The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-10
MERCEDES AND MARIA CHRISTINA.
Meeting of Children Whose Histories
Were Later Intertwined.
Chicago Post.

w N
Were Later Interfwined.
Chicago Post
One afternoon about twenty-six years ago
the Convent of the Danes de pAssomption
at Auteuil was enjoying a fete. The parlor
sEone like mirror, the long tables in the
pleasing to the eye, for frosted cakes, white
ard lemon colored creams, buttered tarts
and fruit preserves were mingled with flow
ers and sprays of green from the superb
borders of the convent garden. The pupils
wore their uniforms of white alpaca, some
OF which were relieved by the silver medal
fastened TO the breast with a colored rib
ben. The nuns. with their violet robes and
white wells, formed on the lawn picturesque
they We're chattering like magpies
That June afternoon was a memorable
one In the history of the convent, for
great event was about to occur. The Coun-
tess de Paris, on the eve of returning to
England after a short absence, had noticed
that her little Mercedes was somewhat pale
and had decided to confide her for some
weeks TO the care of the Danes de PAS
somption rather than to take her back to
the humid shadows of Stowe House.
AT 4 o'clock precisey-punctuality being.
the politeness of kings and queens-the car
riage of the countess whirled in grand style
into the little inner court of the convent
and stopped before the door hung with long
white silk curtains The countess, who was
driving, threw the reins into the face of
the groom in her haste to spring to the
walk. She gave her skirts hasty shake,
and although with her clinging dress of
gray wool and her round hat there was lit
tie in her appearance that smacked of roy
atty, she proceeded without moments
loss of time to perform the duties of ETH
quette imposed by her rank, graciously ex-
tending a somewhat large hand to the row
of twelve nuns bowling low at the foot Of
the staircase, each Of whom kissed her hand
respectfully. Behind her trotted a pretty
little girl, slender and sprigltly, badly
dressed and unbecomingly coifed.
VIII your highness go to the garden?''
asked the mother superior after the hand
kissing ceremony had ended. Our pupils
await with mpatience the moment when
they may render to daughter of France
the homage that is her due
The little girl smiled under her high
crowned hat, turned quickly on her heel and
tention to the dame in the long white man
tie, VINO, hampered in her movements by
her vestments of ceremony, followed her.
stopped short. feeling quite intimidated by
the artillery of the not altogether friendly
glances of some fifty little duchesses, count
eSSeS and rich bourgeoiSeS. The prospect OF
having royal maiden among them hattered
them, of course, and it would be very sweet
to speak of Mercedes or Orleans as a friend
OF their childhood But meantime the nuns
would have eyes for her alone, and that was
sure to be tiresome These small ladies al
ready knew something of it, for they had
a "highness' among them now. Indeed. the
nun VINO had caught the young princess and
VINO held her by the hand marched straight
10 a group in the midst of which stood
plain little girl whose face, framed by braids
of hair had in it neither winSOmeness nor
freshness; and whose air was awkward and
somewhat sullen. The nun took her also by
the hand and in a very emphatic voice pre-
scented the two children to each other: Her
Imperial Highness Maria Christina of Aus
trla, Her Royal HfghnesS Mercedes Of Or
leans
The. little girls said the Countess
Jdcqu1line de G., who only yesterday re-
lated the incident to me. looked steadily at
each other without smiling and almost with
defiance Finally Maria Christina coldly ex-
out enthusiasm, laid her own. Then the
young archduchess let the plump little hand
Of the French child drop disdainfully. and,
turning to tall girl at her side, said. ca
ress1ng her chin with white hand: What
hand, grand Dieu! Red. perspiring. pah!"
Mercedes heard or guessed the remark.
ped her little fat hands under her large
sleeves. But Jacqueline de G.. who
was the enfant terrible and spoiled child
of the convent. and whom a "highness"
could not brighten, did not lose moment
in making reply and to the utter stupe-
ncation OF the already dismayed nun said
Indignantly: Red they may be, and per-
spring, perhaps, but proper at least. Look
at your own nails, Madame PArchduch-
And" continued the Countess Jacqueline
de c.. in relating the incident to me, cit
was we'll that the supper bell brought a
the pupils divided into two camps, one sur
rounding Maria Christina and the other
Mercedes. They regarded one another with
flashing eyes and CLICKED like young puilets
in rival poultry yards. 1t required much
cream ana cake TO quiet so much efferveS-
cence Meantime Maria Christmas eyes
had filed with tears, and that evening, no.
ticing that / held myself somewhat aloof
and was i'll at ease in spite of my apparent
Indifference. she came to me and said hum
bly,: You We're right to make me ashamed
of myself, Jacqueline. / cannot see why
so soon found fault with that pretty little
French princess"
At the convent of the Danes de PAssump-
ton they are fond of showing the little room
where the Archduchess Maria Christina
passed two years of her life, her narrow bed
and the small mirror where it seems she
passed more than bitter moment, for
she adored beauty and suffered cruelty in
seeing herself unattractive.
MY dear" said Jacqueline de c. to
her one day zone cannot possess every
thing; you are already very lucky in being
such great lady
All" replied the other, 81 would rather
be Jacqueline de c. with her pretty face
than Maria Christina of Austria. with this
odious chin, for, you see, consider myself
extremely ugly"
And we know that Alfonso XII was of the
same opinion, for before espousing Maria
Christina he married his cousin, Mercedes
d'Orleans. in spite of the wishes of his
mother and his Parliament. who had
planned for him an Austrian alliance.