Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-05-19
ALFONSO XIII.

November 25, 1885, he left two child
rent Iofstta Maria de las Merce-
des, born oD September IL, 1880, and the
Infanta Maria Teresa, born on Novem-
Der IL, 1882. The repestsd failure OF
the Carli,t uprisings bad 30 securely
st aside t1e Sslic law that there Was
no question OF acknowledging the elder
of these baby princesses, the Ipfanta
Mercedes. ss Queen, and her mother.
the Queen Dowsger Christina. ws OF
oate proclaimed Regent during the
minority of the young Queen. On May
II, 1866, the little Princess wss depos-
ed from her place by the bilth OF a
posthumous son T. the late King. He
was named Aifouso, and was ct once
recognized as King under the title OF
AlfoUsO KILL. his mother being o.
tinued in the regency. There were
some expressions Of dil content at the
birth OF the King on the part OF the
Csrlist fiction, who had looked for
werd to their practical return to row.
er through the Z ,ssible marriage OF the
Iofanta Nero, des to Priuce Jaime. the
Is year.old sou of Don Carl I.
Some unimportant demonstrations
have been made by the republi' us, as
well ss by the Carlsts, but they have
all been promptly suppressed, and
spain hes epjoyed under the regency
OF Q0een Christina greater measure
of peace aud q1iet than usually falls to
The lot OF tost turbulent country.
Despite his KiDgsbip, Alfonso was
brought up as the CHILD OF middle.clsss
par reDts, surrounded by the healtbful
iDhoen. , of home life, and mindful
OF bis ply sioial development. He was
kept 10 the oren air and made to
exercise bis bGGJ aud as a result he is
today tall aLj we'll built, full of life
aod viecr, able TO Withstand the
fa'ipve Of hours upon the drill ground.
tU;8so Is fond of hnvcling. tepnis
croquet and football, but horseback
riding is his favorite outdoor exercise.
He possesses q stable of magnificent
English and Arab thoroughbred
horses.
In appearance the young King much
resembles bis mother. He has fresh
complexion, eighty bronzed by bis
outdoor exercises, clear, expressive
brown eyes and curly auburn hair.
de has his mothers forehead and close
SIT eyes, and the famous "Hapsburg
hp."
II co almost perfect education can
belp the young monarch, 10 this he
will be as fortunate and happy as even
mother.love could wish. Since he
could lisp be bas been In the
hands of tutors, the wisest men In
Spain. He knows Latin, the root OF al
romance languages; Spanish, the tongue
Of ris people; French, the glib medium
Of European diplomacy; German. the
language TO which bis mother was born
10 Austria, cd English, which even the
Spaniard real z % hss bet ,me the lam
guBge ofcommercc. He has studied re-
ligion as thoroughly BIS though he were
to take orders, and has / eD schoolec
fully in geography, history, mstae
matics, literature, chemistry, pbyslo
and drawing. He plays so well on th'
piano thst what was once task has be
come as much of a recreation ss the rid
ing or bicycling or tennis playing o
photogrsphing, IN which the boy KIM
has found his pleasures.
Alfonso is tractable, yet firm in dis
position, hes much Of bis mothers piet,
and strength OF character; is earnest
yet playful.
Though he does not believe 10 wal
holding that the powers OF q countr
can best be maintained by extensio
through purchase; by the care of trade
rat 1er tbsn by the force of arms, A
fonso vet delights in military exercise
He handles the ssber, sword, revolve
and gun with rare dexterity, and tbre
days in q week he spends the whol
afternoon on the drill ground.