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Show THlTSaiT UkKE 'TTOTOfr BTJNPAY MORNING, -- T ' li' r-i- r -- N. A ' I . ustriars ''.''..-... -- Which : V ' . j jr T . we-nn- er !-,- n -. rfd :. thoosftht J- . d trangest oout the stage "PompaPlump dour" Katie SchratL life, , Cottumet like made her a favorite of the Vienna ttage 40 peart ago . , . before Franz Joseph persuaded her to abandon her career. A The T the age of 74, with the golden memorial or a royal romance behind her, Frau Katherina Schratt hat luddenly itepped out of the dead patt and is now once a sain K tlately Napoleon " V I I mantic life, . i It Wat not only the announcement of Frau Schratt't return to the stage, however, - which made her the heroine of V ienna's most recent sensation. If the Viennese were taken aback by that unexpected decision, they were genuinely startled by, the news that she had left the , capital for Switzerland in an automobile and was taking airplane rides in Zurich and Lucerne. It seemed incredible that the woman who had lived for 40 years as the spirit incarnate of a past century and . had shared her imperial lover's aversion for every modern contrivance, shunning' not only automobiles but even elevators and telephones, should suddenly go modern d to the extent of flying over the Alps in a flimsy machine. aii GREAT deal of gossip has been written ' and told about the relations ol Frau Schratt and the late Emperor Franz Joseph, but the true story of her amazing career and the real nature of the role played by her in the life of Franz loseoh is known, outside of the members of the Hapsburg family, to stut very few people. Frau Schratt was playing in the Burgtheater in Vienna when she received the invitation for a private audience with rranz Joseph, which began the strange royal romance that lasted for JU years. She was an extremely able, unusually beau tiful and very populatctress, who was married unhappily to a Hungarian nobleman, a certain Baron NkhoIas voifvRMi. the youthful heroines in classicH. dramas and the leading feminine roles in French-- , comedies. It was in one of these parts that the Emperor, who was in the company of his wife, the "Fjti-preElizabeth, saw her and was charmed By the young actress' grace and beauty. The Em press suggested that Frau Schratt be invited to the imperial box after the second act and H was she who insisted upon her being asked to participate in a private conference held in Schoenbrunn Castle a few weeks later. On this occasion, howejer. the Empress, us ing a passing headache as a pretext, was absent The next eveninz Frau Schratt had her dtts dinner inTlis Majesty's private suite in Schoeh brunn, in ;the Napoleon Room, used by the Emperor as his private dining room. The Empress had cogent reasons for bringing together her husband and Frau Schratt. The marriage of Empress Elizabeth had proved . ed 4 'V C loved "Herr Schratt" She had, however, not much time to bewail her lifelong friend jfithe room where he had died. Ten minute after Franz Joseph- - had closed' hit eyes, the new Emperor appeared in the room, took gently Frau Schratt by the arm and led her out down the staircase . . . across the vestibule . . . right to the side entrance of the Hofburg, where a carriage Was awaiting her. Two days later, when she asked for permission to view the body lying in state, the Lord Chamberlain, Prince Montenu-ov-o, told her that her presence in the Hofburg or at Schoenbrunn Castle would not be tolerated. With Emperor Charles there began a new period in the history of the Danubian Monarchy and Frau Schratt had no part in this last chapter. Frau Schratt, of course, had many Publishers chances to make her fortune. from all over Europe and America offered her large sums of money if she would only write her memoirs, telling the world the intimate details of her married life with the last of the Caesars. But Frau Schratt re fused. She would never do anything that might harm the memory of her beloved "Kaiser Franz," she said. Nor would she sell those souvenirs which she had received from the Emperor. She was determined to honor his memory, even to the extent of not riding in' automobiles and refusing to use the telephone. ... world in which the had lived for so a time toon forgot Frau Schratt the friend of the Emperor, but the world which she had been forced to leave, the world of art and theater, still remembered her. e Her colleagues of the Imperial Theater still visited her and brought with them members of the younger generation: actors, actresses, playwrights, directors. She again began to hear theatrical gossip, plans of new plays, new methods of ttage production and her interest in the stage, buried at the command of her