Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-10-31
,p p,cuMoND DlSrATCH--SUNDAY. OCTOBER 81 1886


and treat her With the Difference due to
4 princess, and little Lola was ct Arst
dazsd BY her encourage. The palace
seemed 10 her Q sort Of wonderland,
and this regal state perplsxsd her quite
A much Is the mysteries Of reading,
writing, and music, in which she Was
instructed by professors who had
been appointed to form . part Of her
household.
After Genera Santa Anna died his
family recovered some Of his former
possessions, and his widow was COM
paratively wealthy. She owned city
residence here and . pretty country
seat in Tacabsya. Her wardrobes
were filled with silk, satin, and velvet
dresses; her lsces alone constituted .
fortune, and she still retsined costly
sets Of diamonds, pearls, aud emerslds,
but when the stimulus of the old Gen.
erals ambition was withdrawn Mrs.
Santa Anna became so careless, so
inane that she had not energy enough
to sustain the position she might have
held if possessed Of any spirit. Her
apathy was not due to any regret for
past rank or splendor. She was simply
lazy, and soon degenerated into nom
entity, and instead Of opening her salon
to those who respected her and fully
appreciated her virtues, she received
but a few relatives and passed her
days idly lolling in rockiDg-chsir.
IN TORN WRAPPER.
Some two years ago Spanish lady,
who was really attached to Mrs. Santa
Anna, tried to arouse her from her
oyster-lke existence. One morning,
when she found her ex-EIighness in a
torn, soiled wrapper, with her hair
hanging down and her feet thrust into
old slippers down at the heel, she said ::
lola, it is a shame for you to be so
untidy."
Mrs. Santa Anna replied: 81 have
no person to dress for"
Nonsense exclaimed her friend.
You should remember that you are
the widow Of one of Mexico's most IL
lustrious heroes. Allow me to give
you one lesson in nestness."
What is it?" asked Mrs. Santa
Anna, with a lapguid smile.
alt must be given in the parlor,
responded Sonora b., and, leading the
widow into the salon, she pointed to
the portrait OF the deceased President,
saving: "Look at that proud face
then, stopping before full-length por'
trait Of her ex-Highness, said Look
at your graceful figure, your beautiful
face, those magnificent jewels which
you yet possess, and those almost rega
robes; then, quickly turning to
large mirror, added "And there be-
hold what you are now "
Mrs. Santa Anna gazed at the figure
in the mirror, then replied A" Yes, my
beauty has all gone"
NO." responded her friend "youl
teeth are still beautiful, your hair i:
but slightly changed, your figure is
still excellent, but you are so sloyenly
that you look worse than any of you
servants, and you are so indolent tha
if you do not soon rouse yourself hal
Of your faculties will be parslyzed fol
lack Of exercise"
DRESSED LIKE A SERVANT.
Mrs. Santa Anna rallied for while
but about year ago, when the writer
had occasion to see her, and had called
and waited some time, a woman in
faded calico dress, having her head anC
form enyelOped in blue cotton reboss
such as servants and Indian womer
wear, entered the parlor. | asked
docs Mrs. Santa Anna know | al
here? Was my card gwen herr"
The reply was "Ah. see you hay
entirely forgotten me-" 1t was Mrs
Santa Anna.
Mortified at my own stupidity,
quickly replied I" The parlor is it'll
dark | have not seen you for tw'
years, and then you were dressed il
black" But in very truth, | ha'
never seen the lady looking quite 81
untidy.
So little was Mrs. Santa Ann'
known, or rather so completely was he
very existence forgotten, that when Sd
was buried five weeks ago some of tn
: Mexican newspapers alluded to ne
extreme old age" although sh
could not have been more than fifty
five or tifty.six years old. They evi
IDENTIFY believed the deceased was tn
Presidents first wife, who would hay
been at least eighty. Few of those oil
gentlemen who in times past ha
bowed humbly before "Su Alteza
pretended to remember her existence
and a large majority Of the presen
} generation had never even heard th
: romantic history of Dolores Tosta d
Santa Anna.