New-York tribune., 1879-06-09
PARTISAN TOPICS.
THE LATE DUKE MEDINA CGLI-DARK
OMENS

EIGN ISTRIGUEs AGAINST THE REPUBLIC.
lTRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or TnE rRrBrNE)
PARIS May 23.-Early in the Exhibition season,
a Spanish lady asked me to accompany her to
the famous Montagne Russo. to see bridal
trousseau, about which the Madeline Colony
was then talking On arriving at that Quilt
ting establishment. the directresS told me
that we to 20 to the Rae dies Pyramids,
where her ware-rooms being too small for the dis
play of all the charming things which had been or
dered, she had hired suite Of apartments on the
first floor. The fancee for whom she had
been working was the daughter OF the
Marquis de Torrecilla. q frst-class grandee
of Spain, of ancient lineage, who was about
TO give the Sehorita in marriage to the Duke oi
Medina Coli, widowed husband of niece OF the
Empress Eug6nie. understood from the sparkling
tradeswoman charged to exhibit the trouSseau, that
it was TO be paid for by the fdHcfe who was one OF
the richest nobemen in Span and whose larRene'sS
of heart and openess of hand were in proper
tion to his enormous wealth. In superhhe
linen and delicate bdiste the under garments
of the bride-elect manufactured My attention was
called to three things; namely, the dellcacy ot the
materials, the exquisite neatness OF the siItchihS
and embroidery and the ostentatous plaiuncss of
the underclothing. 1t was on this occasion e1-
planned TO me that nothing marked
the class STYLED intimate" in France. People who
have suddenly risen in the world order for thcr
daughters trOusseau body linen, which Is fan
tasia in lace edgng and insertion. The arist0cratlc
STYLE is wholly different. Ii might have served Tor
The outfit of Canouess Of the odcn time, or OF q
young and opulent Quakeress before the nehdS
discarded the good maxim of George Fox, that out
of the trimmings of the rich the poor oond be COM
fortably clothed. Much taste and delicate needle
work were expended, remember on thecIpher OF the
hancee and on the ducal corOnet with which
her future spouse was to eBdOw her. Ihey
we're on most of the inner garments shown
me, and woven INTO the most eAtFaoi-
dinarily fine stockings that | had ever seen,
some of which were of Balbriggan make, and some
of Belgian and Of French. Where lace was not
spared was on pctticoats, sWceprr-tranS'
which were then coming into fashion, and
on dressing gowns in musin tussore SIX
and foulard. The NalonceDnes, which was
employed on the ordinary garments was
50 dear that | remember Nile. Cro.lctse, who came
in to look at the trousscau, uttered htiie
cry of astonishmcnt. "Segneur,' she elacu-
lated. Its truly worth WomaDs while TO
make a conquest of those Spaniard> what
endless focks of sheep must he not have 10 daSh
about money in this way! What has become oi Tie
trousseau Of Nile. Alba which he gave her! As sine
died four or five months after her marriage she mad
not surely time to wear it out" The chatty little
shopkecper informed Us that the DuAe
gave the entire wardrobe of his late wife.
Mt her death. to her sister, To give idea of it's
value she told H. that the articles in cambria and
fine linen amounted in the bill to upwards Of
Sl4 900, and that the Malincs ana Naenccn"eo
laces on petticOatS, ncckcrchefs, morning
coiaurcs and r0bes-de-chambre formed
total Of more than $4,000. There were
cur,es III black, in. wlute, IN blue ia PINK ana in
yellow SATIN, which were furnished at from $500
to 81 400 each, and some, 90 be worn as Swis,
bOddIces, with embroidered lOGiard skirts,
considerably dearer inasmuch as the ara
besques worked on them were in seed
peaIls The Duke had several colorcd photographs
of his bride-elect sent to the outter in order that
her physognomy should be studied by the des cner
Gr6yjn after whose sketches those won
dcrful corsets and the dressing-gOwns were
TO be made. La SenOrita de TOTecIlia was
a pale, clear-compcxIoned brunette, with
elegantly formed shoulders, arms and hands,
The countenance was animated and piquant II
expressed a hopeful, happy disposition and good
cause there seemed fos bright visions OF the future
and an optmist view OF life.
Nv experience of the world leads me to see in
excessive prosperity the, as il were, forecast
of approaching disaster. The Fates have
of good which they have to distribute among
human beings is very limited, and they try to mete
il out Justly to all Whenever We get to the height
of our wishes, the cup OF happiness Will
soon be rudely dashed from our lips. or
tie many examples Of splendid prosper
ity succeeded by tTagical woe which the
| world has witnessed in our generation one
may cite the Empress Eugene, whose downfall
was preceded by her triumph at Suez; poor lltt!e
| Queen Mercedes; the Duke and Duchess de Mont
ersier and the sad ell IT, moi many days ago, OF the
| Duke de Medina Coll
! This Spanish nob.eman, at the time of his de-
| cease, had not completed his eight-anG-twentIeth
wear. He and his charming young wife had cele-
brated a week previous to the fatal accident which
! made her a widow, her birthday, at Madrid. The
| rciocings over, the happy couple went 10 their
estate at Ava not far from the Escuria where pine
forests had been planted the Dukesmnorlty the
| Duchess Dowager. Tracts OF barren mountain and
scorched-up tabl Land had been thus rescued from
| dust and barresuess. As the Duke had vast
properties which he intended 10 reclaim In tins
manner. he took keen interest in the growth of
the Avila plantations and the day after his arrival
he set out wIth a gun in his hand, the Duchess
at his side. and couple of dogs at his heels, to see
if the progress which his woods had made since last
wear answered TO the accounts which his steward
had given. On rough stony hillside he stopped
| for moment to light cigar. His foot slipped,
! and he rolled down. The gun, which was
| loaded went of and q slug entered the abdominal
! region. The Duchess, taking from her pocket
| memorandum book, wrote a brief account of wha.
had happened with pencil, and taking Oft her stock
| ing attached tine sID Of paper 10 II and tied Il
| around the dogs neck. She instructed the animal
TO 20 to the castle and alarm the porter The poor
| brute went, and by ITS whining aud the signs that
! it made called attention 20 the mlsSiye. Meanwhile
| the Duchess remained wi-h the Duke, sympathZlng
| with his agony. but unable to do anything The
! servants ON receiving the message transmitted
NV the agency OF the DOC. teiegaphcd to Madrid iOr
| medical assistance and went to the scene OF the
| f,tal occurrence. The Duke was carried home III "a