THE ROMANCE OF AN ARCHDUKE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 1 July 1903, Page 79

THE ROMANCE OF AN ARCHDUKE.

(By FuzoLKAJ.n Molloy. :n Men and

Women )

It happened ou a sununei day in the year 1888— a day to remain for ncr memorable to one man md woman— that Fianz Stubel, an honest tradesman )f Vienna, went with his wife and three daughters for an outing in the country. Light-hearted, free-stepping, and .--inging for gladness, the girls-cr.rned a basket con° taining the dinner they were to eat in the >pen ail. To those whos-e lives were pent in a great city the freshness ;md beaut\ of nature came as a relief and rest : widespread &kie?7 sunlit pastures, and the ripple of glowing corn being gloiiou.s pictures for tired eves; while pure aa. bilmy odours from wild flowei, shrub, and field, the singing of birds, the ringing of sheep-bdls, the lowing of cattle, weie adjuncts o' a Minnv holiday long to be remembered

The incident which was to give the touch of excitement that arises fiom danger, the feeling of satisfaction that mcceed> peril escaped, was presently to be add> d When midday had pas>ed, and appetite began to awake, and arms to tire fiom the weight of a basket packed with home-made jnes, f-ausages, rich cheese, and cool, delicious beer, the paity selected a wood wherein tn eat their Ine.ll. A spot was chosen where a mos'-v mound presented itself as a table, speckled here and there with splashes of sun like gold plate on a banquet board; red-stemmed pines lifting them.sjlws high towaids the blue as .«cret-n.«, long grasses and wild flowers making a carpet richer and softer than ever coveied pala:c floors.

The basket was unpacked amid the chatter of joyous voices, and with an energy that threatened to smash glass and ware, v.'ho«e marvellous escapes brought about peals, of laughtei. fhen, seated in a circle, eoiks diawn, pie curved, sausage cut, th* party bpgan to enjoy themselves Suddenly the report of a gun and the whi/zin^ of a bullet above theii heads made the gnlv >-tart and scream. Tn a minute Franz Stubel was on his short, stuidy leg?, looking to n_'ht and left for the source of his danger, when he saw. coming tou.nds him. gun in hand, game bag on back a .nan whose age might be ;ibout 54. erect ;>ml MiiMre-'-linii'dered. with the air of a sai dier, blond Jace ; blue eyed, well favoured

generally. Attracted by the screams, h.had hurried towards the spot, and, hat in hand, offered many apologies for the scare he unwillingly had caused. His manner, at once respectful, easy, and regretful, made a favourable impiession upon all, and not only were his explanations accepted, but he was invited to join the party at their interrupted meal.

Readily accepting this Courtesy, he placed his gun aside, sat down upon the grass, and ate, drank, and made merry with this honest citizen and his family. Franz Stubel was a hearty man, his wife a v uxom woman, and the daughters comely girls, fair-haired, with blushing cheeks, eyes < f azure, plump figured, and spirits all untrammelled and joyous. Of the three, Milly was the most charming, for her figure had a grace and her movements a lightness that were bewitching. Frank in speech, unwilling to conceal aught about the nseives, they told him their names. Franz Stubel gossiped of his trade, and Milly, with a touch of pride, let it be known that she was a dancer at the Opera House. In turn he described himself as an engineer, adding that his name was Johann Orth, and that he also lived in Vienna.

When dinner was ended he seemed in no hurry to leave them, they in no haste to be rid of him. so he spent the remainder of the day with them, generally managing to walk beside Milly. to talk to and watch het, with eyes that wondered and admired, communicated with and appealed to her own. Unaccountably, without warning, the word had grown richer in happiness, fuller of beauty, than he could have believed possible; had, in fact, been transformed into a Paradise by the strange and subtle power of this Eve, who in the space of a few hours had thrown over him a spell from which he had no desire to escape, and <=uch as never before had it been in the power of woman to weave for him. He returned with them to the city in the gathering darkness, parting from them in the suburbs, his hand in farewell grasping hers with a grip whose meaning her heart interpreted, his promise soon to see them again, addressed to all, bsing a promise, as she knew, to her. For she at first sight had fallen in love with this tall and handsome man, whose voic; was music to her ear, whose gracious presen:e filled her with a happiness that gave a new zest to life.

11. Days passed without lessening the impression she had mads on Johann Orth, the name under which the Archduke Johann Salvator of Tuscany had introduced himself to these humble citizens. Nephew of the Emperor Fiancis Joseph, and a fieldmarshal in the Austrian army, Jie might hope to win for his wife the daughter or sister of a king. But he was a man whose temperament singled him out from those surrounding him. The liberality of his political views had frequently brought him into trouble with his Imperial relatives, who were als< offended by his hatred of ceremony and impatience of conventionality. But aboVt all there lav hidden in the inmost recesses of his nature the longing to find for his mate one not for him, for reasons of state or policy, but a woman who, disregarding his position, would marry him for himself alone.

It now seemed as if, when least expected. the dream and desire of his life were about to be realised. He had made inquiries regarding Milly. the dancer at the Opera, and learned that her character was above reproach. He had visited the Stubel family in their home, where, believing him an engineer, they received him on equal terms with a homeliness and simplicity that delighted him. And on many an evening he went to the Opera House, where, from the shadow of a curtained box, unsuspected by her. he watched Millv dance with an exciuisite grace that enchanted him. At such times his absorbed ndmirntion was loughlv broken in on by the rapturous applause of <lip audience, and it seemed iniolprable to him tha* other men should bo able to share his deli"ht and to eossip of one who was merely a public dancer to them.

