Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-28
ALFONSO XIII.
DEPRIVED OF CHlLDHOOD'S PLEA
SURES BY ETIQUETTE.
An Absurd Parade OF Dignity-hustn't
Play on the Sands Like Other
Children.

a Madrid letter to the Baltimore H7'nh
says: Little King Alfonso Kill, although
only three aud half years old. - already
beginning TO realize that the lot OF a
monarch. and especially Of baby monarch,
l. not always an enviable one. He bright
little fellow. and, am told. quite fond OF
a rOmp with his sisters, Mercedes and Ma
ria: but the hard rules of royal etiquette
have already begun to press upon him and
10 rob him Of his childish pleasures.
was told Of very amusing incident,
illustrative OF the absurd insistence OF
Spanish dignity in this respect. which Oc-
Cured lately. 1t was on The occasion OF
the visit Of the Archduke AlbTecht Of Aus
tria 10 Madrid. and when an Official riceae--
mentO, or dTawIng-rOOm. was held. 81
course the baby King had 20 appear. and
he was placed on the throne, whore he sat
IN state looking decidedly uncomfortable
and apparently more terrified than any,
thing else at the brilliant array Of hated
Spanish grandees. the gayiv-drcssed and
decorated diplomatic corps. and the severe
looking official representatives, OF the
cOrtcs, by whom he was surrounded.
The poor little chap could hardly be re-
strained from bawling outright when the
numerous dcputations Of the universities
and various towns came forward and greet
Cd their sovereign bv walking past the
throne and bowling twice before the boy.
lie gazed IA q sort of awc-struck fashion
with his great big brown eyes atthe crowd.
and several times the chubby fists sought
the ewes. III AL the premonitions of III
Cipient blubbering. Luckily be was kept
in humOr by tho unceasnC attentions Of
the Queen mother Christina, who stood
beside him during the entire ordeal and
whispered 20 him continuous flow of
baby-talk calculated to divert him from
I
or twice hc started up and made rs though
be would slide from the throne aud run
away. bat her Majesty and the royal cham
berialn fortunately anticipated the move
Incnt and kept HIM tack
Presently something Occurre! that in
tercsted hun, and they were greatly re-
! licved. delegation of soldiers IN gilt
tering uniforms was marching past. and
ne looked wiStidly IT them, as though
wishing he might be permitted 10 tOddio
| by their side Just like any other boy Of
HE age. Whom they had al filed pa no
dropped lis head back ON the throne cueh-
ions very tired. The crowd IN the great
draWine-r00m gradually thnned out until
ONLY the royal panty was left.
y am tired and very hungry cried tho
lad looking up appealngly ia ms mothers
face.
The King was forgotten. He was . boy
N-iN 20 lL if fIflflIt IA N UlN ilhf .ti4
boys in this world who are endowed with
; .7ely appetite. md in a few minutes inc
was sitting in hls mothers apartments
laughing and chatting o. he ate Dun and
drank a bowl Of milk. His Ill-humOr bad
vanished and the fruit which ie picked
from the cake and shat up tight IN hls wee
palm Wa of more value to BAN ban all the
stars and crosses Of the gTAndoe- VINO had
stood zap before him.
Alfonso il clever. but not precociOu7 He
il pq~sionatclv fond Of his mother. and she
il rlv d0tes on him. 1t would 20 hard with
Queen Christina to be deprived of any Of
/ nor three children: but She seems to te
fonder ~ thc httie baby King even than Of
, Nala and Mercedes All Madrid talks of
hef devotion 10 the cMld-mOnarCh. aud
praises her for II. His sisters are ms u-
scparable plarmatc-. Mercedes, the elder,
a niuc, and Maria is seven years old. Both
arc merry little girls with bright, sunny
. faces and with rust the tjluttaJ trace
of the dark Andalu-ian blood tnting their
faT checks which seem aglow with color.
/ They would bee accounted pretty children
anywhere. but To- the good folks of Madrid
! they are little angels. I'm wet OF dlsagi PFC
able weather the three frDIcin the Queen s.
private apartments 10 The Palacm Red,
and the old couTtiers and atteudan; milo
lrayclg a. they llsteu 10 the gay ou;hursts
OF childish laughter that come from tho
piav-r0om. Their sports are Of tie APP
proved nursery style. and the hGppiest
hours Of the tiny mOnarch's life are those
. ~ which hn j. thus engaged.
