Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-07-10
Santa Annals Wife.

Yesterday L called with some others
upon Mrs. Santa Anna pronounced
here SAINT Anna), widow of the celebra-
ted general who died eight years AGO
after life Of extraordinary vicissitudes.
The visitors were received with great
urbanity 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
in liberal Spanish fashion informed
them that her new house was theirs TO
dispose Of as they saw fit. 1t was no
song gift, an immense three-story build,
ing of cream-colored tranchitite built
around a court of twenty-five rooms in
all, including the stable, the court of
patlois, OF course, open 10 sky, and bril-
liantly Illuminated with orange or cac-
tus blooms and a profusion of tropical
flowers. Not half of the rooms are vet
furnished, but it would not be q bad
house to take. Mrs. Santa Anna is &C
cOmpanied by an intelligent young Ia
dy,. Miss Bristol, daughter of mer-
chant of Niles, Mich, who is assisting
her to recover her English, rusted from
years of disuse. Mrs. Santa Anna is
48, but [ am bound to say she looks ten
years older in spite of the fact that only
few white threads appear in her dark
thatch of hair. 1t is q wonder she does
not look hundred. Santa Anna was
president of Mexico three years before
she was born. She was pliohted to
him in her cradle and married to him
when she was Is. He was then mill
tary dictator, sleeping on. his sword,
beset by constant perils. In six months
he had lost his leg and got into Texas
prison. For twenty years her life was
spent IN camp, surrounded by the
whirl of warfare.
Her husband was five times president
of Mexico and four times military die
tator, in absolute power. He was BAN
ished, recalled, banished again, and fl
nally died with his wife in exile as y
traitor. She has seen much GLORY"
and has received unlimited adulation,
but she hardly ever enjoyed one thor
OuGhly peaceful moment in her life. 1t
is q wonder she does not look as old as
Methuselah, for she has suffered more
wrong and trouble than hundred or
binary women. A cloud came over
her face IS she said: II am glad to
hear you speak kindly of my poor hus-
band. The people of Mexico will
not understand him. They call him
hard names, but God knows he sought
their welfare. He suffered and sacri-
feed every thing for them, only to be dis
carded by them at last. | think the
Americans, who knew him mainly as
foe, understand him better than his
own countrymen. Mrs. Santa Anna
has no children, and never had. She
is attended by six servants, none 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 a sleek team
of mules hitched to handsome landau
stood in the patio waiting to bear their
mistress out to her rural residence, at
Tocabayn. Santa Anna never, ] be-
lieye, acquired a large fortune, testi-
monial to his personal honesty, which
does not attach to the names of many
of his successors. A gorgeous snuff
box, worth $25, ZOO, is on exhibition at
the Monte de Piedad. 1t was a present.
felt better after calling on Mrs. Santa
Anna, and respect and sympathy for it
seemed, in q certain way, like making
personal atonement for the disgraceful
part nv country had played in the war
of 1916 and 1847.-CGt9l of Meujco Cor.
ST. Louis Post Dispatch