Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-09-29
A CastiIian Romance.

San Francisco society is Just now honored
by the presence Of lady whose history is
of more than ordinary interest. She is no
table, not only on account of being the wife
of the celebrated American artist, II.
Humphry Moore; but for her beauty, intel
ligence and high family connections. A
brief sketch of her life cannot but prove
interesting: Isabella de Cistue was born in
Saragossa some twenty years ago, Of purely
Castilian parents. Her father was Col.
Cistue, one of the sons of Baron de la
Mengleha, who belonged TO one of the most
aristocratic families of Spain, and her grand.
mother held the high position of a lady of
honor to the beautiful and powerful Queen
Maria Louisa, so fondly remembered by
the Spaniards. She is also a COUSIN BY
marriage to the ex-Queen Isabella. two of
her cousins having married the two brothers
OF the royal parsonage Senorita de Cistue
was sent,at an early age to the College of
Loretto, In Madrid, where she received a
finished and brilliant education, graduating
before she was sixteen years of age, becom-
ing proficient in three languages and q tho
rough mistress of the piano. harp and guitar
she met a girl of her own age who was deaf
and dumb, but who was well learned in the
mute language. The two children formed
a strong attachment for each other, and Isa-
bella begged that she might be taught to
converse with her little friend About this
time her eldest brother came home from
college on a long vacation, bringing with
him friend of his, handsome young
Spaniard of about seventeen years of age,
with the title of marquis. This young
nobleman was also deaf and dumb, and
from him the young Isabella learned to
converse with her fingers and subsequently,
became the constant friend and protactor,
in her childish way, of her dumb little
playmate. Time passed on; the heroine
grew to be a lovely young lady of the true
Moorish type of beauty. Her coal black
hair, beautiful flashing black eyes, and
clear, rich olive complexion became theme
for the poet and the painter IN Grenada,
where she resided after having left school
in Madrid. A favorite walk of hers was
thrHogh the Garden of the Alhambra, where
many an hour was passed, chaperoned by
some of her family, but generally by her
grandmother, then no longer the handsome
maid of honor.
One day, as the two ladies were walking
in secluded but most beautifully romantic
spot of the garden, they suddenly came
upon a gentleman of about twenty -four
years of age, of medium height, rather florid
complexion, large. soft and speaking blue
eyes, light auburn hair and deicately shaped
mustache. He was sketching what after
wards became fine work of art, known as
''View of Grenada" Upon the approach of
the ladies the artist arose and handed TO the
dazzling young Spanish beauty her handker-
chief, which had fallen from her hand. !
Their eyes met, she passed on and the artist |
resumed his work. Upon several subsequent
days they accidently met The artist was
less attentive to his work, and Spanish no. I
blemen who had been a suitnr for the hand |
of the young Senorita, received less encour- !
agement. About a month after the first .
meeting in the garden, while the artist was I
pacing up and down in his studio, gentle |
man friend named De Costello called upon (
him To him the artist unbosomed himself |
He declared he could do no more work until /
he had painted picture of the young lady /
whose appearance had 50 strangely affected |
him. Then taking De CostelIo's arm they !
went out and wandered to the Alhambra 1
gardens There he again saw the object of I
his infatustion. She was conyersing in the /
deaf and dumb language with the Spanish
who had taught her the hand /
manual years back when she was child.
De Costello, knowing the marquis, intro
duced him to the artist, and the marquis
then presented his companions, who were
Isabella and her grandmother. Much to
Isabella's surprise, she discovered that the
handsome young artist was deaf and dumb.
And then she found greater happiness In the
use of the dumb language than she had ever
before experienced. At his earnest solicita-
ton she sat for portrait, which she now
has in her possession, and though titled
suitors sought her hand, and she was even
invited TO become maid of honor to the
then reigning Queen Isabella, she cheerfully
renounced all this pomp and brilliancy and
bestowed her heart and hand on the deaf
and dumb American artist. II. Humphry
Moore is well known in San Francisco,
where he lived from early childhood up to
1866, at which tire his father, who will be
in the firm of Moore & Folger,
died. He was twenty-One years of age
when his mother, who IS now living IN this
city, accompanied him to Europe, where
for three years he labored hard at his pro-
fession, in the studio of the greatest figure
painter IN France-Gerome. II was while .
in Grenada that he met with Fortuny,
whose style of work is followed by him.
Mr.. MOo7e's name was forcibly brought to /
the minds of his California friends some
two years since when he sent to this coast 1
on exhibition his celebrated work, ''Almah,
the Eastern Dancing Girl" Mrs. Moore is
devoted to her husband and proud Of his
talents She is his constant companion in |
his studio, and day after day, in winter and
summer, whatever else MY claim her at
tentIon, from 4 until o'clock she devotes /
to q study of his canvass and the work of /
her husbands brush during the day. In San
Francisco, rs well as all over the world /
where they have travelled, the interesting
and happy couple have been received in the |
very best and most brilliant society, and /
they will long be remembered after they /
have bid California adieu.