The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-05-18

erect. He does not walk, he marches,
and never so proudly as when he may
appear In public In the uniform of a
cadet Of the infantry school, with q gold
collar around his neck. which Is an heir
loom. worn by his father, Alphonso XII,
before him. In general he wears the
boy sailor dress OF blue serge or flannel
and In the drawing room Is at his very
best In rich black velvet and costly lace.
Alphonso NH Is adored by his moth
er, the queen regent, Christina OF Haps-
burg, and by his magnificent grand
mother. Archduchess Elizabeth. He Is
idolized by his sisters, the i%nfantas.
When. on the opening of the cortes. he
drives into Madrid In his golden coach,
drawn by six mules. seated at his moth
er's side, her majesty superb in her dia-
dem and white veil, the people SHOW n
thuslastic loyalty.
Opinions differ as to whether the king
bears a family likeness to'the Bourbons
and the Hapsburgs. There are those
who aver that he strongly resembles the
sons Of Charles ". I have seen the king
but for. moment at a time. yet I was
at once impressed by his striking like
ness to his late father. His only too
apparent nervousness. notwithstanding
q look OF resolution. of intrepldity. per-
vades his countenance, which Is the
more engaging because Il Is enhanced
by nm expression born OF genuine light
ness OF heart.
From the hour OF his birth his royal
mother has shown herself to be an ex-
traordlnary woman. In her noble re-
solve she was determined In the anguish.
OF her w~idowhood that her Alphonso
should not be born a child of tears. Her
maternal mission demanded fortitudc,
mental as well as physical. She would
nerve herself to ignore her bereave-
ment, and the boy should inherit his
fathers joyous temperament. BY ma
turc OF q melancholy disposition, Chris
tina, In her early Widowhood, Is said
to have fought O brave fight against
morbid sentlmentality, and to have
come of victorious. To chase away care.
she was bent on her immediate sur-
roundings being transformed so that the
objects neal her should not remind her
too wildly of the past. So she ordered
the Miramar palace. in San Sebastian,
to be completely restored, and the gar
dens of the royal palace at Madrid. in
the Campo del Moro, were changed
throughout. While all these alterations
were going on Christina. with her chill
,dren. took up her residence at the royal
castles OF Aranjuez and Pardo O la
Granja.
A1phonso Is reared on principles
strictly hygienlc. His dress, his food.
his walks, his 'gymnastic drill, his very
games. are n stern study. lie spends
his boyhood In an atmosphere OF ease,
OF soothing isolation. BY 10 o'clock at
night he is in bed, and he Is up and
out Of doors by s in the morning. Astrlde
horse or wheel he Is in buoyant spirits,
and In his prccoc!ty applies himself 10
his studies with gravity beyond his
years. He speaks Spanish. English and
French, and is mastering the rudimcnts
Of Latin and German. For modern his
tory and the. natural sciences he has a
decided prediction. On attaining his
tenth year several professors were APP
pointed In charge Of his schooling. 10
the teachings of these able mentor
they are the pick of the profession In
things clementary-hc does full credit.
In n word, his conduct Is exemplary.
! must not let a characteristic anec-
dote escape me illustrative Of the royal
boys p%erceptive powers. One Of his tu-
tors, moraliz!ng on the evils OF lattery,
told him that kings in particular should
be on their guard against the silver
toned voice of the flatterer. They were
out riding together a few days later,
when the tutor went Into ecstncics over
the boys equestrian skill. Alphonso
turned In his saddle and called his mont
tor to task with: pray remember. sir,
what you cautioned me against. I
know how badly ! ride"
Alphonso Will come TO the throne, II
the dyansty stands the storm, on reach
Ing the age OF sixteen. Thousands de-
Snllr OF hla ntIninInr manhood. hut thnn