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Notes |
Creator unknown. [The sad fate of the Archduchess MATILDA of Austria has served to cause only less profound sorrow throughout Europe than that of her grand-uncle MAXIMILIAN of Mexico, and the incident has produced much greater comment and excited more sympathy in is country than events of that character usually do.
ARCHDUCHESS MATILDA was dearly beloved by the people of her father's duchy for her gentleness and amiability. Her mother, the Archduchess HILDEGARDE of Bavaria, was looked upon by the Austrians in nearly the same light with which the English and Americans regard Queen VICTORIA of England-a model wife and mother. When her mother died, in 1864, the Princess MATILDA, seemed to have inherited all this love of her people; and as growing older she displayed more of the same gentle qualities of her mother, the devotion of her subjects seemed to increase. She evinced a singularly lively interest in the arts and sciences, was almost daily to be seen at the various galleries and art-exhibitions of Vienna, and was a frequent visitor of the theatres. When the marriage which was arranged in 1864 between her and Prince HUMBERT, the Crown-Prince of Italy, was announced, the people and papers of Austria discussed the event with great interest, and the best wishes for her happiness were frequently expressed in the papers. For once the people seemed to forget that royal marriages are dictated by policy, and inquired if the union with the young Italian was likely to conduce to the happiness, rather than the glory, of their beloved Princess. It was believe that she had set her heart on the union, and when it was broken off by the war of 1866 it became a matter of national regret.
On the 22d of May, as she was standing at a window in the palace in Vienna, talking with her young cousin the Archduke FREDERICK, she suddenly felt a burning heat, and screamed out. Her attendants hastened toward her, and perceived that the unfortunate lady was in flames. From some cause unknown, for it is said there was neither fire nor light in the room, her clothes had taken fire, and her back, arm, neck, and the lower extremities were seriously burned before the flames could be extinguished. It was supposed that she must have trodden on a match which had been carelessly dropped on the floor. At the same time of the accident the worst results were apprehended, in consequence of the inflammation that supervened, but a few days later it was announced that the unfavorable symptoms were subsiding, and hopes of her recovery were entertained. The prolonged suffering was, however, too much for her system, and she expired on June 6, at eight o'clock]. |
