The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-10-04

likeness OF IHe QepuItcu SuVChs A.ieA
dwelt with complaceney ON plea sing
souvenirs of the Archduchess, who had
been gay and espiegfe playmate OF his
own when he was student at the
Theresa College in Vienna. Christina,
who was year his junior, was at that
time high-spirited and very frollesome
little damsel. She once ran race with
him in some imperial park. The mon
arch in bud was on bicycle, and the
young Archduchess on fleet pony who,
though the velocipede had the wind with
it, came in first at the goal.
The young idea shoots early IN sons
and daughters of royal and imperial
houses Christina, in playing the Num-
Der Nip with the exiled son OF Isabella,
and romping with him and tormentlng
him in various ways, fell IN love with
him. 1t is courtier-like now to speak OF
her childish attachment to the King who
did not till the last six months require
it. When Alfonso was restored to the
throne of his mother, the Archduchess
was glad to learn that his most influential
and paternal advisers, the Due de SestS
among the number, opined she would
make an ideal Queen Consort. She dls-
covered that the Spanish costume suited
her exactly, and had several sets OF
photos done in which she was represent
ed wearing it. On Mercedes being pre-
ferred to her, Christina of Hapsburg was
dreadfully nettled. To show that she
resented with proper spirit the indignlty,
she declared, when Alfonso proposed for
her, that she would not consent to marry
him until she had further opportunities
of meeting him and seeing him, and in
sisted that she should assume the att1-
tude of humble suppliant for the fair
hand which he might have taken, but
did not. eff he wants to win me, said
the Archduchess, ''let him come and WOO
me. It is his place to court me and not
mine to go and pick up the handkerchief
which he eondescends to throw down. :
Alfonso, who is brimful of chiyalrous de-
yotion to the fair sex, did not think the
worse of the Archduchess for the airs
she took with his matrimonial agents
at Vienna He handsomely accepted the
conditions imposed, and sent word that
were be only to win the Archduchess by
penetrating into the wilds of Central
Asia he would gladly undertake jour
ney there. l believe it was his intention
to go all the way to Vienna to make her
by word of mouth an offer, and that he
would have this autumn proceeded there
If the life of the Infanta Pillar had not
been suddenly cut short The La Granla
accident happened so unfortunately tor
the King that the seandal-mongers to
affirm that design had a predominant part
in it [ could not blame them. 1t molIl-
fed the vexed Archduchess, and afforded
her plausible excuse for relendng. She
has been brought by it to travel more
than half the way to Madrid to meet her
royal suitor, whose depressed appear
ance, with his arm in u sling, excited her
interest led her to treat unpleasant by
cones as such.
And now about the personal appear
anee of Christina of Austria, who would
show a polite spirit in dropping that
name of. in Spain. evil augury, and TAX
ing some other. The Archduchess is
tall, slender and harmoniously formed.
Her air is aristocratic. She rides and
dances admirably, and is passionately
fond of horses and brisk exercise. With
out being intellectual she is clever. 1t
is her settled intention to be mistress at
the Palaeis Real. Her willfulness is
tempered with good nature and dispo-
sition to become easily repentent, In
her skin, hair and eyes she is a Haps-
burg. The rest of the physiognomy is
Hungarian, and reminds those like Nine.
Yon Langsdorff, who knew the creme of
Viennese society, OF the Sander family
If Christmas laugh were not pleasant
and communicative, her hair golden
fleece and her complexion transparent and
beautifully tinted, she would be plain.
for her cheek bones are prominent, her
nose retrOuSSe and wide at nostril,
and her mouth too much expanded. The
future Queen of Spain has the. Magyar
taste for external slendor Her court, if
she can have her way, will be lively and
magnificent, which would suit the pres
ent generation of grandees. She is a
very devout Catholic and may be ex
pected to remain one. Her voice is good,
and she can warble with exquisite feeling
a sentimental lied or provoke laughter by
her droll rendering of comic song. 1t
will be very nice for Don Alfonso to have
a queenly wife with gypsy and a gar
comet side to her laughter.
The future Queen will be introduced
to the Madrelinos on high holiday. Al
fonso was advised to tie the nuptial knot
at Barcelona, which did not witness his
demonstrations of eternal grief for poor
Mercedes. Christina wishes the cere-
mony to take place with the utmost pomp
at Madrid, and she is to be gratihed. Ac-
cording to present arrangements she is to
be married on November 1st, or All
Souls Day. The wedding dinner will
be eaten on the vigil of All Souls day,
eonsecrated in Roman Catholic States to
those who have died within and without
the pale of the salvation. While the har-
monies of bridal music will be lingering
in the air the bells of the churches will
begin to clang out their night-long dirge
There is always money enough at Mad
rid for amusement and fine displays of
ehivalrous gallantry. Alfonso has
magnifcently ordered the rooms which
We're prepared for Mercedes in his dlffer-
ent palaces to be newly furnished for his
consort that is to be. She will have the
satisfaction of knowing that there is not
In her apartments single object to re-
mind the King of her interesting prede-
cessor. l dare say the creditors of Spain
will learn to laugh on the wrong side of
their mouths at this right royal decision,
which, it appears, has enhanced the pop
ularity of the King. His subjects say of
it: "What a true Spaniard it proves him
to be. Ours is still country worthy of
the Cid. .'-Londoa Ii-ath, august 26th.