The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-09-14

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--....ar RI nApR -MARsHAIs, MOBILES, AND
avxrpars 4pnoxG rHE AxTE.cHAMBER.
tv,. rstneh Atlantic cable 10 the Herald
u.ne,p. September i2. --0n Friday night.
.xrgtry 4 small rtrnion OF the ROYAL family
a. The palace, Queen Christina became
.soneyb hat iudisposed. From that hour her
condition grew more and more serious
and q was thought that at last the su-
nreme hour was approaching. Ihcre
sad been SO many disappoinimen's ana
m,scalcula,ions, however, that u was no.
un,ii about 6 O'Clock on the AFTERNOON Of
saturday that the Austrian physician 10 az
tendance positively gave bis opinion that 'ne
condition OF her Majesty was certain in0i-
cation OF her approaching connnemen.' ne
Intelligence was of course In short time
communicated 10 nearly.the whole city, and
az the welcome news spread II was only
ssatural that the populace should have been
ted 10 the palace. People OF all classes
ssayed In the Plaza del 0riente under the
na,sce windows all day, and the crowd
Slowly increased until the afternoon, when
n was known that the palace messenger
md been ordered of at half-past TO sum-
mon Ministers. Hours passed and the
crnwd increased as the intelligence went
.abrosd. until By nightfall the environs OF
e.. na,acc presented a very animated scene.
DIrrr,ly Queen Christina felt The first symp-
toms of travail her Austrian physician ad-
-vfscfI the DIXIE OF Sexto, the Lord Cham
Serlain. who immediately ordered The
commanding officer OF the haibardiers
az the Guard TO send eighty messages 10
request the instant attendance OF inc palace
of the Ministers, the Diplomatic corps:
and the native personages named ny hoyai
order to be present at the birth. Before
their arrival King Alfonso, ex-Queen lisa.
,set,a. the Princess OF Asturias, The Arch
duchess Isabella, and the ladies' OF the Royal
aousehold had assembled in the bed.cbam-
her of the Queen, with the Austrian phys-
Gran. In another room close by were the
two wet.nurses from Santander, in their
pretty costumes OF velvet skirts ana oodies,
braided with gold and silver.
BRILLIANT AssEMBLAGE.
The interior Of the palace was scene OF
~rc.f animation. The guards came to oc-
runy the gates and line the staircase and
zniccbamber. Then came the graDdees,
ssi,amber3aius, and military household, who
In tiue uniforms filed the galleries. Anxious
expectation was on every c0untenance. AS
carriage after carriage arrived with per-
sopages, native and foreign, all appearing
in full uniform except the United
states and South American represents
tfyes. the Lord Chamberlain conducted them
10 the aniechamber next to the chamber OF
the Queen. IL was a brilliant assembage OF
tbe Hover OF the Spanish nobility. Mar
sbsls and generals, knights OF noble aud
military orders in medieval cI0aks and rich
costumes, judges, prelates, civil and mill.
tary authorities, the Mayor and Aldermen
OF Madrid. forming a striking contrast
with Senators and Deputies, IN PLAIN
evening dress amid the splendid cere-
monial that revived all the gorgeous
etiquette OF the House OF BOURBON IN
the eighteenth century. MoiionIess as
statues in the doorway stood the baiber-
djers and musketeers in gala costume OF
ti,e time of Louis XIV. Busy curiosity
rejgued in the brilliant gathering, and the
most intense anxiety was felt for the royal
sufferer in the bed. chamber, until the Aus
er,aU physcian was at last able TO inform
King Alfonso that the Queen was happily
delivered.
ANNOUNCING THE EVENT.
The ancient usages of the monarchy re-
uuired that directly after the birth the doors
of the bedchamber should be thrown open
10 let the King present bis child to the as
sembiy IN the aDtechamber, and Alfonso
strictly copiormed TO this practice. few
piuufes after the Lord Chamberlain bad
announced the event 10 the distinguished
petsopages the King entered, bearing
himself, on fine gold tray, his child,
and while all eagerly bent forward 10 gaze
the veil that covered the royal infant
was raised and every ono looked at the
cbild-a strong, healthy baby princess.
King Alfonso received hearty copgrotula-
f,ons, especially from the foreign ENJOYS
aud ministers. Before any one departed
the Minister o! Grace and Justice prepared
deed recording the birth, and 1t was signed
by many witnesses according to precedence.
Then solemn re Deum for the happy re-
covery Of the Queen was sung IN the
chanel OF the palace by the Cardinal
Primate aud the Patriarch OF the Indies IN
sbe presence OF numerous attendance OF
the nobility. All classes are highly elaied
at an event so fortunate for the dynasty.
Djrectly after the presentation OF the
child the Duchess Medina de las Torres,
the chief governess, conveyed her TO
apartments which bad been prepared 10
the story below the royal bedchamber, and
consisting OF an antecbamber, saloon, and
bedroom for two wet-nurses, together With
a bedroom for s, nora de Tacop, who had
also acted as governess 10 King Alfonso
fwenty.three Years ago. The bedchamber
Of the Princess is large and furnished very
simply with cretonne curtains and sofas.
In the wardrobe immense chests are filed
with magnificent lace, made In Madrid ana
abroad from patterns prescribed by Queen
Isabella aud the Archduchess Elizabeth,
che mother of Queen CHRISTINA.
THE BAPTISM.
The baptism ceremony is to take place 10
Che chapel within the palace on the 14th in
atnpt. when The Patriarch OF the Indies,
Cardinal BenavIdes, will baptize her with
water brought from the river Jordan in
Palestine for this special purpose In June
last. AT the christening the Cardinal Arch
bishop OF Toledo will represent the Poe.
The font TO be used for this occasion Is the
same that se.ved centuries ago for Santo Do
mingo, and was brought down from selc-
brated convent 10 Asturias. When the
csuwd outside the palace saw the flag and
fight showing the birth OF princess, or
Infanta, as she Is styled in Spain, some de-
ssonstratIons OF loyalty took place. Her
name will be Mercedes Teresa, and her
xodmo,her Queen Isabella.