Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-11

The vineyard of 'Macu" supplies
/ nearly all Of the market Of Chilli with
claret and sherry wines, and the cellar on
the place, an enormous building, 900 ieet
long by 100 wide, is kept constantly fuli.
Nine. Cousino makes Der own bottles, but
i'm ports her labels from France, On this
farm she has some very valuable imported
stock, both cattle and horses, and her rae
ing stable is the most extensive and sue
cessful in South America. The madam
takes great interest in the turf, ate pds
every racing meeting in Chill, and always
bets very heavily upon her own horses.
At the last meeting her winnings are re-
ported at more than 100000 outside OF
the purses won by her horses, which are
always divided among the employees OF
the stables.
In addition to Macul she has another
large estate about 80 miles from Santiago,
but gives 1t very little attention, and mas
not been there for a number OF years. In
the city she has two large and fine houses
one of them being the former residence Of
Henry Meiggs. the California fugitive,
which was the finest residence in Santi-
ago at the time it was built. All the TIM
Der and other material used in its con-
sTuction came Fl ON California, and 1t is
mostly red cedar. The construction and
architecture are after the American plan,
and in appearance and arrangement it
resembles the villas at Newport. The
cost was enormous, but 1t was built in
the days Of Meiggs' glory, when money
was of no value to him. The other city
residence Of sonora COusino is stone
mansion erected on the Spanish-Am
can plan, with court in the centre, and
is Ornamented with some very elaborate
carving. The interior was decorated and
furnished many years ago by Partisan
artists, at an enormous cost, and the
house lie fit for the palace off king. There
is no more elaborate or extensive resi-
dence in America, and the money ex-
pended upon it would build as fine
house as that of w. II. Vanderbilt in
New York. The widow spends very
little time in its walls, however, as she
her business is.
Her ability as manager is remarkable
and she directs every detail, receiving
uperintendents who have immediate
charge OF her affairs. While she is gen.
erous to profligacy, she requires strict
account Of every dollar earned or spent
upon her vast estate, and is very sharp
at driving bargain. One of her Scotch
superintendents told me that there was
on use in any one trying to get ahead of
the Madam. ''YOu cannot move stone
or strick but she knows it," he said. In
addition to her landed property and her
mines, she owns much city real estate,
the rental of which brings her several
hundred thousand dollars year, and she
is the principal stakeholder in the largest
bank In Santiago. Not long ago she pre-
scented park of a hundred acres to the
people of that city and race course Rd-
joining it.
The Madam is very fond of young men,
and has from fifteen to twenty young tel
lows around her constantly, to whom she
gives all the money they can spend. In
return she expects them to entertain her.
While the United States feet was at
Valparaiso not long ago she invited all
the officers to spend a week with her at
s Macu" and Santiago, and sent special
train to bring them up. Admiral Upshur
and about twenty of his officers accepted
the invitation, lodged at the widows
houses, rode in her carriages, and had
high old time at her expense. She would
not allow one of them to spend dollar,
and sent word to all the shops and re-
staurants that anything the American
officers ordered was to be charged to her
account. There was q good deal Of
scandal over this affair at Santiago, and
the Americans who were not asked to
share the madam's hospitality felt at
liberty to talk about it as severely as they
pleased. Bat the officers were In no way
TO blame, for this was one of the lady's
freaks. and her method of having a good
time. Every person of distinction who
comes to Chilli is entertained by her, and
her balls are marvels OF social splendor.
Lady Brassey, In her story Of the voyage
OF the Sunbeam, gives an account of her
acquaintance with Sonora CousinO, and
the splendor in which she lives.
Last spring the Madam fitted out one of
her coal ships, prOvisioned 1t in the most
extravagant manner, hired an orchestra
of twelve pieces, and invited fifty or more
ladies and gentlemen TO take a cruise.
The party visited Juan Fernandez, the
island that is sacred to the memory Of
Robinson Crusoe, and then sailed down
the coast to Terra del Fuego, where
several days were spent in search Of a
good time. From the stories that are
told the errand was successful, and the
gossips of Chill will never cease to talk
about it. The cruise lasted about three
weeks, and cost the madam many thou
sands of dollars.
Fabulous stories are told OF her ex-
travagance. A million of dollars or so is
a trifie to woman whose income is so
enormous, and there Is nothing in the
pens to want it. She doesn't care much
for art, but has collection Of diamonds
that is very large and valuable, and some
times appears loaded down with them.
Usually she looks very shabby, as she
has no taste or ambition in dress, and her
party costumes that are ordered from
Paris are seldom worn. OF late she has
been a sufferer from sciatica, and it has
not only destroyed the madam's own
pleasure, but has seriously impaired the
comfort Of those who have relations with
her. Although a comparatively young
woman, being somewhere between forty
five and fifty years OF age, she declares
that she will not marry again, and there
is not a man in Chilli who has the courage
to ask her. Not long since she took a
fancy TO a young German, with very
blonde beard and hair, and insisted that
he should give up his business and make
his home with her. The inducements she
offered were sufficient, and for several
months the young man has been tied to
her apron strings, having the ostensible
employment of private secretary. But
the Madam is very tickle, and VIII prob
ably throw him overheard when the within
seizes her, as she has many others. The
portrait which / send represents Sonora
Cousino in her everyday costume, which
consists of the traditional black embroid-
cred manta worn by all the women OF
Chilli and Peru when they appear in the
street. The pictures OF her daughters
show one. SenOrita Pacifica, in a fancy