The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-27
OBITU AIRY.
QUEEN MERCEDES OF SPAIN.

A cable despatch from Madrid announces tho death
OF Qaeen Mercedes Of Spain She had been ~ for
time Of gastric svor and for some days nope was
entertained OF her recovery. AT i've o'clock Mon
d.. noSsns the last rites Of the Catholic Church
weU aAministcred in tho presence OF the King,
bers VI NC royal and Xontpsnser families ana the
Nj nistefs. Her condition became low during the
day that report Of her death widely circulated,
but she rallied toward evening and slight hopes
were entertained OF her recovery. yesterday morn
ing . despatch received from Madrid, saying,
"Qucen Mercedes il decidedly better this mornipg.n
This report proved 10 be without foundation, and
later dispatches left ylc to hope that she could
outlivo the day. ssrhe latest bulletin, said de-
spa,ch received later In tho morning, ANNOUNCES
TINT Queen Mercedes is worse. she is unconscious
and sinking fast" Finally she expired In tho pros
snce Of the King and the members OF tho royal family.
AROUND TUE DEArnBRp
The death very SAD aud impressive, ana Is
thus described ny aMadrid aphing
Immediately before tho last agony:-ssTne King aud
members Of the roy ii family assembled round the
Queens bed The Ministers were summoned 20 tho
palace early This morning, aud in tho Foregn Office
all tho chiefs OF the diplomatic corps assembled
Tho palace gates arc closed. There Is an immcnse
crowd outside tho gates held back BY the guards The
scene Is most impressive"
LAST AGONY.
later despatch from the correspondent
says" The Queen passed the latcr of her III
ness in state of uncousciousnoss King Alfonso
NAMED at her bedside until the cnd. deep COM
nscraton expressed by all classcs Tho Ministers
will communoarc tae intelligence OF tho dcash OF tho
Queen to tho Cortes this evening"" Thus died.
at tho early age OF eighteen ycnrs. Mercedes
d'Orieans, tho beautiful daughter OF Mont
pensicr, before she could have fully rcanzed the
high position IN which she was placed. II is =
sad blow TO the young King, who entertained
real affection Tor her. ani she is urqucsionaby re-
grcted by the people. Her family history and tho
negotiations and intrigaes which led 70 her marriage
with King Alfonso viii find prominent place IN the
record Of the last lew in Spain while her beauty
her charming disposition ana her early death will BIO
the thems Of many future song and romance. To
those who know Span, however, and who look at
facts from monpaoc. worldly sianapoint Ii may
appear THAI she has perhaps escaped lite Of trouble
ana sorrow, perhaps Of exile and mis!ortuncor Tho
future OF Spain looks stormy, and Gerco struggle
between rcpubcanism and tho old monsrchicai iac-
tiors s Of the things which the future has In
store Tor the dorian Peninsula.
HER FAMILY HISTORY
Queen Mercedes was born in Madrid, June 81, 1860.
