The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-06-29

CarlOS QGlE OIL / Illip II, iHia v II = 49, "
Atocha was carried to his sick-room at
Alcala So was the dead body OF the
monk, Fray Diego which was dug up
from the grave and laid upon the SICK
mans bed; and to this day the honor OF
his remarkable cure is equally shared
between the two. 1t would seem that
the Jewel, consistency, is rather more
rare in the religious heart of Spain than
elsewhere. remembering the rascally ex-
ample of Ferdinand VII, who Is consid-
cred one of the devoutest of sovereigns.
When about to conspire against his pa
rents involving the probable murder OF
the mother who bore him, he made
piouS pilgrimage to Atocha, to invoke
the assistance of it's virgin mother and
when later, he was kidnapped by the
French, be transferred the ribbon of the
Immaculate Conception from his own
breast to that of the image, where 1t
may stiI be seen. Again, after his res
toration the first thing he did on reach
ing Madrid was to hasten to this shrine
and kneeing before the virgin, thank
her for having interfered and delivered
him. So his ancestor Alfonso VI, in
1888, on the first reconquest Of Madrid,
laid his victorious banner at the feet of
the Atocha virgin and the italian king,
Amadeo, came straight to her altar
from the station to look upon the face
of the murdered Prim. Time and time
again this chapel has been enriched by
a succession of deeply religious princes
after deeds unnamable, and as often
desecrated and pillaged by invaders
Above its heavy altar hang the banner
Of countless Spanish victories, and I'M
der it's pavements many celebrated per-
sons are buried, including General Prfm;
General Concha, the first Marquis del
Duero; Castens, who was created Duke
of Baden for bis victory over the
French at that place; Navaez, and
scores of others revered in the military
annals Of Spain.
Secure position toward the end of
Atocha street, but not too near the
chapel door, about four o'clock on a
Saturday afternoon, and you may wit
ness the passage of the royal cavalcade
to it's devOtions. The young king, q
slim. blonde youth now in his fifteenth
year, generally rides with his sisters in
the last Of several open carriages, the
others occupied by his relatives and Of
ficers Of the palace. Possibly in one of
the closed carriages may be the queen
regent, but if so, she is not visible be-
hind the drawn black curtains. The
body-guard, with their shining helmets,
hnowy plumes and blue and white uni
forms, the sunlight glittering on their
drawn sabres, make gallant show as
they gallop by on thoroughbred Arabian
!, u,bi1 ha al nd 1triI lore
wearing powdered wigs and liveries of
gold and scarlet, increase the shining
pageant, amid the "vivas!" of the peo-
pie and the music of the military band
rendering the Hymno Nacional inside
the chapel.
The royal palace at Madrid is conce-
ded by all authorities to be one of the
most beautiful structures in the world;
and certainly none occupies more SUI
perb situation, overlooking the entire
city. the royal gardens along the dry
river-bed of the Manzanares and COM
manding a view of the Guadarrama
mountains, often covered with snow,
and eternal summer smiling at their
feet. 1t occupies the site of the Alcaz-
ares, which date from the eleventh GEN.
fury and were destroyed by an earth
quake. Another palace was erected
here by Henry ", enlarged by Charles
V, whose successors, Philips II and III,
embellshed and finished 1t in truly roy
al style, On Christmas night, in 1874,
fire consumed the splendid edifce, with
all its countless treasures; and then ex-
travagant Philip Y determined to build
upon its ruins structure which should
throw Versailles and all other palaces
completely in the shade. 1t was TWEEN
ty-seVen years in building and the mere
shell cost upwards of FIVE million dol
lars. You remember that the great Ma
poleon said to his brother Joseph-whon
he made king of Spain in 1S0S-"My
brother, you will be better lodged than
L am. The material employed us
snow-white Carrara marble and the
main building extends four hundred
and seventy feet each way, with an in
ner courtyard two hundred and forty
feet square rooted with glass. 1t is one
hundred feet in height, containing three
stories, the lower massive, the upper
ones lighter, with Doric and Ionic col
umns. A wide cornce runs around the
top, over which is a stone balustrade,
whose dedestals are crowned with vases
i'll place of the clumsy statues that for
merly ornamented the railing, but Were
removed to the Plaza Oriente, some
years ago on account of their weight.
The southern facade has five noble en-
frances to the patio, which is surround