New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-21
ROYALTY IN SPAIN.
Rx-oUEEN CHRISTMAS WILD CAREER.

lFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE.l
PARIS Aug. 23.--Queen Christina died yesterday
in the small hours of the morning at her villa OF
Mondesir, near Havre. She had long fallen into a
state approaching dotage. For short time, how
ever, she was at the beginning OF the year, aroused
from this senile lethargy by the union OF Al
phOnso and Mercedes, in which she saw what then
appeared to her the ultimate Of the Spanish
marriages intrigue The death of the young Queen
of Spain overloaded forever the royal grandame's
faculties An accident precipitated Christmas
death She fell down the marble stairs of the SPLEEN
did mansion which she built for herself in Paris,
and was taken up senseless, and bleeding profusely
Just enough of understanding remained to her IN
the closing weeks Of her eventful but undignifed
life to return to the devotional practices of her
youth, and to ask frequently for the viaticum.
short shrft not given her. She received thrice
1.-THE last consultations of the church."
The immense fortune the Queen DOwager of Spain
amassed as Regent did not cOnduce to tranquil old
age. Her death-bed was surrounded by her two
families, each member of which vlglantly watched
to prevent the other becoming favored legatee.
What real property she has left in France will be,
unless all her children, royal otherwise, agree to
the contrary sold, and the proceeds divided among
them share and share alike. But as she was not
technically dOmicled in this country Spanish law
will regulate the distribution of the personal estate
She fifteen years ago purchased properties in Bel
GUM, Germany. Italy and Switzerland which in
her lifetime she settled the Princesses de Court
nay Baufrement and Del Drago and the Marquise
Campo de SagradO, the three children who
remain of the numerous offspring she had
by MuHoz. The palace in the Champs Ely
see, standing in extensive grounds. IS valued AT
So 900, 600 If the hill on which the marine villa
A aoliH that raadpnce
in itself would constitute princely fortune. The
grounds are very large and the situation is beautiful
commanding a view of Havre and its busy docks and
pier of the mouth of the Seine. the sunny headland
of lie Heve and the line of hills beneath which From
vile nesles Mond6sir is bold emnence running
into the sea, which gains visby upon the coast of
Normandy The land everywhere around the villa
and its park is slipping into the of the hungry
invader. At Christmas property IL IS kept tempo
arily in its place by grOynes and breakwateTS, IN
which the Queen Dowager sunk between six and
seven million francs in nineteen years. MOnd6sir is
called after place IN the Bay OF Naples when ne
longed TO Francis l., and was used by bis second
wife, Spanish princess and sister oil Ferdinand
VII.
The late Queen Dowager was the second daughter
of Francis l. and Doia Maria Isabel whose brother
she was TO marry She was born in the lifetime of her
grandfather, Ferdinand l., and of Caroline of Aus
tra her grandmother, at Palermo, when this CEN
fury was six years old. The Royal family of Naples
had fed to Sicily. Lady Hamilton Nelson's Emmal
was-perhaps it is better not to say what-to the
Queen. Officially she was the wife OF the English
Minister PlenipOtentIary. Sir w. Hamilton, who
only troubled himself with antiquarian researches.
well upon this point to give the genesis of
obseure ferments which eventually ruined the non
archical prestige IN SpaIn and hindered something
better from springinE mp. They broke down the
hedge Of etiquette which at once protected the mon
arch from wi bout, and limited ms power 70 do evil.
Lady Hamilton was the Prime Minister and
the intimate friend Of Caroline, and the
instrument Of the British Government in
excluding French influence from the Court of
Naples. She thought she did good thing for her
country and for those of her own blood, IN giving
the direction of the hereditary Prncesss nursery to
a near relative who had been a strong actress and
q circus rider. When reflect on this little hinge
on which so many events were 10 turn think OF
saying which used TO hear in childhood. My pre-
ceptor used 10 din into my how the kick Of fly
was felt By other flies the whole way across the At
lautic, which, not then being bridged over by fast
steamers. a very. very wide ocean TO my infant
mind Well to proceed with the kick Of the Lady
Hamilton fy. Her cousin the nursery goyeTness
was the wife OF groom. His name was Ward.
nephew OF his was twenty years since raised per
saltum 10 be the political factotum OF
the Duke of Modena, who came TO the conclusion
that man who kept his news in perfect order
would govern a state well. WaId, the uncle, rose
to be master of the horse TO his Majesty Ferdinand
|. He and his wife got up, with the English Occu-
pying Palermo early in the century, hunts which
the little princesses, strapped their saddles used
TO follow. Before Christina was eight years old
there was country too rough or ugly Tor her 10
cross. In the hunting Fl Id and under the tuteage
of the eX-gTOom and circus rider, her manners con-
tracted an impudent frankness which they never
lost PreGminently gifted with feminine subtlety
and womauly agreement she lad nevertheless an
off Inland daring way Of dong and saying things
which got her the name OF being shamelessly cynical
On the restoration Of the French Bourbons and
the collapse of French militarism, the royal family
of Naples went back TO the city under Mount Vesu-
vius Louis XVIII. soon after, on behalf Of the
Due do Berri, demanded the hand of the Princess
Mario Caroline. 1t was found, when she was called
upon to answer a letter addressed her by the Due,
that she had yet to learn how to read and write.
Her ROYAL Highness was "A registering. goOd-uatured
hoyden accomplished IN stable jargon and equine
gymnastics. The discovery OF her ignorance led to
the adoption Of hgh-pressure examining system.
She, poor thing, had not time to be much crammed.
The French Government was IN haste TO guard
against the possible extinction Of the elder branch
Mother wit aiding, the brideelect learned how
to make a true copy of an epistle set before her.
Her step-sistors were sent TO the schoolroom
with her, and kept there until they became
really accomplished musicians, painters and
linguists. Christina painted like an artist.
Diana Vernon was the heroine which the royal
school girls took for q model. Carlotta married
Don Francisco de Paula, Duke Of Seville. She left
Naples harbOrlng the design of getting the infant
proclaimed Emperor of Mexico. Finding IL inn
practicable she turned her mental activity TO &C
count In changing the order of succession TO the
Spanish throne Carlos, the heir presumptive, and
his wife had snubbed the Neapolitan Princess. She
smOthered her resentment 10 hide her scheme of
vengeance. He who is fOrewaTned, she knew, is
forearmed No care was taken to exclude her from
the presence of the thTce-wIdOwed King whom
she helped to embrOider pettlcOat for the Virgin
of the AtOcha Carlotta, while pretending 10 count
the stitches and match the threads. earwigRed her
uncle. She persuaded him that Christina was just
the Princess 20 suit an elderly King. She was an
adept in the art OF embroidery, and had unlimited
confidence in st. ROsalie and the Madonna