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Show The Oldest' Monarch. Francis Joseph, emperor of Austria tnd king of Hungary, enters upon the Tth year of his age. He is the veteran Jifnong European rulers. King: Oscar ff Norway was born some eighteen months earlier, but did not come to the Throne for a quarter of a century after ihe accession of the Austrian emperor. Fome of the prineelings and grand rlukes of little German states are alsoi f-nior in years to Francis Joseph. But ihis dean of the royal chapter was rowned in 1848. at the age of 18. I This life is not only the longest upon p. European throne, but it has been f-hadowed by domestic tragedies for which high public station offers no recompense. re-compense. His brother Maximilian) -"as shot to death at Queretaro, tool and victim of the Intrigue of the se"c-nd se"c-nd Napoleon to establish an empire in Mexico. His only son, Rudolph, heir in the throne, died by his own hands as the culmination of a court scandal. His impress, the beautiful an4 saintly Elizabeth Eli-zabeth of Bavaria, was stabbed to flf-ath by an anarchist at Geneva only 'ight years ago. It is the most tragic record which the j apes of modern history bear of a royal family. |