The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-16
FROM THE SPANISH NEWPORT
The villa OF the KinE-How Uis latte
Majesty spends Hi. Seaside Life.


LONDON, July 7.-The youngest Europea
king celebrated his seventh birthday n shor
time ago. and II the old rules and canon
OF etiquette were observed. he would hence
forth be emancipated from "the hands o
women" 40 the court phrase goes. But til
delicate child will probably long need the ten
der care and judicious solicitude OF his mother
his nurse. and his governess, whose sole occu
patton Il has been to watch over his orphaned
babyhcod. His health has been the dominan
prcoccuration OF his court. and the Queer
Regent. who ia wrapped up In her infant son
feels n docp gratitude for Fan Sebastian. wher,
she secs faint roses bloom in the pale cheek,
OF the ROYAL child and his strength improve al
each successive stay in tho Basque seaport
1t is therefore for this locality that Madrid
Araniuez. and La Grnnia are forsaken, not.
withstandinR tho waters and green pleas.
aunces OF the two last residences and their
vicinity to the capital. Every year the visit to
the sea is fastened and the stay prolonged.
In 1853 San Sebastian was only q rough, old,
and world-forgotten city. with streets so mar
row that most of them were impossible for
ordinary sized wagons and vans aud the
goods landed at the harbor had to he conveyed
into the town on trucks drawn by oxen. Mas
sive Qualifications planned and executed on the
system OF Vauban surround the city. which il
built on peninsula under the frowniDg. pre-
cipitate cliffs dropping like wall into the
water and capped by the fort OF La Monta. To
the left stretches the bay or sea roads OF San
Sebastian. called variously La Concha"
(shelil, or The Pearl OF the Ocean" 1t is
parted in two bya rocky island. and beyond
rises an ancient lighthouse To the right. los.
Ing itself In the sea. is n stream Qualifying it's
name Of "Urumea or clear water" whose
I,c IL 4,
leagues Of shady valleys and beautiful coun-
try. A soft. dry. and sparkling strip OF sand
skirts the rounded shore: hills rise gently in
tho distance. covered with verdure through
which, within the last years. many white villas
peep, blinking at tho sunny. sleepy town in the
hollow below. II is there that-nore concealed
than tho others on the road to Hermann stands
"Ayetc," the country seat. or palace as 1t Ia
styled in the locality. OF the Duchess Of Bailen.
occupied for several seasons by the Queen
Regent and her children. She has continued to
do so while the villa sho Is having constructed
on the very brink OF the sea Is being com pleted.
After the last Car,ist war the Jue,'os. or
ancient national privileges OF the ancient
Spanish province. wore SO seriously threatened
that it was considered doubtful IL the BasIues
would vouchsafe a very warm reception to the
sovereign under whose reign they might see
taxation increased tenfold In their land and
brought on a level with the remainder OF the
kingdom: but the inhabitants were rapidly
won over to complete loyalty to the mother
and son by the simplicity and dignity OF Queen
Christina. by her enlightened piety. her de-
votion to her children. and the admirable un-
Of her lifc.
Once or twice only during her stay at San
Sebastian docs the Regent appear in public in
all her royal state and show the people the
pomp and grandeur which appcrtaiE to her
official position: hs soon as this obligation is
f pished .he quickly returns to the peace
tirement. Not that she ever and under any cir
cumstances neglects those duties which de-
allows the pleasures Of her family occupations
10 engross her overmuch even during her holi-
lay: she insists upon being kept informed Of
resis ali the decrees brought for her signs na
aud the chief leaders OF i'm portant papers She
herself opens hor letters and answers major
q then In her Tss Sxrs
he roll OF their services. as well as any Minister
She writes with equal facility and correctness
y German. Spanish, French. and English:
Italian she Inderstands but does not write:
Q her seventh visit. The villa Of Ayete is not
rom the shore. but the views are magnificent.
extending inland to tho ramparts OF the Pyren-
,ean Alps over q vast sxpanse Of country, 1t
8 not. however. to be compared with another
'esidence belonging to the Duchess Of Balen or
o the chalet q the DuEe Of setomayor or to the
he Urnmea. from the terraces Of which an an ad.
nirable panorama stretches on oil sides, Ayete
by Sd
Indifferent to anything which is
n order to Sratify that taste she acquired % a
mall promontory advancing right into the
aGss e q time
iot far from the royal grounds are a few Villas
i Antique. 1t was said last year that the
lIcen intended to christ,n her residence
the e+Te 4 tn nctbss
vas finally decided, for the present the actual
ts on whish H. Via is erected is known as
The house is roomy without pretention or
nngnifcence: It consists OF two floors only.
On the grS9rnd floor are large nall dfaT%ng
loir. and the chapel look on, tho country.
r. and Of her Children. Three additional y pa
'ilions adjoin the. villa one for the kitchens.
with the main building by
he third for the stables. The Regent has
'aid the by no means moderate outlay out OF
brought In. and she hopes that all will be in
badness for her approaching arrival
Existence at Ayete = very regular and each
lays life begins early. After a hasty toilet |
luesn Christina presdes over tho getting up |
i her children and then hears mass said BY a
llage priest. On her return she opens her |
etters. assisted by her secretary. At IL she de-
ave been playing since o o'clock. q little |
part from the general public. The little King |
to take his daily bath his bathing |
machine is an ordinary one Of good aize. tho |
oards inside being hung, with a bright cre- |
opne. At noon the whole family return to |
.yete. The Queen dresses more carefully for |
Ne iunch-or breakfast. as it is called, WHICH |
curt dlgnitares in ONCE the Great Marshal
I the palace. the Great Cham herlain, the Gem
raj OF Halberdiers. the LalnPrerd Mayor, the |
oyerness Of the royal children, and lady in
,a tta After lunch comes the inyestigaton
he picturesque eny!rons. In which all the
V y .a ne p 49, AZ tne Carriages return 10
hat have arrived In the course Of the after.
am les state mt half mast eight tor herseIf her