The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-04
QUEEN CHRISTINA AND THE NEW
ORLEANS BANKER.

ton thnt MS mDtIef anu grandmother enoHth
stay away from Spain, died some months ago.
Her Will has lately been brought luto court
| aud It's dispositions have been under consldera-
| tion Her principal legacies ats OF large Gums
70 pay for prayers 81 her own and her h,ls-
bands soul. Which husband II not distinctly
stated There were several who were assigned
| Mt different periods of her rather festive and
eccentric life tn the very serious responsible
Ties Of her connuhial partner. We presume
that the will indicates which Of them Ia meant.
Christina was hard case. Her whole Ga
rasr was one t1mult OF revolution and in
trigue. Her soul needs very hard praying to
cleanse Il of tho sins with which II was
stained. We do not intend to iunlct upon our
readers recital uf N, / lOnR array of Vices.
pecaltlloes and Of TIE disasters ehe brought
un Spain and oil NIL persons who were afflicted
With her patronage and CURSED by association
with her. There was, however one Ut her
victims whose history Will interest not af few
of our readers. and will convey a useful and
impressive moral. The story relates TO for
,ner distinguished citizen and. for D long
time. very wealthy banker and gentleman
of great enterprise. He now lives somewhere
In Ohio In reduced circumstances, and with
greatly embittsred reflections upon series Of
misfprtunns and alllietipna such ns have
rarely gathered around man who had acted
30 oredttably and merltoriously part In
his better days, and had Justly earned the
favor Of fortune and tho respect aud friend
ship Of large circle Of friends. Moro than
twenty years ago this gentleman was very
wealthy and was the leader LII all great enter
priees Hs was the author and founder Of our
principal railroads. tho largest owner Of stock
IN tho old gas company, and established
the gas works In Havana. His bank ranked
among the most substantial In the city. He
was prominent In tho Legislature and In the
City Council, and was d most liberal patron OF
the fine arts, and was the foremost Ia all great
schemes to advance the prosperity OF our city
In obtaining from the Spanish government
the grant or charter Of his company this gen
tletnan found IL necessary to cultivate inti-
mate relations with Munoa,Queeu Christmas
husband and eventually TO admit him us u
large stakeholder and partner In the Havana
Gas Company. Tho stock OF this company
became very valuable, and added largely to
tho wealth Of Christina. She. IN gratitude
and recognition Of this service, rendered to
our banker an invitation To visit her al Mad
rid on the occasion of u tour he was making
OF Europe with n daughter, a young lady
Of much ambition and personal charms.
The banker and his daughter were
greatly iattered by the attentions
lnvished upon them when they visited tho
court Of Christina at Madrid Plain Republi-
cans in New Orleans they were bewildered by
the splendor, pomp. batteries and attentions
OF the most pretentious court Of Europe. The
cunning and money-loving Queen mother
greatly over-estimated tho wealth of our
banker, and set to work to negotiate mar
rage between the young lady and one of her
favorite aids aud courters, who ranked MS n
grandee SO far rs title WAS concerned, but was
fur from possessing the fortune and income
suited 10 his grandlose position al court. The
father encouraged the proposition md promised
TO promote II In every way. The young lady.
however, was not favorable. A lawyer Of this
city, q handsome and agreeable young man,
had made the only Impression ever made on
her heart. She repealed at first the overtures
OF the queen-mother and her grandee suitor;
but, when her father united hts influence with
theirs, she ut last yielded. There was q bril-
liant marriage ut Madrid of ther rich American
bankers daughter to the elegant Gen. Don
ST, which was honored by the presence OF
the Queen-mother and her daughter Isabella.
The banker hurried homaward, receiving
unfavorable news OF the condition OF his
finances, and to complete an elegant palace to
which he desired to welcome his daughter and
grandeo husband. He had invested d large
sum In pictures, furniture and other articles
OF vertu. He had duplicated the order OF
Queen Christina for wines to fill his cellar.
On reaching this city our banker found that
the unfavorabie intelligence OF the condition
OF bis affairs had not been exaggerated, that
he had suffered enormous losses, depreciation
Of stocks. and had become seriously embar-
raised. The grand plan Of his costly resi-
denceswas abridged OF several stories OF its
intended elevation, and the orders for it's or
namentation and equipment were counter
manded. 1t became necessary for him to haul
In and trim his sails, to economize and hus-
band his resources. and to grid up his great
energies and enterprise, and resume his Iabors
as o banker and operator. Thus, even with
his greatly reduced capital, he would In few
years restore his fortunes ana resume his
position In the financial world.
But alas he had, In the confidence OF a
father, informed his daughter Of the change
In bis condition, and suggested postpone
ment OF her visit to her old home The young
lady did not act upon the hint, but fastened
70 the city, where she surprised her father In
the midst OF a manly contest with his finan-
cial troubles The daughter reminded him OF
what great need she had of large sums to
maintain the high state into which she had
married. As an heir to hermother her claim
was large one. The withdrawal of so large
q sum would cripple him and prevent the re-
cuperation Of his fortune, and necessitate the
sale OF bis elegant residence and large do
main.
The daughter, however, was memorable In