The evening times., 1898-07-23
/ R0fll M0TaER's T6lRs'
Grief Of the Spanish Queen Over
Wars Continuance.
HER PLEaDlNGS FOR PEAeE
Fate, Of the hoy King . Constant
Source Of DiAtress-Changes In the
Daily Routine OF Life at the SPAN
ish Palace = Maria Christina's'
Carewcrn Existesce.

Paris, July 2s-The European edition of
lowing dispatch from Madrid, dated July
90 the telegram having been delayed in
transmission.
Poor Queen!" That Is the exclama-
ton SO often hear OF late.
1t is indeed Poor Queen" Day after
day, as matters grow worse and worse.
as Spanish disasters repeat themselves.
and the throne of the little king seems
slipping away from her han0s. into which
1t was given in trust, see Her Majesty
as she drives to the Casa del Campo-"the
private park"-looking careworn and
anxious and even those drives are be-
coming fewer and fewer.
1t would, of a surety. appeal to the
heart of any mother in the world were
she to see the, way in which this queen
mother each day seems to cling closer ana
closer to the boy. as though to shield
him from the dangers which are closing
in upon him with almost fatal force. II
is very touching to witness.
1 was talking over the situation of the
Queen with a Spaniard who knows good
deal of the private life Of the court. ana
he said:
Her worst enemies recognize In this
Queen personal qualities worthy of the
highest admiration. This is speciaiiy
shown In the high esteem in which she
is he'd by ali the high Spanish politi-
cans. who come into constant inter-
course with sher majesty.
Queen Donia Christina used every
means at her disposal to prevent the
war. Her great hope lay IN Senor Moret,
who. as every one knows today. was e1-
ightened enough to forsee that the war
could but end diSastrouSly for Spain. He
had courage enough to express that sem
timert and he would have carried MS
point had II not been for SenOr Guiion.
To-day and ever since the war began
the great preoccupation of the Queen has
been TO find tn quickest way to its ter
mination. At. many of the cabinet coun-
ellis of late held in the palace the Queen
has burst into tears. begging ana urg-
ing her ministers to find some solution
for the terms of peace which they seem
incapable of materialixing-tha peace
which her ministers keep postponinS
secs to be of such vital Importance aad
which her ministers keep possponinS
mana
I'm those councils the Queen has taken
every chance offered of putting in y
word for peace. She has by her sympa-
thetic words tried to soften the bitter
feeling caused by the consequences of
the war. simultaneously trying to raise
the courage of her ministers to face
the obnoxious task OF De;itioning for
peace, relating to them the substantial
advantages 1t would bring. and little by
Ii. tile the Queen has finally managed TO
bring the cabinet round to her view
and thoughts of peace. s~
''Since the commencement Of the war
! the palace life has altered considerably,
| and still more SO since the illness of the
| little King. Now her majesty receives as
! little as possible She does not appear
at the big dining table. as was her wont.
| Now she takes her dinners in the pri-
vate apartments of the boy King at 7:3o.
| The Kings meal lasts but half an hour,
and everything = given to him by his
| mother. who previously tastes it
There is reason for this. as the Queen
imagines that the illness of the King is
owing to poison. When the King has
| finished and retired the Queen eats alone,
while the Infanta practices her music in
| the same room half way through the
| Queens dinner.
THE 1nfafita Isabel arrives at O. clock
| for the special grand inner for all the
| grand personages and ladies and gentle
| men of the court which taxes place. At
| this the Queen used to preside Today
| her place is taken by the 1nfanta Isabel
| and the young Tnfanta. Toward its end
| the Queen comes in and salutes her
| guests. and retires at 1890 Her Majesty
| is far from well, being very depressed
and nervous"