Daily Yellowstone journal., 1886-12-07
SANTA ANNA'S BRIDE.
a BEAUTIFUL, sHAeelLY DRESSED
GIRL, PLAYING WITH A KITTEN.


zAs Story OF the Dictator's second Wife.
Her Rich wardrobe-A Larry Lady.
A Lesson In Misunderstanding .
Visitor. IH
When Gen. Santa Anna lost power and
prestige aud was exiled, his young wife
proved a true and devoted woman. In
1874 the exled hero, old, broken in health
and bowed In spirit, received permission
from the Mexican government 10 return
% his native land, and then his wife was
his chief solace and did all in her power
70 alleviate his moral and physical suffer-
ings The ex dictator lived very plainly,
for the greater part Of his fortune had
been squandered In the West Indies; those
who had fawned upon him In other days
utterly ignored him, and he was totally
neglected even by persons on whom he
had once conferred immense favors. As
70 his favorite generals and other military
chiefs, many assumed virtuous or pa
triotic Indignation and disclaimed inter-
course with man who was traitor;
all seemed TO forget how well and bravely
Gen. Santa Anna had fought against the
Americans in lS46.
LpLLlNU IN "A EOCklNG CHAIR.
After Gen. Santa Anna died his family
recovered some of his former possessions,
and his widow was comparatively
wealthy. She owned city residence
here and pretty country seat in Tacu-
baya- Her wardrobes were filled with
silk, satin and velvet dresses, her laces
alone constituted fortune, and she still
retained costly sets. of diamonds, pearls
and emeralds; but when the stimulus Of
the old generals ambition was with
drawn Mrs. Santa Anna became so care
less, so inane that she had not energy
enough to sustain the position she might
have held il possessed of any spirit.
Her apathy was not due to any regrets
for past rank or splendor. She was SIM
ply lazy, and soon deGenerated into q
nonenity, and instead of opening her salon
% those who respected her and fully ap-
preciated her virtues, she received but q
few relatives and passed her days idly
lolling in a rocking chair. Some two
years agova Spanish lady, who was
really attached to Mrs. Santa Anna,
tried to arouse her from her oyster like
existence. One morning, when she found
her ex-highness in torn, soiled wrapper,
with her hair hanging down and her
feet thrust into old slippers down ut the
heel, she said.
lola, il is a shame for you 10 be so
untidy."
Mrs. Santa Anna replied: ~ have no
person 10 dress for.n
"Nonsenscr" exclaimed her friend.
"You should remember that you are the
widow OF one Of Mexico's most illustri-
Gus heroes. Allow me TO give You one
lesson in neatness."
What is it,' asked Mrs Santa Anna,
with a languid smile.
A LESSON IN NEATNEss.
"It must be given in the parlor,n re-
sponded Sonora b., and, leading the
widow into the salon, she pointed to the
portrait of the deceased president, say
ing: Look at that proud face" then
stopping before q full length portrait OF
her eS-hishness said: Look at your
graceful figure. your beautiful face, those
magnificent jewels which you yet possess
and those almost regal robes" then
quickly turning TO large mirror, added.
"And there behold what you are nowp'
Mrs Santa Anna gazed at the figure in
the mirror. then replied: Yes, my
beauty has all gone"
"No,' responded her friend, ''your
teeth are still beautiful, your hair is but
slightE changed, your figure is still ex-
cellent, but you are so slovenly that You
look worse than any Of yonr servants,
and you are SO Indolent that il you do
not soon rouse yourself hall Of your facnl-
ties will be paralyzed for lack of excr-
cise."
Mrs. Santa Anna rallied for a while,
but about n year ago, when the writer
had occasion 10 see her, and had called
and waited some time, woman in a
fsded calico dress, having her head and
form envcloped in "A blue cotton rebosa,
such as servants and Indian wcmen
wear, entered the parlor. I asked
"Does Mrs. Santa Anna know am here
Was my card given her2n
The reply was: "Ahl ] see you hav,
entirely forgotten me-" IL was Mrs
Santa Anna.
Mortified at my own stupidity. Iquickly
replied: "The parlor is a little dark,
have not seen you for two years. and then
you were dressed in black" But in very
truth had never seen the lady looking
quite so untidy. So little was Mrs. Santa
Anna known, or rather so completely
was her very existence forgotten. that
when she was buried not long ago some
Of the Mexican newspapers alluded 10
her 'eytreme old age" although she
could not have been more than So or ~
years old. They evidently believed the
deceased was the presidents first wife
who would have been at least So
City of Mexcio Letter