The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-06-03
TURNED TO STONE.
Alphonso XII of Spain Has at Last
Become a Fossil.


From the New York Herald.
Alphonso XII of Spain. father of the
little boy who now rules Spain as the
unlucky thirteenth of that name, has
finally turned tO stone. Strangely
enough, it took him just the thirteenth
unlucky wear after his death to ac-
complish this result. Such was the
Medusalke effect of Sampson at San
tiago and Dewey at Manila. Thirteen
years is an uncommonly long period
for the body of Spanish monarch to
resist the petrlfying effects of FL Pod
ridero, the charnel house of the Es-
curial. where all royal bodies are laid
until they are sufficiently fcSSilized to
be removed to the Pantheon Of kings
in the same monastery. The regula-
| tion period has usually been six, or at
the most seven years, but the body of
Alphonso MI seems to have felt it a
duty to resist until the end had come
with the signing of the treaty of peace
before IL gave up the struggle.
Yet there are some people who glibly
describe the Spanish royalties as fos-
sls even when they are apparently
alive.
The palace and monastery of San LO-
renzo del EscOrial Chat is the correct
Spanish spelling) originated, as we all
| know. in a vow to st. Lawrence made
! by Philip III of Spain at the battle of
| st. Quentin Q55O and was erected in
| 1563-S4. Its general form is that of a
gridiron. in memory of St. Lawrence's s
| martyrdom. the length being about $50
| feet and the breadth about go. 1t was
much injured by fire in 1881 and again
| in 1872, and also by the vandalism Of
| the French soldery in 1908.
One of the objects of Philip III was to
| provide a mausoleum for Spanish kings
| and their consorts. The octagonal room
| in which this object is subserved is
known as the Pantheon. Marble sar-
| cophagi, each properly labeled with the
| name of its illustrious occupant, are
ranged one above the other four deep
| on marble sheves.
But previous to the final Sepulture
each corpse has to be exposed, naked
save for a single sheet. renewed from
| time to time, on the marble slab in
| the podriderO or rotting vat. 1t is
said that the every air of this charnel
house possesses petrifying properties.
These properties are enhanced or pos
sibly produced. by the action of drugs
| which slowly trickled down upon the
| corpse from faucets above. Properly
constituted authorities examine the
| corpse from time to time to see that
| the work of fOssiation is progressing
satisfactorily, and to announce when
| it is completed.
Then the ceremony of the translation
| of the relies is observed with magni-
| ficent pOmp. 1t is averrcd that bodies
! so petrified do not always retain their
| stony COnsistenCe. 1t is whispered
| that many of the sarcOphagi contain
| only Crumbled dust. But it is certain
| that two of the mightiest dWellers in
| this Pantheon are as hard and firm as
| when they We're first put in their last
| resting place. These are Charles V
! the first of SPAIN and his son, Philip
II. Charles V died in lJjS, and and at
| the completion Of the Pantheon his
! body was transferred thither and found
| 10 be unchanged. The sarcOphagus
| was opened by Carlos III to crafty
| the curiosity of BeckfOrd, the eccentric
| author of "Vathek," and again, in 1869,
| by the ministers of the revolution. on
| the latter occasion a drawing was
made of it by Spanish artist. Martin
| ReCO. II confirms in every point the
| traditional description Of the emperor
| "broad I'm the shoulders, deep in the
| chest, very muscular in the arms and
! legs, the forehead broad, the nose
crooked and aquilne and the under jaw
'protruding' SO far beyond the other
| that the teeth could not meet"
| His beard has lost the red color
| painted by Titan. 1t is Of a muddy
| chestnut, interspersed with frequent
| gray.
| What words would the Cavernuus
| depths of that awful mouth have ut
| Osity was to violate the sanCtity of
! his tomb, to lift him from it's sacred
| precincts; to unwind his shroud: 10
| expose him naked To the perpetuating
| skill of an artist The Conqueror of
| Francis |, the master Of Europe, the
sorevereign of Mexico: he who was
| stated with power and pOmp. and who
| had wearily laid down the scepter even
| before the final summons had come.
| in order To retire To the conVentual
privacy of 81. Just, would III have
| brooked this intrusion upon his last
| renOSe
| But he is only a mummy ana 50,
now, is Alfonso XII. the latest of his
| successors to Join him i'm the shades,
! and the insignificant remnant of what
was once the mighty empire Of Spain
is ruled over by weak and ailing boy.
1