The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-15
GLIMPSE OF BOY KING
William Curtis Tells of Alfonso
of Spain.
he is A SPOILED CHILD
Reviewed Army when He Was
Is Weeks Old.

Qetter to the Chicago Record HERALD
Madrid. Nov. liking Alfonso XIII
was born May Il, 1886, not quite six
months after the death of Alfonso XII.
his father During the first nine years
of his life he was almost exclusively
under the care of his mother, the QUEEN
Regent, Donna Maria Christina, a niece
of the Emperor of Austria, and his child
hood education was confined to women
teachers in the palace. He was taught
those things which best befit king to
know. and learned to speak English.
French and German. His health was very
delicate. Few people supposed that he
would survive his tenth birthday, and :
physician was attached to the household.
This fact led to his being allowed female
attendants and governesses a little later
than is customary in the royal family Of
Spain.
He was always a bright boy, almost
precocicus, and, from the hour Of his
birth, was treated like king. Scarcely
had he opened his eyes whene the thun-
der of cannon in tn eplaza in front of the
palace announced the birth of an heir 10
the throne, and even while he wore long
clothes he never appeared in public with
out the attendance Of an aide-de-camp o.
two of high rank and a salute Of guns
When he was christened in the presence
of a great assemblage Of civil, military
diplomatic and ecclesiastical dignitaries
with the pope of Rome as his godfather
represented by Cardinal Rampolla, then
papaI nuncio at Madrid all the cannon
In the kingdom were discharged. The
archbishop OF Toledo. primate of Spain,
touched his eyes with holy oil that he
might see accurately; the tips Of his ears,
that he might hear rightly, and his lips.
that he might speak only words of truth
and wisdom. As the archbishop uttered
each sentence the commanding general Of
the Spanish army touched an electric but
ton, and so the ritual was punctuated b.
volleys Of cannon.
Before he was weeks old the army &C
Spain was modelling in Madrid that he
might review it Surrounded by cardinals,
srchbisl OPS, fell malshals, ministers nf
the government, members of the diplo-
matte corps. princes, priests, generals. adj
mirals and all the grandees Of Spain, this
extraordinary infant lay sleeping in his
nurses arms. while horse foot and ar
tillery performed evOlutions in his honor
the infantry saluting. the cavalry praTc-
ing and the artillery laundering over the
rough stone pavements. The spectators
Who surrounded the king took 1t all serl-
ously. and looked on the parade as j
proper compliment to him. But before St
was over his royal majesty became hun
cry ana cross, and screamed so hard
that they called for one of the wet nurses.
who retired with him into the palace His
crying ceased, instantly. but the prime
minister reviewed the procession in his
When he was months old he receiv ii
official delegations of dignitaries from the
different provinces who came to do hom-
age and brought gifts and pledges of low
atty. And when the hierarchy of the
Roman Catholic church appeared. with
the lord cardinal at their head. to make
their vows of devotion. and his eminence
was reading a most eloquent address in
sonorous Castlian, the little rascal yelled
SO loud as to drown the voice of the ora
tor, who Immediately ceased speaking
and. like the true courtier that he is
turned to the bishops and remarked aside .:
When his majesty speaks his subjects
must keep silence"
In the midst OF such formalities and re-
ceiving such Difference this child WIS
brought up, and was so constantly i'm
pressed with the fact that ne is a king
that sometimes it was little awkward
to control him. one day his mother was
correcting him, as mothers do. and the lit
tie chap looked up in defiance until she
almost lost her temper and exclaimed:
L command YOU.
You cannot command me" replied the
child, coolly. his pale blue eyes looking
steadily into her own, for you are on.v
a regent. mama dear, while I am king.
In the autumn of 1892. while was fol-
lowing the court during its taour through
olt southern Spain. in honor Of the Co
lumbus anniversary. the little chan ate
TOO many sweetmeats and fell i'll at the
Alcazar in Seville. The whole party re-
NAMED there until he recovered suff:-
GENTLY to return TO Madrid and the rest
OF the programme was abandoned. One
DAY Mr.. Canovas. then prime minister
called TO see him, and as he entered the
royal chamber, inquired gently:
How IS my Alfonsito this morning.
am not your AIfonsito." exclaimed
the 6-year-old sovereign with dignity. Il
am Alfonsito 10 my mamma only. To
you l am his majesty the king.
This precocious and unnatural appre-
citation Of his position and power was
considered evidence Of kingly qualities
and, instead Of being spanked and sent
TO bed. the youngster was admired and
Adored by all the court When he was q
years old according To Spanish etiquette
and tradition. he became a man and was
relieved of goVernesses and women. ot-
PENDANTS. He was placed under the care
OF military officers End prieses. who have
since conducted his education. and the
gray-h&ired Brudencio. who had been his
Fathers valet. was assigned to similar
duties othe son. There has bee, no
change in the stan about the king sin =
that day, except that at his coronation
Count Andina, who had been one of Lis
tutors. was appointed private secretary
TO his majesty, and Senior Merry del Val.
son Of the former Ambassador to the ho,,,
see and brother 10 Mgr. Gel Val. noa-
papal secretary CT state at Rome. was an
pointed instructor in English Senior ,iu
Val was born in England. his mother is
English and he was educated at the fam
GUS Catholic university in England.
The instruction Of his maj esty has b. n
directed by General Sanchez. a q sttn-
guished officer. formerly director Of th..
Royal Artillery school AZ Segovia. as is--
ed by Major Casiejon Of the star an
Major Juan Lorija Of the royal artillery
The two last named fer eight years have