Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-03

winning way. What more natural
than the childish affection should
ripen into love?
The opposition to the proposed
marriage was fierce and outspoken.
The name Of Montpensier was ex-
ecrated from end to end OF Spain
and a storm of indignation was
raised. In the cortes vigorous
opposition was given to the propo-
sal; the exiled queen used her ut
most influence to prevent it !; the
church set its face against it and
the nation seemed on the verge of
another revolutionary convulsion.
The influence of the ministry, how
ever, prevailed. They saw in the
proposed marriage a union of two
parties and a means of satisfying
an aStute and sleepless intriguer.
Two monarchical factions welded
into one might perhaps keep off the
dreaded republic, which advances
with the slow but steady strides and
threatens destruction to the cor
rupt and rotten system which has
cramped the energies of a noble
nation for many centuries. The
marriage was solemnized and Mer-
cedes became queen of Spain on the
oath of last January. The we'd
ding was celebrated with great
pomp and splendor and the Spanish
capital was a scene Of genuine re-
iOicing and popular festivity. Since
then her popularity grew from day
to day and tended much to increase
the prestige of the restored dynasty,
which naturally does not feel very
secure. Her life, since her mar
riage, was not marked by any very
important event, and her previous
life may be summed up in sketch
Of her school days.
TIE PRINCESS MERCEDES AT
SCHOOL.
A recent number of Scribner's
Monthly contained several letters
written by a young lady Of Boston,
who was a fellow pupil of the young
Queen of Spain, at a French con.
vent, during the winter Of 1884.
The letters were written home and
were not intended for publication,
but their present interest has in.
duced the writer to publish them.
By them we get most charming
idea of Queen Mercedes as a child
and are made intimately acquainted
with her school life. The letters
are written from the pensionnat O
Il convent near Paris.
SUNDAY, October II, 1S73.-Al
the scholars are back now and you
wouldn't know the building, it il
so swarming with girls. We arr
divided into two classes-the grandt
and the moyenne. The petite class,
Of fifty or more little ones is at tht
other convent, and entirely separat,
from us in every way. There is tC
be a distinguished addition to tn,
pensionnat next week in the shap,
Of one Of the Orleans princesaes,
daughter Of the Duke de Montpen
Sier. She is to be installed here a
a lady scholar, and will have he,
seat in class and be in every way
Ijust like one of us.
! TUESDAY, October 21.-Th,
princess actually arrived this morn
ing and is now installed here. The
Duke and Duchess of Montpensie
came out with her to call on Supe
ri6ress and see the school. 1t wa
ljust,at the noon recreation, and w
were all out in the park, so the,
walked round and visited the play
grounds Of the different classes, ant
stayed some time watching ou
games. OF course we were all look
ing out eagerly for our new school
mate, and she soon appeared, walk
ling with the goyerness a little wa,
between her parents and tn
superioress. All we could Sc
was that she was girl o
! thirteen or so, still in shor
dresses, with a pleasant, dark fac
almost hidden under a broa,
brimmed straw hat. She had on
very simple little suit of some pur
pie and white striped stun, an,
wore white cotton gloves and boot
without heels. The princess wa
not formally introduced to us til
after we had gone into class, whel
the superioress brought her in t,
show her her seat. She had takel
her hat off and looked very shy an,
pretty as she came in. She scenes
to be a great deal embarrassed a
facing SO many girls, and hung he
head little, and answered in
very low voice when she was spokel
to, but her eyes looked up brigh
J and full Of intelligence. There
F., something very attractive abou
: hery she is perfectly simple an
} unassnming. She took her seat a
: her desk and Anne de G.
showed about her lessons and tn
, books she would need. | had
good chance to examine the prin
cess, as she sat directly in front q