughter of the Crown Prince she was the nearest in to the throne. Her mother, after the Crown Prince's death, renounced her titles in order to marry the Count de Lonvav, who held a minor post in the Austrian Embassy. This union maddened her father, the King of Belgium. and lost her her allowances of ■e-10.000 from Austria and £4OOO from her father. A year ago she was obliged t"_ dispose of her jewels. Other Austrian love matches were made bv the Arehrlnehess Marie Christine, who" wedded a lieutenant in the Prussian Uhlans, and the Archduke Joseph Ferdinand, who discarded all his chances of preferment to marry the buxom daughter of the keeper of a restaurant. Tt is strange that there should be such connubial falality about one Royal family.