Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-01-29

AND FAMILY CONNECTIONS.
The marriage of King Alfonso OF
pain and the Princess Mercedes, third
laughter of the Duke de Montpensier
oek place at Madrid, January 23rd, in
he Atocha Cathedral with great SPLEEN
lor. Among those present were Queen
christina and King Francisco, (tht
Kings grandmother and father,) the
pecial ambassadors from France, Aus
ria, Russia and England, the apostolic
delegate, the Count and Countess 0
Paris, Senators and Deputies and other
lignitaries. The Pope, who is tn.
Kings godfather, sent by the apostolic,
delegate a wedding ring blessed by
lis Holiness and rose of diamonds fol
he Queen. The Duke de Montpensiel
gives his daughter 25,OOO,OOO francs il
addition to great quantity of dia-
nonds and wonderfully rich trous
'eau. Alfonso gives his queen several
suits of jewels and his portrait set in
orilliants. Great preparations have
been made for the festivities in celebra-
ton of the marriage. They are to last
five days and will include various feat
ures. There will also be a six weeks
season of. Italian opera. The Queen
also received from her sister, the Count
ess of Paris, a magnificent set of jewels
The wedding ceremony of King Alton
so and the Princess Mercedes occupied
nearly two hours. Crowds thronged the
streets and enthusiastically cheered the
King and the Princess.
Alfonso, the bridegroom, is in his
tweuty-first year. He went into exile
in 1868, with his mother, the ex-Queen
Isabella, and resided in France until
January, 1875, when he returned to
Spain and assumed royal authority
His accession to the throne was due to
the good will of Marshal Serrano, who
succeeded CASTELAR, as chief executive,
and held power nearly two years when,
with his concurrence, the military lead
ers proclaimed Alfonso King. Alfonso,
then boy of seventeen, acquired gen
eral favor by his graceful and manly
bearing. He left the direction of pub.
lie affairs in the hands of Canovas del
Castillo, who has been his guide and
political preceptor. In few months
from his accession the Carlist revolt was
suppressed, and steps were taken to re-
store constitutional government thro'.
out the land. With the exception Of
the Cuban war, his reign has since been
peaceful, and has not been seriously dis
turbed by conspiracy or political tumult
The bride, Infanta Mercedes, is the
third daughter of Antoine dOrleans
Duke of Montpensier, and the Princess
Louisa, a younger sister of the eX-Queen
Isabella. She is in her eighteenth veal
and very handsome. The Duke, bel
father, followed military career, and
served in the Algerian campaign. In
October, 1916, he was married to the
Princess Louisa, whose sister was then
Queen of Spain. The marriage was
prompted by King Louis Philippe
who cherished hopes that it would rem
der French influence dominantin Spain
The Duke went into exile with the Or
leans family in l84S, and took up his
residence in Seville. He became mimi
cal to Queen Isabella, and in July, 1868
during the political strife which pre-
| ceded her overthrow, he was forced into
exile. Before leaving Spain he resigned
his grade of captain general in the ar
my, renouneed the title of Infant o
Spain, and returned to the Queen thu
decorations she had given him. WheI
the revolution triumphed the Duke re
cognized the provisional government
and was allowed to return. He wa'
=
ish throne, but never enlisted much sup
port
The ex-Queen Isabella, who now re
sides in Paris, has been greatly annoyed
at the royal engagement. She remon
strated strongly with her son, and tha
failing, threatened to transfer her claims
which would, to some extent, involve
bis own, to Den Carlos. She dined will
that prince, aud finally wrote a letter t.
Paris journal, in which she avowet
her friendship for the elderly branch
and complained bitterly of her unre
Quilted sacrifices to the cause of her son
This conduct caused great annoyance a
Madrid; the government informed tn
| Queen that she must not return t.
Spain, and that the Spanish ambassado
would no longer hold any relations will
her court. The French government
| was, moreover, requested to remove Dol
| Carlos from the frontier, q request will
| which it at once complied. ADxiet,
still exists in regard to the eX-Queen'
plans. The utmost vigilance has beef
employed to prevent her from attending
the royal nuptials, and the Spanish am
bassador has remained at his post il
Paris to watch her.
AN ENGAGED SUFFER- AND A DIsAP
POINTED WIDow.-A man namet
Watkins, of Essex county, who wa
counting widow in King and Queer
county, became so enraged with her TO
refusing to lend him her horse and bug
gy to go after the marriage license tina
he borrowed a friends, drove to IT,
court house during furious rain, got
license, but instead of the widows nam,
had that of a young lady to whom hi
had been paying some attention insert
ed in it, and returning had no difficulty
in obtaining her consent to have thu
nuptial knot tied.
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY
A number o. ladies, prominent il
New York society, are making arrange
ments for an entertainment on Wash
ington's birthday for the benefit of ar
institution which was endowed by the
great patriarch himself, namely, th'
Washington and Lee University, a
Lexington, Va. There will be an anna
teur performance Of an original patriotic
drama, written by well known gentle
man of New York, and it is probabl,
that drawing-room musical entertain
ment will take place at private house
AN APPROPRIATE HYMN.-At the re
cent dedication of a Baptist church ir
Genesee county, n. Y, the ceremony o
immersion was performed for the frs
time in that church by we'll known
Baptist minister. When he had enter
ed the water, and while waiting for The
candidate. the minister suggested that
somebody should sing an appropriate
hymn. One of the deacons, who stnoc