imperial friend, was again aroused. You could see her at dress rehearsals, sitting in a box, in her strange, clothes with a funny little hat on her head. Vienna gossiped about her return to the stage and was surprised to learn that Katie Schratt was giving stage lessons to two young, poor but very able pupils of the Burgtheater t ttage show. Then her few but selected friends observed a slow but visible transformation in her: Frau Schratt who had something cooly aristocratic in her deportment and who showed the same aloofness in her conversations, which had so much characterized the late Emperor, became more vivacious, more informal, more interested. From below the dusty cover of old memories the real character of Katie Schratt began to break through. The last of the Pompadours, whose life for 40 years had been but a reflection of the life and personality of a gTeat Emperor, began at last to throw off the chains of memories and started life anew. Once again, after so many yearr, she was Katie "Schratt. the lovable actress, the typical Viennese woman, who thought with regret of the many years the had spent far from her first .love: the stage. TrlE loved poeirj and adventure. , loseph, slippers and stogies Schratt. Husband Franz r . . and Katie one-tim- - -- ' YH-- f - ' Franz Joseph' Pompadour, however, was not at all blinded by having become the unofficial Empress of the monarchy. She kept her own friends, chiefly the actaw imd actresses of Vienna. Every second week she had an afternoon devoted to visiting or receiving them, and the Emperor was politely but firmly asked on such occasions to keep away "from home" and spend that particular afternoon in. the magnificent rooms of Schoenbrunn Castle. Austro-Hungari- love affair that started with first .dinner in Schoenbrunn developed into' one of the most peculiar royal romances known in history. It wasn't the result of a flaming passion, but the friendship of two people who were born to live the usual life of a typically Viennese "Spiessburger" couple instead of playing leading roles on the stage of world history. Frau Schratt had a little house in the Elizabethstrasse near the Imperial Palace and every afternoon at four the Emperor visited her here. The furniture bore not the least trace of luxury, the whole house looked like the aparto Viennese family. ment of a The Emperor, who was, of course, known to the trusted servants, was called in these rooms "Herr Schratt," smoked cheap cigars, put on slippers, rehearsed with Frau Schratt her roles, asked whether the plumber had been there to fix this or that, listened with interest to Katie's gossip and read the afternoon papers. During the 30 years that the Emperor knew Frau Schratt he dined not once without her except at state dinners. If he was too busy to come, he tent the imperial carriage for her and the two took their evening meal either in the Napoleon Room in Schoenbrunn or in a little room next to hia study in the Hof-bur- the passing years Frau Schratt the habits and customs of the man who retained several of his pet aversions even in the house of his friend. Franz Joseph was a very conservative man who did not allow the telephone to be installed in. the palace and who would never ride in an automobile. W 4 Austria' late great Em-- ; Franz Joseph. peror . . . To 60.000,000 people he was the last of the Caesars . . . to Katie Schratt, a con- stant, commonplace intimate friendship with Franz Joseph not help Frau Schratt in her stage He insisted on her leaving the career. stage, but for a long time she resisted, continuing to play leading roles and later came to America with the Burgtheater, Later the Emperor bought a little villa for Although Frau Schratt had no political amhis friend in the Cloriettstrasse in Heitzin. just bitions whatever, her influence was keenly felt, a few minutes' walk from Schoenbrunn Castle, not only by members of the Imperial family, and a modest country home in Ischl in the prox but by cabinet ministers and politicians. imity ot his own summer residence. The Viennese knew her position and influence but did not resent it, mainly because she never wanted anything for herself and because Jjratt's house very early in the morning. On ucfrccasions he would open the door with a she always sided with the poor and' common ' latch keyand slip out of the house on his toes. people. Even members of the Imperial family It once happened that Frau Schratt hired a new asked her help when they wanted something from the Emperor. maid, who, awakened by the retreating footAs the years passed by the Imperial family steps, thought that a robber was in the house almost openly recognized the unofficial marriage and started screaming. of the Emperor