The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1886-08-13

wonder if the royal child cries and
keeps the people awake at night, just
as il he were an ordinary baby!
Early in the day on which he was
baptized immense crowds of people
filled the streets near the palace, eager
for glimpse of the procession on its
way to church. At one o'clock the
procession started. Soldiers led the
way, after them the chief mobiles of
Spain; then came the nurse carrying
the baby, and by her side was the
papal nuncio, representing the Pope,
who is the godfather of the child.
The godmother followed, and then
came members of the royal. family,
noblemen, persons connected with the
palace, and finally soldiers of the
Royal Guard. The church was filled
with invited guests, among whom the
foreign Ambassadors, Ministers and
their suits.
The name given to the child was Al
| fonso Leon Fernando Maria Santiago
Isidro Pascual. His family name is de
Bourbon. The future King cried on
receiving such terribly long name,
| Just as il he were an American baby.
No doubt they will call him Alfonso
XIII. for short. 1t would be too much,
even for Spanish dignity, if his mother
and family were obliged to give him
his full name every time they adj
dressed him. Twenty-one cannon
shots were fired at the close of the
ceremony. The procession then wend-
ed its way back TO the palace, and Al
fonso Leon Fernando Santiago Maria
Isidro Paseual de Bourbon was put
back in his cradle!
: Perhaps some American children
may think it fine thing to be King,
to live in beautiful palace and to have
the highest and noblest people of the
!, country eager to wait on him. But
before we feel envious of all this gran
!, deur let us see what this young King
= has in store for him. Alfonso XIII.
: will scarcely have any babyhood and
no boyhood at all. The Spanish court
is very strict in its observance of eti-
auette, and young Alfonso, surrounded
by obedient serviteurs and fatterers.
!, must always be the King. Never any
= = merry, happy play for him on the foot
ee ing of equality with other children,
1t Evil-minded people will .flatter him,
tempt him to do wrong, learn all his
,, failings and take advantage of them tc
~ make him worse. Thus he will be ex
), posed to many, many temptations
:, which common people escape.
= Then, too, with all the magnificenc'
of the throne, he has also inherited 1T
cares and anxieties. For over fift,
= years there have been rival claimant
= to the Spanish throne; which fact ha
l. caused plotting, insurrection and civi
Nv war much of the time. The othe
- claimant, Don Carlos, has alread
n issued proclamation, in which he rt
- fuses to acknowledge the young A
i, fonso as King, and declares himself
~ be the rightful heir to the throne
a Spain.
u u The late King, Alfonso XII, was nc
~, very popular with his subjects, neitht
u. is his widow, the Queen Regent She
,,a an Austrian Princess, and not muc
Oh beloved by the Spanish people. Thu
~ we see that the young King enters I'M
~; ~ the world with enemies ready to di
si0 pute his claim to the throne, with i
oa surrection threatening him, and pro
ou o poets of civil war.
es Until the birth of this baby, his old
:" sister was considered Queen of Spai
o.s and, in the event of her death, t
~ Younger sister would have the positio
20 10 These two little girls, aged respective
~ six and four years, are too young ne
nJ' 10 realize what difference the birth
brother has made in their lives; b,
~ ~ amid the envy, plotting and intrig
,n inS of a court, these children will only I
ie J soon awake to a full knowledge
'i niJ what they have lost, and enmity m
~ ~ arise between the sisters and th
young brother.
Thus you see that the life before t
wv ,vn young King of Spain is not all bris
of ',it n:'ppy LII oood nara
With niel,ean AN aTaa+f 10y hrnthars S and siste
en- na a. N,'ao,,at 80 = hanr;e,. and !
,rth M .,as Iuo I;e Pnospo1s s1fa,so g. VIII K;ng
der Sei iho Sn"n Ta',i,,.aa.1,t;ns,aJ;at aA
|