The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-04
BORN A BABY KING.

sible Quantity Of u King"
In Born 4 Baby King Mary Arnold
Foster gives some passages from the early
history of his majesty, Don Alfonso Kill,
king of Spain. Many of the stories told of
his youthful majesty have appeared before,
but a few extracts from tho narrative may
be interesting. One morning in May, 1856,
n of the Madrid newspapers made tho
following announcement: 1.-The cyclone
has passed, and the king has come; the
smallest possible quantity of a king
Ihe christening wns Of course a grett
ceremony. and III due time the pair OF
little royal feet required to be shod, as
baby feet generally do. So in his fourth
the royal bootmaker was duly instructed
and the royal shoes were in due time sent
home. Beautiful objects they wero, too:
tiny. Of coutse, az betitted a baby, but
lovely to look nt-gold embroidered TN
white. as befitted q king. And the same
6OO other new shoes were put on to GOO other
baby feet in Madrid, making 60s in all, for
her majesty the queen was pleased to Q :
dam that the Occasion of the kings putting
on his boots should be a ceremony, and to
c0l6bi ate the important event she bestowed
new shoes upon 300 OF the poor child in
Madrid, and thus made a right royal enter
tainment Of the matter.
In his eighteenth month his majesty first
entered upon the public duties of his office
BY opening the . season of his cortes.
ALI the chief personages of Madrid were
anxious to witness the opening ceremony,
and the senate house could not contain a
tltne OF those h desired to enter. TIE
KING appeared in tho arms of his faithful
Asturian nurse, who stood at the right hand
Of the queen, close to the throne. He was
arrayed entirely in white; his white SOM
brero hat, tied with white ribbons, was re-
moved on his entrance, and with an excel
lent composure he surveyed the scene,
alternately watching the crowd and bestow-
ing his attention upon the queen as she read
the speech IN 4 low voice to the assembly.
The speech over, his majesty evinced a de-
clded wish to be among the first to leave,
but being taken in the queens arms, he
remained very quietly Until the long pro-
ceedings were ended, when he departed
from his first official interview with his
cortes amid loud ''vivas."
10 battle in the summer sea at San Sc
bastlan was one thing; to get out OF bed
and into q cold bath the young king thought
was quite another. One autumn morning
bis majesty 80 firmly declined to take his
bath that the nurses were obliged to appeal
to the queen. You must take your bath,
baby" said she; but the king had an obsti-
nate tit and mother moved nor answered.
LET VS. sse.'' said his mother, seating her
self by the bedside. IF I tell you to do it,
will you have your bath?' still silence,
well, then, l will not tell you to do it,
baby, but I shall 20 to my room and CRY be-
cause You will not obey me. Do you wish
this?" The little fellows better fselinQs
were touched, and with the words, ..No,
mamma" be threw back the bedclothes..
Since that day there have been no more diff
%ionlties over the cold bath question.
The little king takes his daily drive in the
prado. His equipags has become a WE'LL
Known n in his capital, and indeed We
cannot wonder at it. for it could hardly
pass unnotlced through the streets-a smart
equsrry. in cooked hat and uniform, rides
first, then come two outriders brilliant in
scarlet and gold, and then. drawn by four
mules, comes the close carriage. with an
ether still smarter equsrry riding at its
side. Inside the carriage, as it drives
slowly along, tho good people of Madrid
can get a good view of q fair baby face in
shady white hat, and a little figure seated
in = small white satin chair, somewhat like
. baby's saddls in shape, and place on the
seat facing his mules. Every day he NAV
be seen driving to a shady spot in the
prsdo, where he can get out OF his carriage
and play about. The mules wait for his
majesty's games Of play more patiently
than horses would do, and 10 they are
chosen to draw the kings carriaee.-Pall
Mall Gazette.