Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-10-29

bled in the apartment of the young Queen
may have experienced momentary feel
ing of disappointment, as thu words 'Es
ana Nina were gravelY pronounced by the
Austrian physician when he placed the
child, the moment it was born, in the
white satin corbeille held in readiness by
the King; but "Thank Heaven, my dear
child" exclaimed ex-Queen Isabel from
the depths Of her great motheEly heart, and
"God be praised, my darling daughterl'
exclaimed the Archduchess Isabel, and
this was all that was said for the moment.
The King, boy-like, delighted with his &C
QUESTION, and laden with what looked like
an armful of satin and fold upon fold of
snowy lace, laughing the while. almost
danced out of the bedroom into the bril-
liantly lighted saloon where the Prime
Minister, who stood next the door, raised
the veil, and the Minister of Grace and
Justice, according to the ceremonial, pro-
nounced the words SIS una Infanta de
Espana." The King then, while the Mar
chioness de Medina de las Torres held the
veil a little raised, passed from one to
another of the foreign ambassadors and
crown ministers forming the circle around
the door of the Queen g apartment, and all
had a glimpse of fair, blonde babe, with
wide-open large blue eyes, who neither
sneezed nor cried as most babies do in sim
liar circumstances Noblesse oblige, she
evidently felt, as she underwent the ordeal
with her poor little cheek on that pillow of
tborns. for heavily embroidered lace is not
the material in which tender mothers,
not royal, wrap their newborn babes. 1t
was only few seconds, however, after the
birth, before the little lady was again
placed in the hands Of the physicians and
attendants, going through an elaborate
toilet, of which a part was robe blessed
by the Pope and sent as present. After
the toilet the Archduchess Isabel admins
tered spoonful of something from gold
en- cup with golden spoon, and this in
teresting morsel of humanity then, having
been made perfectly comfortable, and con-
sldering her labors over for the day, fell
sound a sleep.
Her apartments, in an entresol over
those of the Queen, with which they COM
municate by private staircase, are very
tastefully and appropriately furnished
Her attendants are the Warehouses Medi-
ma de las Torres, ''Ayra," Madame Tacon,
"Teniente Aya," and English nurse-maid,
two Basque wet nurses, two maids and two
men servants.
The two nurses are remarkably beauti-
full women, but one Of them is so very dark
that she is called in the palace ''la Africa
na." They dress in the picturesque cos
tune of their native place, the valley of
Pas, where the women are celebrated for
their beauty and excellent constitutions,
and are in great request as foster-mothers
among the nobility and middle classes in
Spain. Their dress when nurses of the
royal children is gorgeous in the extreme.
On gala days it is scarlet velvet richly
trimmed with gold fringes and bands,
their thread lace stomachers are covered
with the many rows IF thin gold and coral
necklaces, and their massive earrings
nearly reach their shoulders. Their hair
is dressed in long braids after the fashion
of their province. On other occasions their
dress is light blue velvet trimmed with
silver. There are always two nurses, since
one might be taken ill or meet with some
accident, but nurso No. 2 keeps her own
child with her. These women are never
left alone one moment from the time they
enter the palace until they leave it.
The Queen will not go out even to drive,
until the 2lst of October, when she will
take her child, in great state, to the BASIL
lea, where she was married, to present the
Infanta to the Virgin. The customary
festivities will then take place.
Contrary to all the political prophecies
and forebodiugs uttered at the sight of the
white flag Canovas continues in the per-
feet use of all his faculties as ruler of the
nation. The Asturans did not make a
scene at the palace, nor did the fusionists
protest, so that thus far all the predictions
have proved false.
An American or English mother would
declare that nothing short of miracle
could save baby's life if it we're taken out
into the open air three days after its birth.
Spanish mothers would deem themselves
criminals if maternal solicitude moved
them to allow more than three days to pass
before Notwithstanding their babes, and
Spanish royalty observes the same custom.
Therefore the Infanta, born Saturday
night, has been baptized to-day Tuesday.
The Archbishop of Toledo, who oficiated,
addressed her in the course of the ceremo-
ny as Maria de las Mercedes Isabel Teresa
Christina Alfonso Jacinta Ana .Josefa
Francisco Carolina Fernando Filomena
Maria de todos los Santos, to all of which
she submitted with the perfect self-cOntrol
and composure natural in such high-born
dame.
The christenipg-robe was of white satin
embroidered and covered with English
point lace. The name Mercedes was given
at the express request of the Queen in
memory of Alfonso's first wife.
Queen Isabel was the godmother, and
the members of the royal family present,
the diplomatists, the nobility, the military
and civil dignitaries, palace officers and
others were so many and their titles so
multitudinous and complicated that will
only mention the names of some of those
who officiated in the baptismal ceremony
conducted in strict accordance with the
traditional palace etiquette. There was
the Marquis of Salamanca, who carried
mantle: the Marquis Of Benamejis carried