The record-union., 1895-10-19

Europe's widows who have been rulers
are so numerous as to call attention anew
10 the instability of thrones and the gen
orally unhappy condition of the women
who by the death of their royal husbands
have passed into obscurity, says the New
\ Ork World.
The most recent royal widow is the
ex-Queen OF Naples. who has lived IN
FURNISHED rooms in Paris for several
years, moderate in her expenditures, but
eccentric in her mode of living. her
husband, ex-king Francis, who died the
other day, was d weak man and mar
rOw-minded bigot. Although he was
rich and his wife is rich in her own
right. yet they preferred to remain IN
a furnished apartment which they
rented. Francis declared thai he would
ut some time be recalled TO reign over
the Two Sicilies, and so could not De
bothered with furniture that interfered
with his leaving for Naples at mo-
menrs notice.
A QUEEN AS A CIRCUS RIDER.
Queen Marie Sophie, the widow of
Francis, is a sister 10 the Empress or
Austria and the Duchess of Alencon.
She is beautiful, tall, slender and full OF
energy and resources. For Paris So
clety she cares nothing, and has made
II habit for some years TO retire at
9:30 every night. Her eccentricity once
look the remarkable form OF hiring the
Hlppodrome upon several occasions, and
there, in the presence of only her hus-
band and servants, appearing IN The
costume of q circus rlder-sIlk tights,
short skirts and spangles-and jumping
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bareback, while ex-King Francis threw
rubber balls into the air, and she adroltly
caught them ST full galIop. Her object
was TO prove to her own and to her nus
bands satisfaction that she was quite as
proficient IN the art as those who made IL
profession.
Another of her tastes is for boating. and
in summer, for some years, she has Wis
tied Boulogne, where she has rented
sailboat for the season and secured the
services of two old tars. With them she
has made perilous trips in the very teeth
OF the storm, undaunted by the usual
rougnnesS OF the water.
This sX-Queen and ex-wife has said
since the death of her husband that she
intends to remain in her unpretenIious
apartments in the Hotel NouillemounI,
on the Rue Bulssy o. Anglas for lew
months, and then will join her sister, the
Empress OF Austria.
One day she encountered an aged man
who dotted his hat quickly aud, making
pro.use oDeisances, prOtessed an &C
quaintance with her majesty. But the
Queen was at a loss to place him.
Why" said the man, your majesty
did me the honor TO stop at my hotel
once. l keep the Crown"
do you, inGeed?" replied the Queen.
Let me congratulate you. You are able
to do what 1 was not"
bot na I, a. Al,
widoWhood of the Empress Frederick
and of the Archduchess Stephane?-both
despoiled OF a future that promised TO be
brilliant, both robbed OF a heritage they
were qualified TO enjoy.
Empress Frederick, wife Of the Ger
man Marcus Aurelius woman of lit
eTarY taste s, artistic, fluent in ideas and
plans, after waiting for the throne, found
her nus band stricken with an incurable
disease and all her aspirations buried in
the tomb. Since then she has been un-
known, without role, without destiny
in the great German Empire where she
had dreamed 10 ia so powerful.
At court function recently she was
talking with the aged General Meer-
scheldt, between whom and the present
Emperor there has been constant Dicker-
ing on army matters. The Emperor came
up while his mother was talking. and,
slapping the General Oh the shoulder,
exclaimed:
Your exoellency should think OF
marrying. Whom one is married one is
quieter."
Perhaps. your majesty" the En-
press Frederick quickly answered, 1.-The
General thinks young vile and young
Emperor would be rather moro than he
could get along with"
WIDOW OF THE LATE CzAR.
A beautiful woman still young and IN
usually attractive, the dauE hter, the sis
ter and the sster-in-law OF Kings, occu-
plying the throne OF tho great Catherine
and making brilliant with ler many
graces her Northern court, but recently
deprived suddenly OF her position the
Dowager Empress OF Russia is afflicted
with nervous disorder that had its origin
entirely aside from the recent death Of
the Gar. 1t began with the shock sus-
tained by her on the occasion of her faith
er-iu-law, Alexander H., being killed by
a bomb. Alter that event the terrible
fear of a like end TO her husband and
herself haunted her.
This feeling was further aggravated
one day when the royal family was re-
turning from the Caucasus, and, as the
train was running through a rayine, an
explosion took place, two violent shocks
were felt, the royal car was thrown
from the track, twenty-one OF It's inmates
were killed outright and thirty-seven
wounded, and the Gar was slightly cut
in the neck ana the CZarina in the hand.
Even to-day the CZsuna trem bles per-
ceptibly In her cain moments, and the
slightest surprise sIartIes her painfully.
She Is ever Respondent ana retiring
The description she at one time wrote
of her son, the present Car, has peculiar
interest at this time. The Dowager Car
ina wrote:
HE Is energetic but melancholy. and a
little timid. he could be iutruSted with
the greatest secrets, for he Is reserved in
his words ana acts, and is always pru-
dent. lie is disposed 10 DO sentiment al,
and has considerable Imagination. Re-
ligiously ho has tendency towards mys-
ticism. He is exceedingly attached to
his own family and friends, and enjoys
laughing ana joking with his intimates
His tendency IS rather too much that of a
yoluptuarv, and lie succumbs readily to
a pretty face, He is exceedingly tender
very observing and possesses artistic
tastes. While ne has energy of mind he
il physically not very active. lie is
rather slow TO resolve upon any action
but when the resolution Is made he is dit
tcult 10 move. lie is not combative: he
is an enthusiast on the subject OF JUS
tice; he IS susceptible TO pity, open to
clemency and has a disposition 10 make
people love him rather than fear him"
The most conspicuous member of the
large Partisan collection of royal persons
out of work is Queen Isabella OF Spain.
She occupies the Palais de Castillo. on
the Avenue kieDer, where for twenty
five years she has lived luxuriously and
outraged decency. The Queen is the
daughter OF Ferdinand VII. of Spain and
Queen Maria Christina. his fourth wife.
At the time of this marriage Ferdinand
was a WORKOUT debauchee. Statesmen
declared that claims higher than those
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heir should be produced. Isabella was
rrndnced Before her tYontieth year she