Already the cares If tine education of tho
young KING omhauass the Queen mother.
Occasionally be viii bc taken through the
Ola palace Boy some one Of thocouft attcnd-
ants or hy nis tutor and shown lee won
d10us ,liuge that arc stored there ilom the
days OF tne great Kings II Spain. The baby
King has stared with Wlle-opon eyes no
the FOUR ci.ieI lion, that guard the throne.
On tu0 asst OCCASION of has occupying the
throne those same lions badly iurUtcucI
Mm. and - was not untu hc A0d Pc 20 r.
assured that hr would consent 20 sit tncre
. Tie arW0r OF Columbus ana the sword oi
the Cid have uo charms for Linn yet, but he
take. deep interest I'm tbc display of tlacs
carried during the Spanish conquest Of
America and lu tine wonders Of the natura!
history cabinet. The palace /, 10 him al
immense kindergarten.
During the summer months the royal
family ayo,d the heat OF tae capital and go
70 san So hastian. on tine seaehore. There
is % beautiful beach az san Sebastian. and
Vnen thev first went to live there the
Queen took the children down ON The sands
almost daily. Little Alfonso enjoyed TINS
Greatly and Immediately SET out 90 emulate
the example OF other children there and
duo I'm the soft sand. With his sisters lc
coltrivad for d time u eluie the maternal
eve while he played about, making mud
pcs nud CASTLES Ike any b.an. bat
Christina wus shocked when She saw tne
sport the t.rca were enjoying. and ordered
the nurse 10 bring the children 90 her ID
stautly.
Thr demands Of Spanish etiquette had
once mon. luterleIed 60 spoil the plea uros
Of the uabr King. IL was all i'm VAIN that
tho little fellow pleaded to be allowed To
return. The Queen was iueXorahlc.
"Mv littlc son must never FORGET that hc
/. the King" she said, as che led him away.
he sobblng bitterly ana believing mean
while
II was all very ridiculous. to be sure, This
attempt 10 impress tho boy with the ini-
uortaucc OF his rank He would have given
more at that moment for q ronp IN the
white sand and for tine fun OF wetuug ms
rovsltoes IN tnetinN pudClos upontte beach
then for a!l the gloomy old Aldalgos and
thr,r hOwing and tussiug around him. rs
though they would fail on him, when they
came % the palace.
His Greatest ANNOYANCE. however, and
indeed the sorrow OF hl5 raby lie, was nm
being forced 90 sit stil and sUny beside
his prOWa-up companions and 10 return in
q military manner the ince9sant greetings
~ hls tltnlni SUBJECTS. lie Olu Ut Wlin
pout. and 10 made him fretful. There was
So much OF this NJ San Sebastian last sum-
mor and lac took il SO badly that the beach
was finally given Mp and garden was
chosen instead. in which he could play
with his sisters 90 his hearts content and
without being disturbed. Here were spent
the happiest hours Imaginable, happier
even than those IN the play-room a. Ma
Ord. IL was a domain whore ne was true
king and free to do as he liked
II was in this garden that NJ. koppay, the
famous painter found the little fellow
when he won't 10 paint his portrait for the
Queen mother.
w hen / entered" said VI. koppay. in
telling me ~ il afterward, " I heard sounds
Of laughter. Proceeding forward, ] saw
the YOUNG King Alfonso astrde a rocking
horse. while his sisters were pulling tho
bride and urging IL 10 greater speed. i
hesitated at disturbing them, for they were
in the full tide of childish enjoyment. The
little man sat firm IN his saddle and swung
his whip right and left on the animals
back ike q true caballero. II wa, blace
pony that had belonged TO his father and
had been stuffed aud placed on rocker
after il died. Alas. poor King! he died be-
fore his little son was born. 1t was in that
attitude. the most natural and graceful one
that could have been chosen, that paint
cd the royal hov."
Christmas is season of universal fes-