to Frail Schratt. Katie Schratt, "Shut trp. yrn- - iirryvromsn r'cemffia fided Franz Joseph. "Don't you know me? I am the daughter of a small Viennese storekeeper, the Emperor 1" received frequent visits from Archdukes and n The maid looked at him, recognized the Archduchesses. She also was a regular guest in the palace of Archduke Gisella. the Emperfeatures, fell on her knees and began to or's daughter, and gave little tea parties for The Emperor ran sing the national anthem. out ot the house as quickly as he could. members ot the reigning family. C 'Copyright, 1IS, By ErrrWck Huctslnt Printed ! V. S. g. well-know- an WITH well-to-d- ss J': ... . ' li. V , THE snow-cappe- 4" ! Empress Elizabeth an unhappy one: she did not love the Emperor whose dry, austere personality and strict adherence to the rigid forma -- of -xourt etiquette repellent to her. Franz Joseph was a soldier, a man of Philistine tastes, typical "bourgeois" on the throne, whue Elizabeth -wm temperamental,- - Bohemian, a lover of poetry and adventures. well-kno- fA J.' ' " xfluitile The Austrian capital, which the ruled for 40 years at the power behind the throne, learned with astonishment that "Frau Katie" had signed a contract with the manager of the Car! Theater to appear tome tine this season, in a new play written especially for her bythe dramatist Egon Friedell. The stage which "the last of the Pompadours" gave up for the love of the late Emperor Franz Joseph, has reconquered her in the evening of ner ro- A.JL- - ' Y I the topic of Vienna. ! A : - N. Hiistory -- V rofal catllt. . . . Here iic Emperor and Katie Jined for 30 peart. Koyal had lost not only her Emperor, not only her master and protector, but also her be- kr.' ' . liii By EMERY DERI in """X' . , . of Hiding, gmn- - Romance A . : Grand Old Haps?7urg Monarch Detested, the ! VA , "Taken to "Riding in Airplanes and Autos l - Has Come Out rnd TlasetV icnna s - . or Years Companion Emperor Fran?: Joseph, Has :: to the Stage Frau JCatie Schratt, 0 - Empress Returns C.r: ? ) m v HER Frau Schratt shared these strange notions of late as 1916 communicated, with the Emperor through special messengers. She refused to sit in a motor car, retaining ber old carriage, which looked like a memory of bygone decades. She dressed according to the fashion of the gay nineties and even refused to appear in modern plays where the would have to put on an appropriately modern "Herr Schratt" and as dress. There was only one trait in her character of which the Emperor violently disapproved: her unlimited liberality in financial matters. She did not know the value of money and spent it at quickly as she could. Franz Joseph was. thrifty and an enemy of every Jund of extrava- - . ganc." Sometimes Frau Schratt had a hard time persuading him to raise her allowance or what to pay her debts. At happened rather often last the Emperor trrew angry and commissioned Herr Palmer to supervise Frau Schratt's financial affairs. For the amount thus saved Franz Joseph bought her magnificent jewelry, of ' which she was very fond. F Franz Joseph loved the simple, frank and vivacious actress in his younger years, this love changed into an almost passionate de votion as he grew older. It was Frau Schratt alone who could comforthim.' andwhen he was ick'The"cburt physician always, needed tie energetic support of Frau Schratt to persuade the old Emperor to take his medicines. Before his death Frau Schratt spent four days and four nights at Franz Joseph s bedside nursing him like a devoted wife. And at last,, when death came,, Frau Schratt knew that the I A- - 1 the manager of the Carl a new hit for the present season. Everybody suggested something else, until at last Hen Egon Friedell hit npon a daring ideas a play should be written bout life in old, pre-wVienna, and the leading role should be played by Katie Schratt In three days the first act was ready, Frau Schratt had signed a contract and had aeed to help Herr Friedell with a few practical hints about the play. Hen Friedell invited her for a motor tour throughout Switzerland and Frau Schratt . . . noi Katie Schratt, accepted. "Strange are the ways of women,' she replied when questioned about her return to the stage. "My first love and my great ldve was the theater and I missed it even when I was surrounded with pomp and luxury. Maybe my dresses are but I feel youne. - 'u fact, strong And.. fresh. you rtg- - ar r beainner just studvins her first role. 'Today, if 1 had the chance to choose between a royal palace and the stage I certainly would choose the latter. I somehow feel that the woman who had lived in me for 40 years is dead and that I am the Woman of my youth: an actress and nothing else." RECENTLY ar . 7 |