San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-05-03
THE THREE-YEAR-OLD KING.
The Daily Routine of Home Life of His
Infantile Majesty.

Infantile Majesty.
The exceedingly blue blooded little gentle
man who was born king of Spain rejoices in
a vast variety of baptisrnal names in addition
to the Alfonso by which he is to I've known in
history. He is, moreover, the well beloved
son" of the Roman pontiff, the brother" of
all wearers of crowns, the cousin of the Span
ish grandees; his mother, the queen regent,
speaks Of him simply, yet tenderly, as 1.-THE
child" Alfonso XIII is an exceedingly hand
some little fellow, with blond hair which falls
in beautiful curls upon his shoulders He is
all gayety, light heartedness and smiles. His
joyous little majesty gives no thought to his
exalted position or his future destinies He
reigns but does not govern, leaving to his
mother the care of signing every day great
bundles Of DEGREES and appointments. And
when uniformed minister comes from the
queens chamber, carrying under his arm q
portfolio stuffed with papers which have
caused discussions, intrigues and great polfti-
cal debates, his majesty, from his nurses
arms, smiles upon him as though to say,
What has all that to do with mef'' :.
King Baby already enjoys the glories of a
military and civil household The generals
and aides-de-camp Of the late King Alfonso
are attached to the service Of the queen; but
technically they form his majesty's military
household. The civil establishment consists
Of the governess, Mime. Tacon, who held the
same position towards the late king; the
doctors who are attached exclusively to the
royal person, two or three major domos, a
lady of honor, and several pages, footmen,
and servants. The famous monteros of
Espinosa watch over the kings sleep in an
apartment adjoining the royal bed chamber
The little monarch's life is simple. He rises
at an early hour, is bathed. dressed, andJ
handed over to the wet nurse, who in ad- !
dition to the Semi-maternal duties which there
is no longer any necessity that she should
fulfill, takes him out for airings and bears,
him in her arms at state ceremonies The
nurse, Raymunda, at night occupies bed by
the side of the royal crib Directly the king
is dressed he is taken to his mother, who
impatiently awaits his arrival He is some
times present at the early morning audi
ences to ministers and members of the royal
family. His favorite amusement while Queen
Christina is thus occupied is to strum upon
the table with his chubby little fingers
Raymunda is a faithful creature and is al
most as fond of her charge as the queen her.
self. !
Upon one occasion great lady wished tc
see the king, and the queen accompanied her
to the youngsters apartments; but Ray.
munda barred the way. "You can't come
in" was her peremptory reply; 'he is asleep"
And the queen and the duchess retired smiling.
When the weather is fine the king drives
out. Naturally he possesses his own carriage,
with an equerry who gallops bravely by its
side and forms the only escort. He dimes
alone at well garIkshed table. King Baby
has only one trouble in life 1t is trouble
which might drive some grown up people to
madness; but, since he is entirely unconscious
of it, it does not worry him much. The pho
tographer is always on the lookout for him
Scarcely week has passed since he was born
without demand from some fresh photog-
rapher to be allowed to take his portrait. He
has been photographed standing, sitting, in
his mothers arms, upon her lap or holding
her by the hand, with his hat on and his hat
off, full face, profile, and, in short, in every
possible position. 1t is the ambition of every
Madrid photographer to possess a negative OF
the king, since his portraits sell by thousands.
not merely in Spain, but in most civilized
49, st. James Gazette.