The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-12-09
The Birth Of d spanish Princess.

The Birth OF d Spanish Princess.
The birth Of q successor to the Span
b throne was attended with great cere-
mony at Madrid. Directly Queen Chris.
tina felt the first symptoms Of travail her
Austrian physician advised the Duke Of
Sexto. the lord chamberlain, who immedi-
ately ordered the commanding officer Of
halbardies Of the guard to send eighty
messages to request the instant attend
ance at the palace of the ministers, the
diplomatic corps and the native person
ages named by royal ordersf6 be present
at the birth. Before their arrival King
Alfonso. ex.Queen Isabella, the Princess
OF AstuIias, the Arch duchess Isabella and
the ladies Of the royal household had as
sembled in the bedchamber of the queen,
with the Austrian physician. In anoth-
er room, close BY, were the two wet
nurses from 6antander, in their pretty
costumes of velvet skirts and bodioes,
braided with gold and silver.
The interior Of the palace was sce1,e
Of great animation. The guards came to-
occupy the gates and line the staircase
and antechamber. Then came the
granaees, chamberlains and military
household, who in fine uniforms filled
the galleries. Anxious expectation was
on every countenance. As carriage after
carriage arrived with personages native
and foreign, all appearing In full uni
form except the United States ana South
American representatives, the lord
chamberlain conducted them to the ante
chamber next to the chamber of the
queen. It was brilliant assemblage of
the flower Of Spanish nobility. Marshals
and generals, knights of noble and mill
tary orders in medieval cloaks 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 ETH
Quette OF the house of Bourbon In the
eighteenth century. Motionless as
statues in doorway stood the halber-
diers and musketeers in the 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 bedchamber, until
the Austrian physician was atle to IN
form King Alfonso that the Queen was
happily delivered.
The ano1ent usages Of the monarchy
required that directly after the birth the
doors of the bedchamber should be
thrown open to let the kibg present his
child to the assembly in the ante-cham-
| Der, aud Alfonso strictly concerned to
this practice. A few minutes after the
lord chamberlain had announced the
event to the distinguished personages the
king entered, bearing himself, on a fine
gold tray his child,an while all eagerly
bent forward to gaze the veil that cover:
ed the royal nfant was raised and every
one looked at the child "a strong, healthy
baby princess. King Alfonso received
their hearty congratulations, especially
from the foreign ENJOYS and ministers
Before any one departed the minister O.
grace and justice prepared deed record
ing the birth, and 1t was signed by man,
witnesses according to precedence. Thel
a solemn TIC Deum for the happy recover,
of the queen was sung in the chapel O
the palace by the cardinal primate anc
the patriarch Of the Indies. IN the pres.
ence of numerous attendance Of the no
bility. Directly after the presentation o.
the child the Duchess Medina de las Tor
res, the chief governess, conveyed her t
apartments which had been prepared II
the story below the royal bedchmaber
and consisting of an ante-chamber, saloo1
and bedroom tor two wet nurses, togeth
er with bedroom for Sonora de Tacon
who had also acted as governess to KING
Alfonso twenty.one years ago. The bed
chamber of the princess is large and fur
nished very simply with c1etonne cur
tains and sofas. In the wardrobe i'm
mense chests are filed with magnifcen
lace, made in Madrid and abroad from
patterns prescribed by Queen 1saoeN.
and the aIchduchess Elizabeth the moth
er of Queen Christine.