New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-16
ALFONSO XII WANTED TO MARRT HER

ALFONSO XII WANTED TO MARRT HER
In her childhood she was q playmate Of the late
King Alfonso of Spain. and when they grew up
he conceived for her a "grande passion, which
led him. both prior to his marriage TO Queen Mer-
cedes and after the latter's death, before he
ried Queen Marie Christina, TO urge her TO be-
come his morganatc wife. She too proud.
however. to accept any such role and realized be-
sides that owing TO the unpopulartty OF her step
father the late Duke Of Sesto, her position at
Madrid would be intoerable. Yet It was out OF
the question for the late Don Alfonso to dream
OF making her his Queen. for her ancestry is OF
the most extraordinary character. She is de-
scended from of Louis XV's hours of the Pare
Cerfs. who had a daughter by him, named
Adele Michel married TO the Count de FIahault
This Count de Flahaults the friend OF
Queen Hortense Bonaparte of Holland and the
Almanach de Gotha makes secret of the fact
that the late Duke de AIorny. father Of the Mar
quise de Belbeuf iIlegtinate son of Queen
Hortense and Of the Count de Flanault. In fact.
the late Duke de Morny so proud Of his parent
age that. indifferent TO consiiera tons OF his
mothers honor and TO the feelings OF his half
brother. Napoleon III, the subject. he
wont to adorn the panels Of his carriages with a
hortensia. surmounted by a ducal crown. Queen
Hortense. as everybody knows. was a daughter OF
the Empress Josephine of France by her first hus-
band the Viscount de Beauharnais. The late Duke
de Moruy married while Ambassador at ST. Peters
burg. Princess Sophie Troubetskoi. descended from
the throne of Russia. to which he had been elected
by the boyars OF NIuscovy, led to the selection in
his stead OF the founder of the House OF Romanor
which now occupies the throne of Russia. There
have been many matrimonial alliances between
the Romanoffs and the Troubetskois. that IL
may be said that the Marquise de Belbeuf has IN
her veins not only the blood OF King Louis XIV OF
France and OF the Empress Josephine but likewise
that of the reigning house OF Russia.
But IL IS only her heredity which is responsi-
- for bsra
be taken into account. Her father, the Duke de
Morny. creator OF Deauville and OF whom the
novelist Alphonse Daudet, once his private
tary, draws so graphic a portrait. in his book n
titled THE Nabob,' died when she was about two
years old and her mother had married for second
time three years later the Spanish Duke Of Sesto
Marquis of Alcanices. The duchess the most
utterly selfish and worldly woman that IL was possi-
bic conceive. cared nothing for either OF her
husbands for her children. and allowed the latter
TO grow I'D any way. She was a beautiful woman
but had no regard for time, conventionality
for anything save the qualification OF
her every passing whm. and used 70
spend most OF her time in smoking cigarettes.
looking the world. indeed, through their tinted
smoke. Under the circumstances, it is not alto
gether strange that her children should have turned
as they have done. Fer they cannot ever be
said to have enjoyed a mothers love or care while
their Spanish stepfather was whose name
is held in execration and IN contempt TO this day
having been the aaItre des plaisrs' OF the late
King Alfonso. and IN many respects his evil gem
ius at any rate as far moral shortcomings were
concerned
The present Duke de Morny is married TO q
daughter OF Guzrnan Blanco who was for so many
years President and Dictator OF Venezuela, and
after particularly stormy youth has settled down
into a rather quiet domestic life. being seldom
heard OF nowadays. although he was time In
the linelight or publicity
QUEENS LOAN OF A CABINET MINISTER.
Foreign governments have occasionally been
known TO loan another officials possessed OF
certain specialized training and expert knowledge
but Queen Wilhenlina OF the Netherlands Will enjoy
the distinction OF being the hrst European
ereign TO allow ono OF her ministers OF state to
lseys baE dpuainions Tor the purpose Of taking W