A Royal Romance.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4026, 3 February 1892, Page 3

A Royal Romance.

The almost simultaneous deaths of' the Arohduke Henry of Austria and bis wife, the Baroness Jjßopoldine Waldeck, have called attention to the romantic detailß of their courtship and marriage, In 1866, just before tho commencement of the war between

Austria and Italy, the Arohduke, then j general in the Austrian army, £ made the acquaintance of Fraulein Leopoldine liofman, ihvprima dcnna of tbe Theatre at Graz. She was the daughter of a humble official in Lower Austria, but the Archduke became bo atlaohed to her that before be was summoned to Italy to fight for his country he engaged himßelf to her. In hia absence the girl was offered bribes to release him, but resolutely refused, At the end of the war the Archduke wo to to her to leave the theatre and to return to her parents, from whom he would fetch her as it became a bridegroom. She awaited for months and months, and was told secretly to. set to work on her bridal dress and to make ready; and at last, in February 1868, the pair were married in the private chapel ot tho Archduke's palace, at Bozen, whero only a priest and two witnesses were present. The Archduke simply said, " I declare this v.oman, in the presenco of a

priest of God and two witnesses, to bo a my lawful wife," and tho bride made A a corresponding declaration—a ceremony which, by canonic law, was perfectly legal, although differing from the usual form, The marriage was celebrated in spite of the explicit prohibition of the Emperor, and the Archduke was punished for his dis» ' obedience by having his appointment in the Austrian army cancelled. His same was struck out of the list of honoraty colonels of Austrian regiments, His appanage from the Imperial ciyil list was stopped, and it Was only years afterwards that his wife was raised to nolle rank under tjio titlo of Ijarooeas Waldepk. They wpro then allowed to reside with their only cliild on an estate near Bozen. Tho learned Archduke and his highly gifted wife soon made that spot the centre of the intellectual life of an extensive district of the Tyrol. Their bouse was always open to authors musicians, actors, journalists painters, and to the former military comrades of the Archduke, as well as even to a the humble relatives of the Archduke's W whose two sisters wore married resv pectively to a banker's clork and to a lawyer, and whose brothers filled posts in the lower ranks of the public service. The Archduke buried his ambitions and became a country gentleman,'devoting his time to the culture of hi?''orchards and' flower gafdens, to the arts, and to tbe education of tho peasantry, while his wife distinguished herself by acts of charity and benevolence on tho most munificent scale. They were idolised throughout the Tyrol, whore the memory of aoother Archduke, Ferdinand of t|ie Tyrol, who also marriej} a ejinjile country girl, is still ffefh.' Thejr no less popu ar in

other puts of Austria, especially in Vienna, where the tail strong figure of tlis Aroliduke, with his long white beard and blus eye?, was a familmr objeot. For years tlm Aroliduke remained in the Tyrol under the disfavour of the Court, but in 1889 lie regained the fivour of his liaporin! reatives, mid ho and his consort receivd a visit from tlie Emperor at Bozen, which was accepted as a public announcement of thoir reconciliation. Tho illness vhioh carried off tho Archduke and his wife were traceable to influenza, which has been raging of lato iu Vienna, Tho Archduk), with his consort and daughter arrivtd iu Vienna from Bozen ihreo works ago to attend the recent royal wedding, Both fell very ill simultaneously ahile staying at the iloiel Saoher, The medical men who attended them found them both sulfur" ing from inflammation of the lungs, Ineachc»se the disease rapidly developed, and on Saturday, November 28, tho Baroness died; while 1G hours later the Archduke's end came, He had not heard of his wife's death, for he was unconscious for many hours previous, It seems that the dovoted pair had some presentiment of death,, for before they left Buzen for Vienna tlw Archduke is reported to have said to his daughter, " My dear child, I and your mamma are very happy—too happy, Wo shall, perhaps, dio together," and both thj Archduke and his wife made their wills before they left.