The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-29
SANTA Annals WIFE.
How the Great Mexican Generals Widow I.
Ending Her Days.

Ending Her Days.
W. A. Croffut's Mexican Letter.
Yesterday | called with some others, upon
Mrs. Santa Anna pronounced here SAINT ANIMAL.
widow OF the celebrated general, who died eight
years ago after life of extraordinary yicissi-
tudes. The visitors were received with great
urbanlty In her new residence in the center of
the city by Mrs. Santa Anna, who declared
that she liked Americans and was always glad to
see them, and inliberal Spanish fashion informed
them that her new house was theirs TO dispose of
as they saw fit. 1t was no song gift, an i'm
mense three story building of cream colored
trachltlte built around a court of twenty-five
rooms In all, including the stable-the court or
patio IS, OF course open to the sky and brilliant
ly Illuminated with orange and cactus blooms
and profusion of tropical flowers. Not half of
the rooms are yet furnished, but it would not be
pad mouse to take Mrs Santa Anna is accom-
panied by an intelligent young lady, Miss Bris
tol, daughter of a merchant of Niles, Mich
who is assisting her to recover her English
rusted from years of disuse Mrs. Santa Anna
Is forty eight, but am bound to say she looks
ten years older in spite of the fact only few
white threads appear in her dark thatch
OF hair. 1t ;s a wonder she does
not look hundred. Santa Anna was Presi-
dent OF Mexico three years before she was
porn. she was pighted to him in her cradle,
and married to him when she was II. He was
then military dictator, sleeping on his sword,
oeset by constant perils. In six months he had
lost his leg and got into Texas prison. For
1HSIlCy years ner HE was spent IN a camp, sur
rounded by the whlrl of warfare Her husband
was five times President of Mexico and four
times military Dictator, in absolute power. He
was banished, recalled, banished again, and fin
ally died while with his wife in exile as traitor
She has seen much glory" and has received I'M
limited adulation, but she hardly
ever enjoyed one thoroughly peaceful
moment in her life. 1t is a wonder she does
not look as old as Methuselah, for she has
suffered more wrong and trouble than hun
dred ordinary women. A cloud came over her
face as she said; 81 am glad to hear you speak
Kindly OF my poor husband. The people of
Mexico will not understand him. They call
him hard names, but God knows he sought their
welfare. He suffered and sacrificed everything
Tor them, only to be discarded by them at last
L think the Americans, who knew him mainly as
a foe, understood him better than his own
eountrymen." Mrs. Santa Anna has no
childred and never had She is attended by six
servants, of whom wear livery
She lives and dresses with conspicuous
plainness, and it is only when she
speaks of her late husband that her wan face
lights up with much vivacity. As we passed
down the heavy stairway q sleek team of mules
hltched to handsome Landau stock in the patio
waiting to bear their mistress out to her rural
residence, at Taeubaya. Santa Amman ever,
believe, acquired large fortune a testimonial
to his personal honesty, which does not attach
TO the names of many of his predecessors A
gorgeous snuff box, worth So, coo, is ON exhibit
ton at the Monte de Piedad 1t was present
felt better after calling on Mrs. Santa Anna,
and respect and sympathy for her seemedin acer-
tam way like making personal atonement for the
olsgraceful part my country had played in the
war of 1876 and 1S4T.