The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-31
THE FUNERAL OF A KING.
Ceremonies Attending the
Burial OF Alfonso XII.
Unlocking the Coffin and Shouting in the
Dead Monarch's Ear.

Arrived at the Escurial, the special
solemnities of the occasion took place.
As the funeral car approached, the
door of the monastery was closed. The
lord chamberlain knocked three times.
A voice inside demanded, according to
the prescript. "Who wishes to enter?"
The lord chamberlain replied, king
Alfonso the Ti,effth." At this ar
swer the portals were slowly opened
and the prior of the monastery appear
ed. The body was then borne into the
church and placed on raised bier be-
fore the grand altar. Then the minis
ter of justice, removing the lid, said.
"Huntsmen of Espinosa. is this the
body which you received on the death
of King Alfonso?" "The same," re-
sponded tn chief huntsman. "Do you
swear it?" "Yes, we swear it," This
assurance having been added to the
testimony already given with inde-
pendent formalities by the kings ply
sicians, confessor and minister, the
lid of the coffin was let down, not,
however, as yet for the last time, and
the bier was covered with the four
cloaks of the noble orders of Spanish
chivalry. A thousand tapers lighted
the chapelle ardente, and had, it is
easy to imagine, splendid effect in
association with the vast and sombre,
though richly decorated, interior of
the ancient pile, and the crowds of
sorrowing friends and subjects NOV
ing silently about the wreathed pail.
A mass was said and the "Miserere'
sung, and then the coffin was raised
once more and carried by titled lieges
of the realm to the entrance of the
stairs leading down to the vaults.
Here the most striking part of the
melancholy pageant occurred. No one
descended the stairs to the vault ex-
cept the coffin bearers, the prior of the
monastery, the minister of grace and
justice, and the lord chamberlain. The
coffin was placed on table in great
chamber or vault of black marble con-
tanning the deceased rulers of Spain,
who sleep in huge marble tombs dis.
posed all round. 1t must have been
a thrilling moment for some at least of
those assisting when the lord cham
berlain, unlocking the coffin, which
was covered with cloth of gold, raised
the glass covering from the face of the
dead king. and. turning to his compan-
ions, demanded silence and attention.
linen kneeling down, he shouted three
times in the monarch's ear, "Senor,
senior, senor." The monarch answered
not; the right ear" soon to be "lilled
with DUST" heard only the sounds of
another world. But the last appeal
addressed to him in this fashion must
have had, for those standing at the en-
trance to the vault, an awful
seeming of response; for it is said
the echo of the triple summons was
caught by them and seemed cry
of despair, as it no doubt was a wall of
anguish, for it came from the lips of
the Duke of ..Sexto, King Alfonso's IA
vorite companion. The sovereign ly-
ing dumb, the duke rose, and follow
ing the ritual, said: "His majesty
does rot answer, Then it is true the
king is dead" The conclusion as
framed appears somewhat loose, but
it is part of the programme. Locking
the coffin once more and for the last
time, the lord chamberlain broke up
his wand of Office and flung the pieces
at the foot of the table whereon the
coffin lay.-London Adoertiser.
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