The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-09-23
A ROYAL BIRrH..."ITs A GIRL"
spain's Welcome to the Dear Little Eaby
Princess.

spain's Welcome to the Dear Little EabJ
Princess.
The correspondent of the Herald tcle.
graphing from Madrid says: On Friday
night, during q small reunion of the
royal family in the palace, Queen Chris
tina became somewhat indisposed. From
that hour her condition grew more and
more serious, and it was thought that at
last the supreme hour was approaching.
There had been so many disappointments
and miscalculations, however, that it was
not until about o'clock on the after
noon of Saturday that the Austrian ply
sician in attendance positively gave his
opinion that the condition of her Majesty
was certain indication of her approach
ing confinement. The intelligence was
of course in a short time communicated
to nearly the whole city, and as the wei.
come news spread it was only natural
that the populace should have been at.
tracted to the palace. People of all
classes stayed in the Plaza del Oriente
under the palace windows all day, and
the crowd slowly increased until the
afternoon, when it was known that the
palace messenger had been ordered off at
half past 4 to summon ministers. Hours
passed and the crowd increased as the
intelligence went abroad, until by night
fall the environs of the palace presented
very animated scene. Directly Queen
Christina felt the first symptoms of ira.
vail her Austrian physician advised the
Duke of Sexto, the Lord Chamberlain,
who Immediately ordered the command.
ing officer of the Halberdiers of the
Guard to send eighty messages to request
the instant attendance at the palace of
the ministers, the diplomatic corps and
the native personages named by royal
order to be present at the birth. Before
their arrival King Alfonso, ex.Queen
Isabella, the Princess of Asturias, the
Archduchess Isabella and the ladies of
the royal household had assembled in the
bedchamber of the Queen, with the Aus
trian physician. In another room, close
by, were the two wet nurses from San
tander, in their'pretty costumes of velvet
skirts and bodices, braided with gold and
silver.
The interior of the palace was scene
of great animation. The guards came
to occupy the gates and line the staircase
and ante chamber. Then came the
grandees, chamberlains and military
households, who, in fine uniforms, filled
the galleries. Anxious expectation was
on every countenance. AS carriage after
carriage arrived with personages, natives
and foreign, all appearing in full uni
form, except the United States and South
American representatives, the Lord
Chamberlain conducted them to the ante
chamber next to tho chamber of the
Queen. 1t was brilliant assemblage of
the flower of the Spanish nobility. Mar
shals and generals, knights of noble and
military orders in medieval cloaks and
rich costumes, judges, prelates, civil and
military authorities, the Mayor and
the Aldermen of Madrid, forming a
striking contrast with Senators and Dep
uties, in plain evening dress amid the
splendid ceremonial that revived all
the gorgeous etiquette of the House of
Bourbon in the eighteenth century.
Motiouless as statues in the doorway
stood the halberdies and musketeers in
gala costume of the time of Louis XIV.
Busy curiosity reigned in the brilliant
gathering, and the most intense anxiety
was felt for the royal sufferer in the bed
chamber, until the Austrian physician
was ut last:able to inform King Alfonso
that the Queen was happily delivered.
The ancient usages of the monarchy
required that directly after the birth the
doors of the bedchamber should be
thrown open to let the King present his
child tothe assembly in the ante-cham.
Der; and Alfonso strictly conformed to
this practice. A few minutes after the
lord chamberlain had announced the
event to the distinguished personages the
! King entered, bearing himself, on fine
gold tray, his child, and while all eagerly
bent forward to gaze, the veil that Gov.
cred the royal infant was raised and
every one looked at the child-a
strong, healthy baby princess. King
Alfonso received hearty congratulations,
especially from the foreign ENJOYS and
ministers. Before any one departed the
minister of grace and justice prepared a.
deed recording the birth, and it was
signed by many witnesses according to
prominence. Then solemn TIE Deum
for the happy recovery of the Queen was
sung in the chapel of the palace by the
Cardinal Primate and the Patriarch of
the Indies, in the presence of numer.
Gus attendance of the nobility. All
classes are highly elated at an event so
fortunate for the dynasty. Directly after
the presentation of the child the Duchess
Medina de Ia Torres, the chief governess.
conveyed her to apartments which had
been prepared in the story below the
royal bedchamber, and consisting of an
ante. chamber, saloon and bed room for
two wet nurses, together with a bed room
for Sonora de Tacon, who had also acted
as governess to King Alfonso twenty
three years ago. The bedchamber of
the Princess is large and furnished very
simpl- with cretoune curtains and sofas.
In the wardrobe immense chests are
filled with magnificent lace, made in
Madrid and abroad from patterns pre-
scribed by Queen Isabella and the Arch
duchess Elizabeth, the mother of Queen
Chistina.
The baptism ceremony is to take place
III Luc Cuapcl Wlt1liu Vu0 Po'aNO ON ouS
18th inst, when the Patriarch of the In
dies, Cardinal Benayides, will baptize
her with water brought from the River
Jordan in Palestine for this special pur-
pose in June last. At the christening
the Cardinal Archbishop of Toledo will
represent the Pope. The font to be used
for this occasion is the same chat served
centuries ago for Santo Domingo, and
was brought down from celebrated con.
vent in Asturias. When the crowd out
side the palace saw the flag and light
showing the birth of a princess, or In
fanta, as she is styled in Spain, some
: demonstrations of loyalty took place.
Her name will be Mercedes Teresa, and
her godmother Queen Isabella.
MADRID, September 15.-The Princess
has been baptized Maria Mercedes Isa-
bella. The Archbishop of Toledo off,