Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-01-07
THE ROMANCE IN THE LIFE OF A
DEPOSED BOURBON QUEEN.

Fifty years ago there were In the Court
at Naples two young ladies Of royal
blood, whose names often appear in the
journals of that day. The younger was
but a girl of ten years, indeed, and yet
still in that almost tropical climate she
was budding into womanhood, and had
become one of the many princesses in
Europe about whose future marriage
rumor busted itself The other was
eight years older. Both were beautiful
and gifted; both educated according to
their rank, high bred, accomplished,
ambitious, and free from all taint in the
blue blood that flowed in their veins
To make use of common phrase, both
the young ladies were in the market for
a royal marriage alliance. After receiv-
ing and declining various proposals,
Caroline, the elder, was welded to the
Duke de Berri, heir to the throne of
France, and became the mother of the
Count de Chambord, present pretender
to the kingdom, as successor of the
great monarch. After some years Maria
Christina, the younger, vas espoused to
Ferdinand VII, of Spain, and gave
birth to Isabella II, the exiled
Queen of Spain, and to her SIS
ter, the Duchess of Montpensier, Let
us take both Caroline and Maria Chris
tina for the text of our remarks. The
former left the theater in Paris on the
evening of February IA, 1920, to drive
home. Her husband, the Duke, was
assassinated the moment after he had
seen her of. Seven months and more
afterward she gave birth to a male child,
whose advent into the world was hailed
by the Bourboniste with delinous JOY.
They called him the Gift Of God, gave
him at the baptismal font the title of
Dieu Dome, styled him in their ad-
dresses to the throne-sinoe Bonaparte
had lust died at St. Helena-the Child
of Europe, and recorded their satisfac.
ton by the purchase and presentation OF
an estate that has ever since given him
the name of the Count de Chambord
Caroline. his mother, when Charles y,
in 1880, abdicated the crown in this
boys favor, holding him by the hand,
left France by stated marches, escorted
by the household troops, fed to La
Vendee, and endeavored to excite the
peasantry to rise in favor of her son.
Sha failed was imprisoned, gave birth to
a child, Gpd then confessed that she had
been privately married to Count Lu-
Sbessi Palli. This destroyed every SEN
timebt of chivalrous colbpaTslon which
the struggle of brave woman toF the
rights Of her ss,s naturally produced, and
she returned to her kFsband, never alter
ward to appear in r9h9csi aHslrs. Her
escutche0n was blotted.
TAKING 4 THBONE BY STRATEGY.
Maria Christina, who married Ferdi-
nand VII Of Spain, prevailed on her
husband, TO whom she had borne two
children, both females, to annul the
Salic law, which prevailed in'Spain as
in France, and to bequeath his scepter
to his eldest daughter, Isabella, and fail
ing her to heF sister, Dona Luisa, the
Infanta, now the wife eff the Due de
Montpensier, Louis Philippe's youngest
son. This was done, and the ancient
Cortes of the kingdom we're summoned
to recognize and swear fealty to the
heiress of the throne. By the same in
strumept Maria Christina was appointed
Governing Queen or Regent in the
event of Ferdinand dying before Isa-
bella had attained her majority. The
coftes. a merely ceremonial body, pos
sessine no deliberative functions vhat-
ever, gave formal assent to the ar
rangement; and oE the death OF her hus-
hand 10 1888 Christina assumed the direc-
ton of government, which she srccess.
fully held, witk the exception Of the brief
interval when EspSFtero star sin the
till l846, Shen Isabella
was declared of age. From Mag. lo4l,
till August, 1913, Espartero governed
Spain. During this 6ne Christina took
refuge in Paris, and was eonrteously
entertained by the King Of the freGeh-
a distinction by no means entirely due
10 her Bourbon blood. Her children,
over whom she was known to have, and
unbounded influence, we're
the Queen and IHfspta of Spain; aud
Louis Philippe was faF too shreEd per
sonage to neglect showing ciyiiitas 20 IA
LADY with whom the choice Of husbands
for those interesting young princesses
vould ne sure 70 rest, Christina never
considered her struggle With Esparteros
party to be hopeless. She published
long manifesto 70 the Spanish people,
whose character at that day she seemed
10 understand perfectly. q contained
Just the right words at the az time. she
was declared a just and element Queel
her foes were branded as traitors to
SDein, the treatment she had received
was pronounced TO be scandalousiy IN.
grateful, and shs was at once RECALLED
by acclamation. fhe Fower OF Espart-
= -,,.1f.1 or-.,~ lie enavr hef1-n "A Fum-