The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-08
rather than run the risk of losing her

rather than run the risk OF losing ner
anna.
These creatures come from the Basque
provinces or the mountainous districts OF
Santander. They leave their own chill
dren at home and come up to the capital
or larger cities in order to make money.
Their pay is small; it never exceeds -
month; but they get numerous presents,
and are Handsomely clothed in their own
Of them carry the baby in their arms;
some, however, among the naontnnes0s:
have lovely little wooden cradle strapped
to their backs, wherein the mite OF .
beauty rests a. warmly and costly as pos
sible.
II Is curious to see how soon these
roundings. The anna Of Alfonso XIII. IS
q case in point She stands beside the
throne or sits by her nursing in the royal
carriage as one ito the manner born"
or as if she were the queen
herself. To anyone who watches
her as she rolls by, it seems as II she were
quite unconscious Of the splendid cos
tunes and gllttering jewels she wears, or
as if she had never before worn anything
else. She gives his baby majesty vlgor-
Gus shake ii he refuses to obey his royal
mother, thus establishing in the eyes OF
ali her undisputed authority. Had Alfonso
XIII. never been born and she conse,
'"
suppose that this grand ana might still be
poor peasant working with bare feet In
the fields Of her native province? Perhaps
she has by this time grown ashamed OF
her rough, rustic husband and her nut
brown daddy, who was left behind to feed
ON potatoes and bacon, while his lucky
mother fondled the frail royal babe IN Its
lace robes, a pope's godchild, forsooth!
A Spanish man-servant is, indeed, a
curious type. In grand, aristocratIc
houses the footmen and hunkeys are
the same all over the world: but the
majordomo, or butler, Is person to be
feared and respected in his black cloth and
silver chain. He isvery honest if you trust
him. and he does his work splendidly. He
Furnishes the silver plate until it shines
like the sun at noon time. and he brushes
his masters clothes until all the nap is
taken off. But it is in minor questions OF
style or tact that Spanish man-servant OF
this class is deficient. He can never be
made to stand up straight on his legs: his
inyariable rule is to assume lounglng gait,
to lean upon a table or against wall,
while he condescends to receive your
orders. He is, however, SO good-natured,
and grins so heartily at any remark over
heard as he waits at table, that you cannot
lind it in your heart to get angry with him.
He will at times volunteer reply to
question put by you to guest; and if no
guests are present he has been known to
Join in the family conversation. He is ex-
ceedingly fond Of gorgeous neckties and
pea-jackets; and If you go the length to be-
stow a .'frac" or dress-coat upon him, he
looks so awkward and ungainly when he
puts it on that you are fain to regret the
generous impulse which prompted You to
such munifcence. You sigh. to see him
once more in his old clothes. This is a
sort of man-servant everybody has in
Spain; the poor fellow is badly paid, for he
never earns more than 30 or 40 pesetas
month.
So many Spanish families are in one way
or another connected with the army, that
they frequently secure the services of
soldier. Young men who enter the ranks
as conscripts every year are eager to Sc
cure the berth sof dsistenfe in an officers
family: They at once become the iack-of-
it is wonderful to see with what
cheerful alacrity these lads undertake
the most extraordinary duties for
q man. Not only will they do
anything expected from an ordinary
servant, but you may see them take the
children to school and carry their books
and states for them without relinquishing
their military garb. They may even be
seen with the tots provision basket and
his toys in their hands. 1t is even more
amusing to see him as one of party of
nurses and small children who are wildly
fond of their soldier-nurse. A Spanish
family regretfully parts with their osist-
cntc when at the end of two years and six
months he receives his discharge in small
tin case, the common soldiers sbaton,"
which takes him back to his native village
DULCISEA DEL ToBoso.