Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-19

been due to her anxiety to save money for
her children, to secure handsome marriage
portions for her daughters as well as a
good income for her son in case he should
be deprived of the crown, his father and
his grandmother were. Out of the allow
ance made by parliament for the royal
household during the last sixteen years
while she has been regent she has succeed
ed in saving several millions of dollars,
which is carefully invested in stock of the
Bank Of Spain, in French and English gov
eminent bonds and other gilt-edged securt
ties.
The king now has a private fortune of
about 81 0O0OOO which he owes to the thrift
and thoughtfulness of his mother, who has
been boarding carefully for his benefit.
Her expenses have been small. She has
spent little upon dress, has bought no jew
els, has INDUCED In no eXtravaganceS, gave
no entertainments, and never went any
where, so that now, when he comes into the
full possession of his power and marries a
rich wife he will be able to live In a man.
ner BETTING king
The King of Spain receives a privy purse
from parliament of 1000, 600 pesetas a year,
which at par is equal to 81 $50, 900, but at
$1.OOO,O00. From this he is required to nav
all of the expenses of the royal household
maintain the palace, the stables, the royal
parks here and elsewhere, pay his secre-
taries, clerks. the expense of travelling, en-
tertainment and everything. During her
sixteen years as regent Queen Christina en-
joyed the same allowance. After the coro-
nation OF her son she was granted an an
nulty OF 10000 pesetas (s5O,00O, but de-
clined 1t, and will accept nothing from the
public treasury; but she gets no credit for
her generosity. The people say that she
saved enough when she was regent.
Queen Isabella's Extravaganza.
The former Queen Isabella, grandmother
of the king, who now lives in a handsome
residence in Avenue Kleber. near the Amer
lean legation. in Paris, receives an allow
ance of 100000 pesetas $500 OOO), but she
is very extravagant, and does not know
what becomes of her money Although sew
enty-three years old. she is still very Wig
orOuS In health, with a large capacity for
enjoyment. Her life has been a series of
sensational events, and woman living
could furnish such interesting material for
biography. She has been seventy years
before the public, having been elevated to
the throne when she was a child of three
given full authority at the age of thirteen
married at sixteen against her will to a
man she hated, twice driven from the
throne and now an exile. She was eXpeIled
from her country thirty years ago and has
since lived in Paris, and the general under
standing is that she is not permitted to re-
turn across the boundary. She did not
come with the body of her husband which
was brought to the Escurial shortly after
his death at Epinay, France, April g. 1902;
nor did she appear at the coronation of her
grandson. 1t is said that the ministers told
her she must not come. They will not even
allow her to visit San Sebastian the sum-
mer capital. which is just across the French
boundary.
Two reasons are assigned by common ru-
NOR; one is that the diSaffected element of
the population will demand her restoration
to the throne from which she was removed
in 1868, for she is exceedingly popular: and
the other is that the queen regent fears her
influence over the boy king Even at her
present age Queen Isabella is said to retain
the powers of fascination that have made
her sort of mixture of Catherine the Great
and Mary Queen of Scots. The common
people adore her and admire her vices oI,ita
as much as her virtues. They call her lisa
bella the Bad" and she has had the reouta-
ton of being the wickedest woman in En-
rope, but they love her nevertheless, and at
the present state of popular discomfort her
presence might provoke a serious disturb
ance, IL not an actual revolution.
The Infanta Isabella.
The 1nfanta Isabella. her eldest daughter,
who is even more popular. is very differ
ent woman. She has all her mothers vir-
tues and none of her vices: all of her ability
and none Of her tendency to mischief; a
strong character, of sterling integrity, ripe
Judgment and executive ability. When she
was mere child she was fol 20 marry
a man she loathed-her own cousin, Count
Giggenti. brother of the late King of Ma
pies, an epileptfc roue. who was dissipated.
brutal and diseased: and three years after
the marriage cut his own throat in her
presence at a hotel in Geneva. His nephew.
Count Caserte. has recently married her
niece. the Infanta Mercedes. the elder sister
of the king. Her brief and tragic matri-
monial experience whitened her hair and
darkened her life. and she has had no other
purpose or ambition but to support and pro
tect her young nephew, the king, and his
mother, the queen regent, to whom she has
been the most valuable and loyal friend and
supporter. Until the coronation she lived
in the royal palace as a member of the fam
lily, and her influence over Alfonso XIII is
surpassed only by that Of his mother. She
has never taken advantage Of her own pop
ularity. but has sacrificed everything and
lived only for the boy. With great tact and
conscientiousness she has kept out Of poll
tics. but Is democratic In her ways, and
never fails to excite enthusiasm whenever
she goes among the people. On several occa-
sions her shrewd judgment. quick wit and
personal popularity have saved the govern
ment from embarrassing situations. Last
winter she met with q serious accident, be-
ing thrown from her saddle and having
three teeth knocked out. but has fully re-
covered
The Infanta Isabella receives an allow