A* from the first he had meant to net honpsth' by this. girl, whose lovp was bevonrl all pstimnte to him. Hp a?kpd her to be his wife, and she consenting, he bejrcpd her to leive ill? sia^e and. as his fiancee, to accept an allowance which out of his p-irnin^s he was*. h° said, able to give her. Meantime rumour of this infatuation spread tlrroiij'h tli" Tonrt. and eventually rei^hed hi« nrHe the Emppr'ir. who, on sppakinc; of Mi'lv tn the Afl'dukp. was frankly told that lip rop-nit tr> nuike h°r his wife.

At thi« astonishing <ti*#m»nt banter £rra n lilac? tn a'nrm T1"» Firnrrnr angrily rnmmanrlpd liim (o brpak off all rommunira-ti<-.n with the girl : 'he Archduke's mother ;iddpcl hpr tpnrn f l ■entreat ip<=. w^Up his r-niisin '.ml friprd. the Ar-Wnkp Rudolph, tl'd all he pauld to persuade him from his intention 0

Tn the hon* of wenkenin 1 ; his resolve hv r<- moving him from her vicinity, the Anhfliike «"is sent in comrw-.nrl of an army mrns to Lii>z. As n «olrl^£>p he nbevod. but. penrpsentine f.n M'Uv that his businpss as an encifeer took h'Ti away. lie rarn'pd on an airlfnt mi vpsnondpnre with her undpr the mmr> of Joha'in Orth. crivin^ his r><l-Hr-ps,* at Uip vtost oflW of tha tipiphbourintj town of Omundpn. whpre hp railed for hpr '"ttoi's. Tt now* began to riiwri on Fran fstuhel tlwf there was «nmethm'» c u«niriou = about her rl,ui'_ f h<er*« finnc. of wl>n«e anterpilenis «f fnvnilv rlip knew notliina. and who camp .and w^nt witli an «i" of mv«st<»rv iW nii7/led her His m-cMt removil :>(\(\'r\ to her «i!*T)ieinr><!. iml carpful of lipv t 1 til cht pi's wolf.up slip rpsoivpil to learn ■■omethins: nhont the mm For tli.it u"icon <■!>? w>nt lo Oniumlfn. wli=t° <lip rundc iiKluiriP* but. tiifiiorii +lie inhabitants of that ".maH ton 11 kn*-w al! about nch othpr, 'imp Tin J Lp.-ikl of Johann Orth. TMpfnl nt I>°>- fiihiro <-he iPturn*-d to Millv. ■who would not listen to doi-biR regarding '■hi* imn in wlio«e I'.vp nrul rononr slip hul n 1 fp"t tru«t TT&r nrithpi older anrl wis, >• in the vnvliTs ivivp. fp;«rpfl dprPT)tion. -"if! MirrireQforl that irMh should io'irney to Liuz, whence his letters were written, and

ask there if anyone knew of Johann Ortb. So together they went to this military town, whose streets rang all day with the sound of bugles and the tramp of soldiers marching to and from their exercises in the great space known as the Parade. To all questions regarding Johann Orth they received the same reply-r-no one knew him. Was it possible, Milly wondered, that he had assumed a name in order to deceive her? Many small things sprang up in her mind which strengthened the fear.

111. As the day passed her spirits sank, feai clutched her heart, and would not be banished by recollection of his honest face and the trutnful rirg of his aident words Silently and wearily the two women wandered about the town, until presently they found themselves at the Parade, where soldiers were going through some manoeuvres. Then suddenly Milly's heart stood still, for in the distance, mounted on a spirited horse, and wearing the uniform of a fieldmarshal, she saw the man who called himself Johann Orth. With a cry she fell senseless to the ground. A crowd immediately gathered roiind her. and to see what had happened the Archduke rode up. In 1 second he recognised Milly, and, jumping from his horse, he pressed through; the throng and raised her in his arms. As she gave no sign of immediate .recovery he ordered her" to be carried to the apartments in the Royal palace which he oc-» cupied. As soon as his duties permitted he followed. Pale, teaiful, and stricken, she eagerly waited, and on seeing him reproached him with a torrent of burning words with having won her leva under the pretence of being het equal, and of having engaged himself to marry her knowing she could never be his wife. In answer he told her he had won her love under a name not his own to make sure &he loved him for himself alone, and he swore he would make her his wife. Permission to carry out this intention was sought from the Emperor, who was outraged at the request ; but, notwithstanding reproaches and threats, the Archduke 'eft the palace unaltered in his determination. For months he delayed his marriage, hoping to win the Emperor's consent, knowing that its gain would procure Milly the position due to her as hia wife, and" probably lead to her being ennobled. But as the Emperor was inflexible the Archduke resigned his rank and citizenship, and issumed the name of Johann. Orth He then came to London, Tvhere he was joined by Milly and her mother, and in February, 1890, they were married in Islington at a registry office, the certificate being signed by the Austrian Consulgeneral in London. Johann Orth then bought in Liverpool ft ' ship which he renamed tlie Sfc. Margarethe, all drawings and photographs of which he stipulated should be handed to him? These he burned, that she might not be recognised in future. In her he sailed for Buenos Ayres, and from there he and hia wife • started for Valpariso, round Cape Horn, " where it is believed his ship foundered in, a storm, for sin was seen 01 heard of never again. A disappearance so complete and mysterious led to innumerable and romantic? . stories concerning him — one being that, hay« < iug divided the quarter of a million pounds which he was known to have on board among his crew, he burned his ship, landed at 3hili, and became one of the leaders of ' its rebellion ; another statin? that, offering his military services to China, he became ' a marshal in the Chinese army ; while ft ' third related that he had settled down in one of the Pacific Islands. But the search,- " ing inquiries instituted by the Emperor of . Austria in every country failed to find the slightest trace of Johann Orth.

—In almost every school in Japan it is the custom on© day in the autumn to tate the pupils out rabbit-hunting.