Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-07-23

SPANS CRAZY KING.
Young Alphonso Threatens to Throw
His Mother Into the Streets.

Young Alphonso Threatens to Throw
His Mother Into the Streets.
The eccentric behavior Of Alphonso
XIII is causing in the royal household
great anxiety for his future. He seems
to combine the depraved state Of his
notorious grandfather with the ire
sponsibility of his half-imbecile father.
After angering the military authorities
and antagonizing the ministers he is
on strained terms with the queen-moth-
er, whom he has repeatedly insulted
grossly. He has estranged the sympa-
thy of the family of his court by the
fondness he has developed for low as
sociates. The household has made des-
perate efforts to conceal these facts and
prevent public scandal.
The kings attitude toward the queen
| Is the most severely criticised part OF
his conduct, for he seems to have lost
all respect due her. When in any way
crossed by her he curses her in the Ian
guage of a coal-heaver. no matter who
is present. The king will have it un-
derstood that his word is supreme. At
the most trifine opposition to his
whims he becomes grossly abusive. He
has frequently spat In the face Of do
mestics who have neglected his orders.
The most recent Of the scenes nearly
resulted in an open rupture between
the king and the queen-mother.
One evening the king. disguised as
laborer slipped away from the palace
unrecognized by, the guards. He went
to the slums of Madrid. where he had
made up his mind to attend a working
mans ball. He passed the night dane
ing. drinking and playing, and return
ed to the palace at dawn in a half
drunken condition. The queen-mother,
acquainted Of his mysterious disappear
ance from the palace, had spent the
night in agony. When she heard the
cause Of his absence, she felt compell-
ed to demonstrate against conduct so
unworthy Of king.
The king told her to mind her own
business and respect his authority like
the rest Of his subjects. The queen re-
piled that in the eyes Of God, the son
owed submission to his mother. The
king, flying into violent passion show
cred upon his mother all the oaths ac-
auired from the lower caste associates,
and finally ordered her out of the royal
palace.
The queen remaining impassive, the
king cried violently: II shall call my
guards to throw you into the streets of
Madrid
He was ringing to give the order
when his confessor came hurriedly in
and closed the doors, remaining with
the royal couple till he succeeded In
restoring outward peace.
The queen-mother has since refused
to see the king save in public. 1t Is said
that she thought Of retiring from the
court, but that the kings advisers
have pursuaded her to remain for the
present. Serious as the consequences
of these events have been in the pal
ace and the government, the public Is
impressed rather favorably than other
wise. His refusal to sign certain de-
crees, and the continued opposition ne
raises against the ministerial projects
has given rise to the hope that the pow
er Is held by a man resolute enough to
end the evil engendered by the unf1rm
rule of a woman swaying between po-
litical antagonism and religious press
ure.
His disregard for military precedents
as calling at the barracks early one
morning and ordering the Madrid gar
rison TO turn out for impromptu review
has been much relished by the populace
as an act of independence amounting
to boarding the military authorities
But those within the palace consider
the kings conduct as the freaks OF
young and hereditary weak mind, de-
ranged by the sudden acquisition OF
power.
Incidents of his earlier life, showing
his obstinacy and unreasonableness are
remembered as having had deeper
significance. The young king has pass
ed into tradition as the most unman-
ageable pupil professors have ever had
to deal with, and stories of his general
eccentricities have been current since
babyhood. The only control he would
overlook was tnat Of his mother, and
against her he frequently rebelled, but
now that he has taken to insulting her,
and defying the ministers, the matter
assumes a more important aspect.
His encourage entertains fears that
his mind is really deranged and has
long been, although his manifestations
have not been rightly interpreted here
tofore. 1t is notorious that not long
before the coronation he came down
from his apartments naked one morn
ing, declaring clothing to be super
fuous, and paraded the palace in that
condition for half day, defying any
one to touch his sacred person.-Madrid
Dispatch.