her father being tho Duo do Montpe nsier . son or
Louis Philippe, King OF France from 1880 to ls4s
and OF the Princess Maria Louisa Fcrdinaada,
lnfanta OF Spain and sister oil ex.Qucen Isa-
bella. Her father took up his residence in
Spain from tho time Of hts marriage, and has always
kept sharp eye the chances OF securing tho sue
cession to the Crown OF Spain 10 himself or some
member Of hts family. N. Guizot who was ins.ru-
mental in bringing about the marriage Of the young
orleans prince AMI tho IniAnta Of Spain, know
10 have the object in Wow, and believed that
Franco.Spanish alliance thus secured would i'm
mensey increase French influence 10 the councils OF
Europe The revolution or 1913. however, sent the
ciizcn king' In hot haste Engand for safety ana
influence of the French Court thus no longer
exerled at Madrid In favor Of Monspensicr, and no
left 70 prosecute hts intrgues alone. He never
lost sight OF his object however, and gradually and
quietly the. Duke and his vito gathered around
them small party OF clever and Inscriptions
Court intrigucrs and military advsnturcSs who
never lot slip an opportunity OF undermin-
ing tho influence 81 Queen isabella or OF
adva ncng the interests OF their patrons Daring
many OF these years the strong hand Of 0'Donnsli
held the rsins Of power with nrmnsss snas bsficd
nIl the plans oshc conspsaors and insurroct,on
Instruction, In which the people took part what
ever, was stamped out with rclsntess severity. Tho
part played by pcnsier In these plots nd prom
ciamentos Is matter that uLars historians must de-
eide, but tho fact is beyond question that during all
this troubled period he never gave up the hope OF
securing the throne either for himself OF hts
ch,rdrco. O'Donnel feli. and died France in 1881
In 1868 MoDtpensier WAS appointed Captain General
OF the Spanish oscos aud lnants or hcir apparent
tho throne for which, alter the revolution, he became
an avowed candidate He also In the Cortes as a
deputy. The power that supported the lettering
throne was gone with O'Donbcll's death, tho
Queen herself was an exile and Montpcnsicr
actively intriguing TO gain the throne
no had SO long coveted. He failed, and
his treachcry and ingrntitude mndo his
name odious from ond to ond Of Spain.
Tho short reign OF Amadeus, the expert
mental republic, tho fierce struggle with tho
Northern Caris DID not divert Montpcnsicr from his
parpose His ego was still nxci on the spanish
tn rome, and all the energies Of his mind
tra,ed acquisition. Pavia stranglcd tho tottcr-
ing republic, and the boy Alfonso the OF tho do
posed and exiied Isabella called TO tho throne
which his ancestors had sat for SO many hundred
years.
xARRrAox wrrm ALFONSO.
Montpcnscr saw his chance. The opportunity
which no had SO long waited, toiled and piot,ci
for and for which he mad betrayed his own family
connections, had come NJ last, and u WAS awaited Of
WIN characssrs.ic alacritv. The boy King and tho
young Mercedes had played together as children, and
had formed a childish Affection ior each other.
AlonsJ had named her his little vile" before eth
OF them bad begun 20 dream OF thrones crowns or
20 puzzle their iit!e heads shout aars OF STATE Ia
tho meantime the Princess had grown 10 be boauti-
full brunette OF sevcDtoon. She had One face, u
graceful hgure ana . sweet and Winning way. What
natural than that the childish AZ ection under
the influence OF such charms, should rpen into Iovcr
lhc apposi'ion 10 ihs proposed marriage Was nrrce
and 0utspokcn. Tho name OF Montpcnsiee was exc
Grated from end TO end Of SPAR and storm Of mug
nation raised In Tho COrtes vigorous opposition
given 10 the propossi tho cxiied Queen used her
utmost influence 10 prcvcut =; the Church srt It's
ncs against u ana the nation seemed the verge OF
another revolutionary CONFUSION. The ionucncc oil
the Ministry, however, prevailed. they saw IN tho
proposed marriage un,on Of Two parties means
oil Satisfying aa astutc and sleopIess intrxucr Two
mon arcnicni factions welded into one might perhaps
keep OF the dreaded republic, Which advances WIN
slow but steady strides and threatens aestructon To
the corrupt ami rotten system which mas cr.fuped
the energies OF a noble nation Tor many centuries
The marriage was soiemnizsa and Mercedes became
Queen OF Spain on tue 2+th Of last January Ibo
wedding WAS celebrated with great pomp ami spcnior
aud tho spanish capital vas scene oi genuine re-
Jolcibg anu popular icstvity. Since ihcn her popr
arty grew from day 10 day and tended much 10 IN.
crosse tnr prestige OF the restored dynasty, which
naturally oocs NOT feel very secure liter iiic since
her matringc. was hot marked by any very important
event, aud her previous life may DO summed up Ia a
ok etch oil nor school days
TnE PRix-sss aEncEpNs AT SCHOOL.