New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-15
4 ROYAL TRAGEDY.
The Story of a Spanish Princess.

Paris correspondence of The Pail Mall Gazette
This morning, while walking through one of
the largest cemeteries in France, a friend called
my attention to a certain tombstone. There is
buried there" he said, "a princess of the reign
ing family of Spain, direct descendant of Charles
", aunt of his majesty King Alfonso of Spain
and sister-in-law of Queen Isabella That is the
tombstone" he added, ''of the Infanta Isabella
Ferdinande FRANCHISE Josephine, who died in
Paris but a few years ago in a misera BILE lodg-
ing, leaving her hotel bill unpaid, and deeply in
debted to the wine merchant at the corner" NV
friends statement interested me TO such an ex-
tent that 1 took steps to get further information
about the destitute princess, and learned that
about ffty-fiVe years ago she was one of the
most brilliant beauties of the Spanish Court
Clever, high spirited, well educated, and speak
ing seVeral languages. she seemed destined for
a throne But by a succession of caIamitfes she
fell so low that, abandoned by every one. she
died insolvent, kept by charity in a wretched
lodging, with only the hotel keeper to close her
eyes and bury her.
Her decadence began with her marriage to
Count GurOWsk a Pole, for it led to a rupture
with the royal family, and, though when the
count died, the government allowed her pen
sion, it was mere pttance and barely suficed
for her support on the counts death she came
to reside in Paris, and took up her quarters in
a small hotel in the Cite d'Antin where she died
Her title and connections the means of
obtaining for her an extensive credit hut her
extravaganza soon exhausted it, and when the
Pts Exhibition caused a demand for rooms
she was expelled from her hotel After the ex-
hibition, however, the proprietor of the hotel
took her back again, and there, given over 70
CFlhk ana deserted Dy her friends, she remained
imprisoned with her memories and her misery
until death came TO relieve her
Her manner of life at the hotel was very nm
like the popular idea of a princess's existence
People knew who she Was-in that fact con-
sisted her whole grandeur and the sole aIIevia
ton OF her wretchedness. And If at first she
made some effort TO live contentedlv on the
remnants of her greatness, her weakness for
Wine soon made her efforts vain she grew enor
mously stout and eventually half paralyzed
she never went out of doors This state ~
thngs lasted for three years preceding her
death. winch she spent sitting over her fire
brooding, doing or drinking Az :
Al last the end came The princess grew old
her lnhrmitles increased her solitude bAcaroa
complete Torpor and silence reigned in the lii
tie ROOM save when she would ring for food or
In terror OF death, for some one TO stay with ber
one day, IN a mt. she fell and injured her he'd
against the table The wound was severe ara
she mad 10 remain in bed. Queen Isabella her
slster-in-law was communicated with and sent
her surgeon However, the princess died com
pIeteIy alone and in great agony. and II was
ohly aIter some difficulties that her family
agreed TO pay the costs of the funeral
Thus came the end OF the princess-ins ol,,a,t
Kept by charity III miserable chamber with
out a single fr1end-the InSanta Isabella Ear,5i
nande Franeoise Josephine. sister-in-Iaw OF
queen Isabella and aunt OF his majesty Az
Dhonse XIII, King Of Spain.