The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-29
EX-OUEEN ISABELLA.
Personal Appearance of Famous Woman
1a Her Life in the French Capital.

~
au Her Life in the French Capital.
Lucy II. Hooper. in Chicago Current
do not think that Queen Isabella at any pc
Rod of her life could have been considered hand
some. She in no wise resembled the darh-eyG5.
imperiOus beauty. her mother. But i'll her your,
days youth and freshness, joined by tbct Twin
ity that doth hedge a sovereign, u~uoubtedly
caused her to be credited with q Certain degree
of personal attractions. Up 70 the present sea
son the Queen has resided in France eyer since
signed the act Of c.odicaton in favor of her son.
now Kong OF spain. Her ponderous figure and
good-nat"red face are as well known at the opera
or IN the Bots de Boulogne as were those of the
empress Eugene in by gone days
Her embonpont is really extraordinary, and
she increases her apparent size by always dress
ing in pale, delicate tints, pearl gray in the day
time and white at night being her favorte colorS.
Her features are large, her eyes blue, and her
complexion forid. AT times her skin bears the
marks of the hereditary Bourbon malady,
namely, Scrofula, from which the entire royal
family of Spain are great sufferers. Her man
ners are charming. No princess in Europe re-
turns a salutation with more Admirable blend
ing of courtesy and dignity or resolves a visitor
with more royal grace
During her residence in France Queen Isabella
has been much tormented with financial difficult
ties. She is extravaganza in her charities AS in
her personal expenditure. She used, when she
first came to Paris, to bestow $40 on every beg
gar that asked aims of her. When demonstrated
with, her answer was:
Gould queen give less}"
She is passonately fond of dress and is one of
Worth's most assiduous customers. 1t was
through her influence that her present daughter
in-law, Queen Christina, ordered the greater
part of her rousseau of that renowned king of
fashion, instead of having all her dresses made
in Vienna or Madrid. During the existence of
the Spanish republic Queen Isabella was reduced
to such straits that she disposed of the greater
portion of her large collection of Jewels at aue-
ton. She farmed out the royal table, it being
supplied by contractor at so much head per
diem. Yet, withal, her acts of kindness and gen
erosity suffered diminution. For instance,
an ex prirna donna who resides in Paris,
and who. in by-gone years was reigning
favorite at the opera house in Madrid,
sees her drawing room and ante-chamber filled
annually with collection of choice and
costly plants by order of the royal lady who
was once among the most assduous of her hear
ers. And this graceful and kindly attention was
maintained all through the period of Queen lisa
bella's pccuniary difficulties. These. however,
came to an end so as Alfonso XII ascended
the throne of Spain.
The Queen does not get along we'll with her
new daughtern-aw. Queen Christina is very
intellectual. very high spirited, and thorough
Austrian in many respects. She detests the ma
tional pastime of the bull fight. Being asked
once by one Of her own countrywomen how she
could endure it, she made answer:
you know am terribly nearsighted. Well,
somehow always forget to take my eyeglass with
me-"
On the other hand, Queen Isabella is most
ardent patroness of the sports of the Spanish
arena. This point of difference, united to 9til
titude of others, has hindered tho twS royal
ladies from becoming fast friends, They keep
out of each others way-=4hat is iii
OF the Queens D';inerous offspring only four