Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-06-02

! of the Royal Old Girl
! From Paris comes the news that Isa-
now in her 63d year, has taken another
favorite, Il Hungarian, young and pre-
Sumably good looking, and that he ex-
ercises a wonderful influence over her
The occasion for the publication Of this
news lies in the fact that this Hungar-
ian, preSuming upon his influence, has
dared to insult the Infanta Eulalie ana
other members of the royal family OF
Spain, thus causing Il bitter dispute be-
tween Isabella and her royal relatives
The life of this remarkable queen is
drawing to a close. 1t is nearly twenty
years since the eyes of the world have
been turned upon her, and in those
years she has been forgotten But now,
says the New York Sun, the mind finds
itself dwelling upon that page Of history
of more than two decades ago when
Isabella fled from Spain, forsaking her
throne and power, and upon those
scenes of moral wickedness which in
that day Mortified all Europe. Born in
the most immoral court of modern
Europe, in an atmosphere Of icentious-
ness, surrounded by debauched throne
hunters and INSCRIPTIONS schemers.
reared by q mother whose sins were
committed almost before the daughters
eyes, the ardent nature of Spain
glowed in Isabella's eyes and betrayed
those intense emotions of love and
jealousy and hate which swayed her
heart. She never knew the felicity of
domestic peace and happiness Her
life has been a succession of moods Of
passion, each one of which brought its
own unhappiness. To understand this
nature it is necessary to know some
thing Of her birth and her early life.
Soon after the battle of Leipsic when
the throne of Napoleon was lettering
before it's fall, Ferdinand VII. was re-
stored to the kingdom of Spain. This
Ferdinand was one of the greatest
rakes and debauchees that ever lived
Before he returned to his throne he
lived in 4 spacious castle, where moth
women and wine. In his early life he
had married . but his wife died, child
less. of cruel treatment. When restor-
ed to the throne he married his niece.
the daughter of the king Of Portugal
She too, died without child. Ferdi
nands brother, Carlos, whom he hated
intensely, looked forward to the time
when he would succeed to the throne.
By the Salic law woman could not
reign over Spain, and Ferdinand had no
heir. He married a third time and this
wife died childless.
At the age of 45 years Ferdinand,
the WORKOUT debauchee, married a
fourth time. He chose for his wife
Maria Christina, the daughter of the
king of Naples, Il girl of 20 years, frivo-
lous and without a trace of conscience.
One of the writer's who recorded the
events of those days says: at is said
that it was suggeted to Christina by the
ministers of Ferdinand that a law high
er than the claims of ordinary morality
required that she should produce an
heir to the throne
There was a private in the kings
guard at Madrid, a handsome fellow
by the name of Munoz. He was the
son of a tobacconist, and was impe-
cunious, but he was tall, strong and
handsome, with a clear-cut, bronZed
face Queen Christmas carriage over
turned one day, and Munoz was FORUM
ate enough to be on hand to eXtricstC
the queen from danger, with the result
that he became strong favOrite with
her In the course of time Christina
gave birth to a child, a girl who after
ward became Queen Isabella Ii. King
Ferdinand, at the solicitation of his
wife. who now controlled him complete
ly, revoked the Salic law in order to
defeat the pretensions of his brother
Carlos At the death of Ferdinand,
Sept. %, 1888, Isabella was proclaimed
queen under the regency of her mother.
Christina entered into a mOrganatic
marriage with Munoz, comforting a
dukedom upon him. In few years
she began to weary of Munoz and look
ed around her for another lover She
found not one, but a dozen and other
dozens, until it became a common joke
in Madrid that Christmas lovers were
plentiful enough to form a regiment,
The queens women followed Their
royal mistress example. The court of
old CASTLE became a bagnio, and here
Isabella spent her childhood.
A husband had to be found for her.
The queen regent searched Europe for
a prince whose marriage with Isabella
would quell the disturbances that agi-
tated Spain and would at the same
time secure the friendship of France
and England. One after another came,
but Isabella though she was not yet
1G years old, would have none of them.
She had developed stubborn will and
a fiery temper, and her mother was not
the woman to manage her. 1t was
finally decided by Christina and Louis
Philippe Of France that Isabella must
marry Don Francisco d Assist, duke
of CadiZ, who was her first cousin. He
was short and ugly and small, had silly
eyes and was afflicted with some ner-
vous ailment. 1t is said that he was
weak minded, but as he rarely ever ap-
peared in public and had few friends,
this was never known positively.
In dark room in the palace the
queen regent and one Of her priests
urged Isabella to accept this man as
her husband They pleaded and coaxed
! nd threatened and commanded, but
again and again the girl said NO
! But finally. when the hight was spent