Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-03-23
How the Spanish Ladies' Shoot.

While her Majesty was Mt Madrid the
great banker and railway contractor,
Salamanca, gave hunting party in her
honor at his seat, near Albecete. All
the royal family except the young Queen
whose health is not satisfactory, went.
Prodigal expense was gone to by the
banker to receive them worthily. The
hunt was battue of easy butchery.
This is how the august, royal and noble
personages hunted. The Comte de Sal
amanca has a forest in his domain.
Large spaces are cleared in it. In the
centre of these spaces pavilions or stand
houses like those one sees at race
courses are erected. They are beauti-
| fully painted and adorned with sylvan
trophies. The royal family was taken
to one of these stand-houses and its diff
erent members present took up their
stations according to the order of court
ly precedence. The courtiers stood on
the steps behind. Those who were least
distinguished were higher up. In front
of each to whom gun was given there
was forked support on which to rest
the muzzle. But no courtier was to fire
until his betters in the front row had had
enough of sport.
A band of guitar players had o
tribune 10 themselves and played lively
airs. The musicians were dressed like
Figaro in "'The Barber of Seville"
Then there were wood rangers, whip
pers-in, huntsmen and sylvan guards,
the notes of whose horns coutrasted
sharply with the frivolous music of the
guitars. While the former instruments
were blowing loud blasts herd of deer
rushed before the pavilion, followed by
dogs. The King, his mother, sisters,
Prince Philippe of Braganza, fred. The
ex-Queen knocked down two stags; the
ex-Princess of the Asturias, four, and
the other two Infantas three each. When
this herd had swept by the ex-Princess
of the Asturias got on horseback to be
ready to follow the second herd, which
she and the King chased through the
forest. They had small fowling pieces
slung to their holsters and sometimes
took flying shots. / daresay the whole
scene was picturesque and stir: ing.
English or American taste would be
shocked if Queen Victoria and her
daughters, or the ladyhood of Fifth ave.,
indulged in sport of this kind. Span
iards like to see their senoras and SEN
oritas intrepid huntresses. 1t Is sign,
they say, of old race when woman hand
les fowling-piece deftly. Shop keep
ers' and artisans daughters have few
opportunities for using guns. Velasquez
painted the beautiful little Condessa de
Haro, daughter of DON Louis de Haro,
equipped for q battue or butchery such
as was organized the other day at AL
becete for the delectation of the Queen
Mother and the Infantas. She had on a
mousquetaire or cavalier gray felt hat
and feathers, q steel cuirass damascened,
farthingale, strong-soled buskins. and
q gun in her hand, which she manipu-
lated ina soldierly manner. This por-
trait, which I saw eight years ago, is
still before my eyes, so vivid was the
impression that it made on me. There
is nothing theatrical in the Condessa,
who is a pocket Diaua. She means to
do business with her gun. A French
lady when she goes out TO shoot has an
opera comique look. II high heels are
the fashion she wears them, although
they are detestable for walking over soft
ground. One sees that she has not the
taste for sport and only thinks of it as
affording an opportunity to appear in
new, striking, original and captivating
toilette.