Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-02-03
THE FUNERAL OF A KING.
Ceremonies Attending the Burial
of Alfonso MI.

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. y
voice inside demanded, accoding to the
prescript, 'Who wishes to enter?" The
lord chamberlain reElled, liking Alton
50, the Twelfth" At this answer the
portals were slowly opened and the pIior
of the monastery appeared. The body
was then borne into the church anil
placed on a raised bier before the grand
altar. Then the minister OF justice, re-
moving the lid. said, ''Huntsmen of
EspinOsa, is this the body which you re-
ceived on the death of King Alfonsop'
1.-The sarle," responded the chief hunts
man. "Do you swear to it?' Yes,
we swear it." This assurance having
been added to the testimony already
given with independent formalitles by
the kings physicians, confes sor and
minister, the lid of the coffin was let
down, not, however. as yet for the las.
time, and the bier was covered with the
four clOaks of the noble orders of Span
ish chivalry. A thousand tapers light
ed the chapelle drdente, and had, 1t IS
easy to imagine, a splendid effect in as
sociation with the vast and sombre,
though richly decorated, interior Of the
ancient pile, and the crowds of s0rrow-
ing friends and subjects moving silentl ly
about the wTeathed pail. A mass was
said and the "Mlserere' 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 eXcep.
the coffin bearers, the prior Of the mo-
mastery, the minister of grace and JUS
tice, and the lord chamberlain. The
coffin was placed on a table in a great
chamber or vault of black marble cOI-
tanning the deceased rulers Of Spain,
who sleep in huge marble tOmbs diSpO-
sed ali round. II must have been a
thrilling moment for some at least OF
those assisting when the lord chamber
lain, unlocking the coffin, which was
covered with cloth of gold. raised the
glass covering from the dead king, and,
turning to his companions, demanded
silence and attention Then kDeeling
down, he shouted three times in the
monarch's ear, "Senor, senior, senior. "
The monarch answered not; the fright
ear" soon to be filled with dust, "
heard only the sounds of another world.
But the last appeal addressed to him III
this fashion must have had, for those
standing at the entrance to the vault,
an awful seeming of response, for 1t 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 favorite
companion. The sovereign lying dumb,
the duke rose, and following the ritual,
said: ''His majesty does not answer,
Then it is true the king isdead." Thf
conclusion as framed appears somewhat
;oase, 5zt = IS part At the programme:
Locking the coffin once more and foi
the last time, the lord chamberlain
broke up his wand of Office and flung
the pieces at the foot of tie table
whereon the coffin lay.