The morning call., 1893-02-12

be present at the inauguration OF the Chicago
Exhibition. The Infanta Marie Isabelle
FRANCHISE d'Assises Christine de Paule
Domingo is az years old. and there have
been many sad chapters in her life. How
ever she is perhaps the only decidedly
strong minded Bourbon in Europe. The
Princess is what the French call tres crane.
and this expresses her pride, her decision of
character, her great intelligence. The H.
fanta has had domestic sorrows and public
disappointments. Twice has she been the
legitimate heir to the throne Of Spain, and
twice has she been forced to take the second
rank. Her childhood was series of
triumphs. | have heard Spauiards say that
az her birth the Spanish people were wild
with joy. There were illuminations. eaval-
cades, races, reviews, and the poor had
their share in the festivities. for aims were
distributed in a royal manner. She was
the heir 10 the throne, and with
the advent of a Princess des Asturies
there was general amnesty. For
six years the Princess des Asturies
was considered the future sovereign uf
Spain, and then Alfonso was born. By right
he was Prince des Asturies. and Isabella be-
came simple InfaDta. When she was little
more than 16 years old, this Princess knew
the meaning OF the words tumults, disturb
ance, persecution and revolution. The air
OI MdUIlu WAS HSdVy WIN tile EeNOluIO0dIy
spirit, and the people were hostile to the
royal family. But before the final out
break, before the populaee had publicly ex-
pressed its hatred of the dynasty, Isabella
was married to Prince Gaetan Marie Fred
eric, Count OF Girgenti, son of Ferdinand
III and Marie Therese, Archduchess of Aus
tria once soyereigns of Naples.
Count Of GiTgenti went to Madrid, and in
spite OF the troublous times gained the
sympathy of the people. By royal decree,
he was made Infant of Spain. and the mar
riage took place May Is, 1868, at the Royal
Palace in Madrid.
The same people, who. four months later
were to drive tho royal family from their
palace, assembled on the Plaza de Oriente. to
admire and applaud the youthful couple.
The 1nfanta Isabella came to Paris with her
husband and her aunt The sister of Don
Francois d'Assises, father of the Infanla,
has often described to me the horror OF the
Young Princess when she heard that her
mother was no longer Queen, her brother
no longer considered heir 10 the throne of
Spain.
1.-THE 10Th of September the news came,
and in the whole royal family there was but
one man, the Count of Girgenti, husband
Of my niece. They adored each other, but
he remembered that al the time of his mar
riage he had been appointed TO the COM
mand Of a regiment of Spanish hussars,
and said to his bride, My duty is with my
'''Go. Do your duty, and if need be, diep
land MY poor Isabella had reason to be
proud of her husband" said the aunt, "for
he went to Spain, placed himself at the
head of his regiment, and fought so bravery
that even the revolutionary papers spoke OF
him with great respect, and the new Gov
eminent requested him to remain. That
Of course, he would not do. and he returned
to his wife"
Three years and half after his marriage,
Count OF Grgenti became insane and when
in Geneva put an end to his existence.
The Infanta Isabella never loved any one
but her husband, and those who know her
understand how absurd were the reports
that she intended to marry Canovas del
Castillo.
Canovas, always expressed for him the
greatest admiration. but he was a Con-
servative. and for her the Conservatives
were everything. 1t Is reported that she
said when the Liberals came into power:
This dynasty has 10 pass through this
disease as child through the measles" l
have said that twice the Inianta Isabella
was heir to the throne of Spain.
In November, 1874, telegram arrived from
Madrid, and the Count de Morphy said to
Alfonso: ''rhe hour has arrived, your
HighnesS is King Of Spain"
Before the message reached Alfonso the
Ipfanta was ready and with the King she
entered Madrid. only to be separated from
her brother by death. Two days after their
arrival the lnfanta was again made Prin-
cess des Asturies. again by royal decree
made heir to the Spanish throne.
So long as Alfonso remained unmarried il
was his sister, Isabella, who presided at
court. But when came the Kings marriage,
when his first daughter arrived, again the
IBfanta Isabella had the second place. OF
course she was disappointed, but as she is
woman of remarkable character, when Al
fonso died she decided to sustain Queen
Christine. because, in her estimation, to
sustain the Queen is to sustain right.
Right is the watchword of the Infanta
Isabella, aud for her the restoration was
not an idea; 1t was the right.
Old royalists are extremely fond of Isa-
bella, because she believes in the divine
right of kings. while Queen Isabella, Queen
Christine and the late King Alfonso have
always tried to make themselves popular
with the opposition. The lnfanta Isabella
compromises with no one. She is thor
oughly independent. ApropOS of her indie
pendence, one of her friends tells me that
the day after the anniversary of her BROTH
er's death Isabella put on a col0red gown
and went to the theater.
OF course there was much gossip in Mad
rid, and the Infanta heard the criticisms
about her gayety, her hard heart. elc. To
a friend she sad:
'In a court there are duties not easy to
perform. but since they must be performed
it is better not to postpone one instant. [
am here to care for the Queen She is diving
from sorrow, and she is my first thought.
If you hear that concerts are organized in
this palace, know that | am responsible for
their organization. Ii ii be possible to dis
sipate the Relanchoiic atmosphere OF this
palace | shall do it. and to accomplish my
work ] may resort to methods of gayety for
which | shall give no explanation"
The Infanta Isabella is an indefatigRbIe
sportswoman and drives fouT-in-hand to
PERFECTION: she hunts. goes TO the tbeater
and dances as young girl. but she is al
ways ready to take UP the cause of her
sster-in-law. the Queen regent. whom she
would defend with the last drop of her
blood.
The iDfanta Isabella promised to come 10
the Paris Exposition, but at the last mo-
ment something prevented her visit.
/ hope that, as reported. the Spanish
cruiser Condo de Venadito Will bear her to
American shores in April and that my
country people will have an opportunity of
seeing tbs most intelligent warmes:-
hearted Princess of our time.
1t is said that in the suite Of the Infanta
Isabella will be the Duke de Veragua, a
lineal descendant of Columbus.
Don Cristobal Colon de la Cerda. Duke
de Veragua, Marquis de la Jamaica, Adj
mral and Honorary Governor-General Of
India. Grand d'Espagne of the first class,
ETC., etc., had ranch in Spain where be
raised the finest bulls in the world. In spite
of cries and reprOaches from the Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals the
Duke de Veragua organized bullfghis for
his own animals in Paris at Plaza de
Toros, net far from the Avenue du Bots de
Boulogne.
1t was decided that the bulls should not
be killed and the horses only slightly in
jured, but the bull6ghts did not succeed.
For some there was too much feroeity,
for others not enough, so that between the
ranch in Spain and the bullfghts in France
the Duke de Veragua lost everything
For a long time he tried to disguise his
position, and until two years ago was a
member OF the Spanish Cabinet; but at last
the sherlffs seized his property, and the
grandee WAS obliged to retire to Spanish
monastery.
L confess am not sorry for man who
l0sas his all in hnIffphts mt snma Spanist