The early part of 1874 was darkened by the illness of Princess Elisabeth, who was seized by a contagious disease whilst supervising the distribution of gifts to the poor children of Bucharest. Fortunately the trouble abated in time to enable the Princess to enjoy the visit of her brother-in-law, Prince Frederick. Princess Marie, too, was not spared by the epidemic, and for a few days her condition caused the gravest anxiety to her parents.
From the German Crown Prince, March 21st, 1874.
"You will certainly have followed with sympathy the course of the lamentable religio-political struggle between our Government and the Papal Curia. I am sorry that it should have occurred; but I foresaw it, as the custom, established these thirty years, of giving way to the demands of Rome rather than maintaining a firm position could not possibly continue. I think, perhaps, a different sequence in the legislature might have been observed; but since the struggle has been undertaken we must carry it through. Austria, very opportunely for us, is beginning to adopt a similar attitude.
"I am sorry that there should be a current report that the Government wishes to attack the Catholic Church and its dogmas for their own sake. Every one who is capable of calm deliberation must know that nothing is further from our thoughts."
To Prince Charles Anthony, April 7th, 1874.
"I write to you oppressed by care and anxiety on account of our dear child, who is suffering from scarlet fever. On Saturday she was quite well, and drove out with us in the warm spring weather; early on Sunday she complained of not being well. Her malady increased towards midday, and was accompanied by sickness. Towards evening she became very restless and feverish, and Dr. Theodori recognised the symptoms of a dangerous illness. The poor child passed a very bad night, moaning and sleepless, whilst we watched by her bedside; at 2 A.M. her skin became deep red, and her temperature rose considerably. Theodori came at eight o'clock and pronounced it to be scarlet fever. At noon her whole body was burning with heat, and her head was affected. The doctor then informed me that the illness was so dangerous that he should like another opinion. A consultation took place the same evening in the sick-room, to which the local medical authorities were summoned. They did not conceal her serious condition from us, and declared that her age added to their anxiety.
"Another bad night was passed, but the fever was less intense the following morning; there was no question of sleep. We do not lose our courage, and trust in God, who will not abandon us in the hour of our trouble...."
After a slight improvement on the 8th the condition of the child became so alarming at midnight that her parents, who had not left her side till eleven P.M., were again summoned to her bed. They found their little daughter gasping for breath. The hastily summoned physicians declared the condition of their patient to be hopeless. As she lay in the lap of her English nurse, the child's strength seemed to ebb with every minute, and as the first rays of the rising sun touched the windows of the room, the despairing parents were kneeling by the lifeless body of their only child. Only a short time could be given them to be near her; the little coffin was closed, and carried by the grief-stricken father out of the death-chamber. A long procession accompanied the body of the little Princess to the Church of Cotroceni, where it was to remain until the morrow, which was Good Friday. At two o'clock the last sad rites of the Orthodox Church were celebrated in the presence of an enormous concourse of sympathetic representatives of every class of society.