The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1895-06-28
SPANS UINLuCkI KING.
Ominous Future for the Juvenile
Monarch.
The Country Is OVerburdened with Taxes
and Hara-sed by RebeIIions-Dark
Spots in the Royal Family
History

The eyes of all the world have been
turned upon Spain lately, both on ac-
count of the firing ON the Allianca hy
Spanish gunboat and of the resignation
OF the Saga~ta ministry under the most
remarka bile circumstances Spain II a
land Of moods and lenses. and at pres
cnt its people are engaging in both.
The military. led by Field Marshal
MARITIME CampoS, have been Tnadcd to
the point of open revolt lay the tauntN.
deserved or otherwise. of the press ot
Madrid. The press. with the customary
candor and courage of newspapers.
have decided to fight. if necessary, and
have taken drastic precautions in bar
Reading doors and in purchasing arms.
\ boy Of nine j. king of Spain under
the regency of his mother. Queen Maria
Christina. an amiahie and eStlmable
woman-but foreigner, The country
is overburdened by takes. Is haraS>ed
by rebellions. small though they may
he. in Cuba and Manila. and Is threat
cned AT home by military revolt How
long the roval house can withstand all
these shocks remains to be seen.
King Alfonso MIL, who Will be un-
lucky if superstition counts for any
thing. il the grandson of Isabella IL. Il
woman with a number of pastS. n
like the Isabella in the burlesque of
..l4g2 g" she is not queen of great
proprietv." but il inclined toward ultra
buhemianism. She came of good stock.
Blood does not always tell: or. perhaps
in this case. it told too much. She was
born on October 10. 1880. her father
being Ferdinand MI. Of Spain. and
her mother Christina. daughter OF the
king of the Two Sicilies, and grand
daughter Of Charles ". another king
of Spain. When three years old Ferdi-
nand II. died. and Isabella was az
claimed queen under the regency of
her mother. The latter had love af-
fair with young dragoon. who he
cause of it. was created Duke de Rian-
zares. After eleven years of mar
riagr' the pope bestowed a nuptial
benediction upon them. shortly after
ward Is;I bella reached her ma jorIty. the
agt. Of thirteen. and at once validated
her mothers left-handcd marriage
Then Isabella concluded to follow IN
her mothers footsteps. and did >"
with such enthusiasm and energy that
soon all Europe was agha>t at tn"
Young girls amours. This life .a>tcd
three Years. when Il family council WAS
called. and il was decided To marry l~i-
bella to her cousin on her father side
Don Francisco d'AasiZi. Despite yIgor-
GUS objections 10y Queen Victoria. wh"
nbIectcd to French predominance in
spain. the marriage took place ON lssi-
bella sixteenth birthday
Don Francisco was physical wreck.
and had he been anyone but q duke hc
would have been considered an idiot.
Naturally Isabella did not take XII .ly to
her husband. and bestowed her atIec-
tiuns on Marshal Scrrano. In l>5l lSsl-
bella became the mother of a son whose
paternity Wa laid at the door OF ser
rauo. This son aftcrward became Al
fouSo MI. the father Of the pres, mt
king. For thirtv-tiyc years isabella
rcfrucd and rcvellcd. Then came the
revolution Of lS6S. and one night the
vantou queen crossed the Pyrcnrc- t.
find shelter at the court If NapulyuH
HI Isabclla's husband lived with the
ex-uucrn while Alfonso. her son. went
to school in Woolwich. England. In
1874 Alfonso was called To the Spani~l.
throne. and isabella abdicatcd in his
favor. The new king. who was only
seventeen wears old when recalled.
proved Il vcrita ble Don Juan after his
return to Madrid. Like his mother tie
fore him. his punishment came in tn"
shape OF an uncongrnial marriage with
his cousin. The young queen died sin
months after her marriage. and Al
fonSO married again in the following
year. his wife being Maria Christina. a
daughter Of Archduke Carl Ferdinand.
Of Austria and niece of the present
emperor AlfOnSos eXces>es led to
disease and he died on November -,
1887 ON May Il Of the following year
the queen gave birth TO posthumous
child, King Alfonso NIL.