The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-05
EVERYDAY LIFE OF ALFONSO XIII
AT SAN SEBASTIAN.
The Royal Family, Apparently, Has
No Fear of Anarchists, and No
Precautions Are Taken.
London Letter in New York Sun.

with the inevitable consequences OF defeat
and the loss of Cuba, the Bourbon dynasty,
of which this little fellow is the frail rep
resentative, would disappear forever in the
ruins made by the rage of a proud and SEN
sitive people Inundated into the dust.
Alfonso is weighted with seven names in
addition to the one by which the world
knows him. Leon, Ferdinand, Marie
Jacques, Isidore, Pascal and Antoine were
all given to him at his baptism, and we are
informed by the Almanach de Gotha, the
bible and prayer book of Europe's royalty
and nobility besides being King of Spain
he is also King of Castillo, of Leon, of
Aragon, of the two Sicilies, of Jerusalem.
of Navarro, of Grenada, of Toledo, of
Valencia of Galieia, of Majorca, of Minor
ca, of Seville. of Sardinia, of Cordova, of
Corcega. of Murcia. of Jean, of Algarve.
of Algeziras of Gibraltar, of the Canary
islands, of the Eastern and Western Indies.
of India and of the Oceanic continent, He
is an Archduke of Austria, Duke of Bur-
gundy, of Brabant and Milan, Count of
Hapsburg of Flanders, of the Tyrol and of
Barcelona and Lord of Bscay and Molina,
etc. And now let US see what manner of
human being is this twenty-seven-fold
King. Some idea may be gained from the
everyday life at San Sebastian, written by
a Sun reporter there:
About San Sebastian, the Spanish New
port and the summer home of SPANS royal
family, enough has been written to make
it familiar to all, but few details of
the daily life of Eel pequenito" 0he little
one), as he is affectionately called by his
subjects. are worth recording. Every year
the court makes a sojourn of several
months at the north coast watering place,
drawing in its train great portion of fash
ionable Madrid. and making the pretty
town the center of Spanish life for the sea-
son. The royal family, consisting of the
King, the Queen Regent and her two
daughters, reside in the Real Palacio de
Miramar, pleasantly situated though not
very imposing edifice, built chiefly of red
brick and, as its name implies, overlooking
the sea. 1t is, indeed, Il charming view that
can be seen from any of the palace win
calmneSs marVelOusly blended. Straight in
front of the Bay of 8iscay, charming alike
in storm or calm; to the left and to the
right high and rugged cliffs of majestic
beauty, and to the rear a smiling country,
backed by the dim shapes of the not far
distant Pyrenees.
busy life, divided between health-giving rec
reatlons political studies and inner home
occupations. The time when he is most
seen by mis- subjects, to whom San Sebas-
tan is either a permanent a temporary
abiding place, is in the early morning when
he sallies out for the daily sea bath This
is sometimes abandoned on account of bad
weather but, providing the morning be fine,
one may be sure of a good look at the royal
family at 10 a; Nor as near this hour as
the Spanish idea of punctuality will allow.
knot of expectant persons of both
sexes and all ages and stations in life
gathered around the opening in the sea
wall leading to the caseta real, or royal
bathing house announces the approach of
the bora del baho, and presently few
selves picturesquely around the bathing
house. They all appear deeply interested
in the latest news from Cuba, all reading
the morning papers assiduously. Then
from the private road leading to the royal
palace a carnage, comes dashing up, drawn
by four horses or sometimes mules. This
equipage contains the royal family itself.
The Queen Regent and her daughters are
in charming light morning toilettes, and
the King in blue and white striped sailor
suit with the regulation straw hat. The
little King jumps out first and PUSHES head
long down the wooden slope in a manner
very undignified for king, but with such
an abandon and appearance of joyous spir-
its as to win the hearts of the spectators.
There is no ceremony n" fuss, no demon
stration The officers an0 the male specta-
tors doff their hats, and the Queen Regent
and the infantaS follow more lelsurely
their lord and master INTO the bathing
house. Nothing will now be seen for few
minutes save about half g, dozen stalwart
men in bathing suits whose duty 1t is to
look after the King when In the water,
something-or to appear to be DONG some
Presently the King steps out of the house,
which it may be stated resembles as much
as ANYTHING a glOrified summer house, d.
vided into two octagonal buildings with a
landing between and steps leaolnS down 20
the water. When the royal party enters
the house is close up to the sea wall, but
once inside the whole structure 10 allowed
to slide gently down on rails by means OF
paid-out cable, until the surf breaks over
the steps and the water laps the wooden
walls The little monarch wears blue and
white bathing costume and IS hatless. A
favorfte attendant approaches, but his Mai
esty scornS to be helped into the water, and
making a run and jump IS IN moment
up to his neck in the sea. AFTER rev pre-
limnaPy skirrnSheS with the heaVy blllows
which break necessarily on the beach the
King with the assistance or ms attendant,
gains deeper water and begins TO swim,
diving through the waves with the greatest
zest and enjoyment. He is not allowed to
remain in the water any great length of
time, however, and at slgnal from ms
from the steps of the bathhouse, the at
tendant begins to help him back but Al
fonso frequently breaks from the man's
grasp to dive again through an incoming
wave, and he seems most reluctant 10 leave
Altogether a more genuinely boyish and
entertaining scene than this morning gam
Dol in the sea by the King OF Spain could
probably not be witnessed. When running
down the slope to the bathing house one
Stumbled on to his knees An attendant
rushed forward, but the King was on his
feet in q moment with a laugh and contin-
ned his run with undated speed.
His subjects appear to like him best in
this mood. and it is amusing to note how
the Kings morning sailor costume is copied
nv all the boys of similar age standing at
San Sebastian There is, however, singu-
lar difference. for all the young would-be
sailors of inferior rank TO Alfonso XIII Wear
hats with an English ribbon bearing the
legend III. M. S. Terrible" II. M. s.
Alert" etc.
At other times during the day the royal
carriage. with the same four occupants, may
he seen driving swiftly through the streets.
All vehicles are driven at a great pace in
san Sebastian and a horses life-particuiar-
~ q car horse s-must be very short one.
Gt the approach of the royal equipage the
M ssersby of the male sex stand and raise
a. bow of acknowledgment and a smile. As
for precautions against Anarchists and ia
patics the royal personages appear to take
absolutely none, and any Anarchist with
murderous designs would find not the least
dificulty in DISCRIMINATING the whole of the
royal family during It's summer soJourn at
san Sebastian But he would never live to
tell the tale, for he would be Immediately
torn to pieces by the crowd. AS a Spaniard
said to the writer at San Sebastian
Anarchists and political reformers do not
make war on women and children, and Al
fonso and his much esteemed royal mother
are as safe as the merest plebeian in the
streets of Spanish towns.
Large Barn Burned.
The large modern barn on the farm of
Mrs. NJ j. Nesbit at Allisonville was de-
stroyed by fire abc.t o'clock yesterday