ernan-Nunez
and the Princess Pio (an Italian lady), wore tiaras of emeralds and
brilliants of a size and beauty that I have never seen surpassed. The
Duchess of Alva was, as usual, dressed in perfect taste, but, alas! I am
not able to describe. It was something white and vapory and covered with
flowers, with a few diamond pins fastening the flowers in her hair. I
observed that whenever a young girl was without a partner, there was the
hostess introducing one to her, or if any awkward-looking youth stood
neglected in a corner, she took his arm, brought him forward, presented
him to some one, and made him dance. Or if some scientific man, invited
for his merits,--for her parties are much less carefully winnowed than
those of the aristocracy in general,--stood with his spectacles on,
looking a little like a fish out of water, there was the countess beside
him, making him take her to the buffet, conversing with him as she does
well upon every subject, and putting him so much at his ease that in a
few minutes he evidently felt quite at home." Such a description as
this must inevitably lead to the reflection that charming as the
Countess Montijo may have been, she was in no way peculiar or remarkable
except in so far as she represented the highest type of a polished,
tactful Spanish hostess, for in every civilized modern country there are
women of this class who excite general admiration.

The wavering policy of the capricious Isabella was somewhat strengthened
in 1856, when the long-suffering people, unable to countenance for a
longer time the universal corruption which existed in all branches of
the government, rose in such threatening revolt, under the leadership of
O'Donnell, that the queen was forced to give heed. The revolt counted
among its supporters members of all political parties, who were now
banded together from motives which were largely patriotic, and so great
was their influence that Isabella was forced to accept their terms or
lose her crown. For a few years there was an increased prosperity for
Spain, but the improvement could not be of long duration, so long as the
government remained under the same inefficient leadership. Finally, the
end came in 1868, when there broke forth a general revolution which was
but the forcible expression of the real and genuine spirit of discontent
which was to be found among all classes of the people. The navy rebelled
at Cadiz, and the fleet declared for the revolution, and th