Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-09-23
FL Palacia Real.
(By Ralph l.. Ray

o11etC0 10 SlCudl0Q on the western
edge OF the city of Madrid. This
city, the capital of Spain, is the
second Spanish city in respect to
population, Barcelona being the
hrst. Each Of these cities contains
considerably over 100000 people.
The Palace, which faces toward the
city, is on a high bluff from which
one may look down upon the
Royal Gardens back of 1T. Farther
on beyond the Gardens is the Man
zanares River, while away to the
northwest uhe Guadarramas lift
their snowy peaks.
The building itself tho very large
does not have so many angles or
corners as we think royal buildings
usually have. On the outside it
would appear to be rectangular in
form if the ends of it did not pro-
ject little farther out than the rest
Of the building. To the south is
the Plaza where 1.-THE king reviews
the troops on ordinary occasions.
The walls enclosing this are three in
number, the southern end of the
Palace forming the northern bound
airy of the Plaza. This Lmay all be
seen from a wide balcony above
which is a largesS.clock with two
bells, a large one to ring the hours
and smaller one for ( the half and
quarter hours.
On the front or eastern side there
is also a balcony surmounted by the
royal coat-of- arms carved in the
same kind Of stone Of (which the
whole structure consists. The stone
which was originally white is now
discolored by age, thus typifying
the past in which ESpain takes SO
much pride.
A person who wishes an audience
with the king mustStake toff his hat
asIhe enters the vest1buleiat the en-
trance of which is stationed the
alabardero de servicio. The vesti,
bule extends halfway to .the inner
court with which it is connected by
a short hall way.E.s Mcpherson seek
ing an audienceIthen goes from the
vestibule, following a passage way
leading to the north, and goes ON
until he comes to the saleta or hall
where commonspeople wait; if he is
| q hn arsc nn
grand cross, he goes to the camara
The military men and' the grandes
of Spain must take their !station in
! the antecamara. In the laSt-men-
toned room there are always, among
others, the lady-in-waiting on the
queen and thei Grande iniwaiting.
When a nobleman or other high
parsonage enters, OtheIs Palace the
guards strike on Ethe marble floor
with whatever weapons they have
in their hands. - The public audi
ence chamber is next to the noble
mems waiting room. On the Sc
cond floor in His IMajesty's apart
ments is the semi-private audience
room. During the sixteen years of
the regency of Maria, Christina there
were no receptions 1orsscourt balls
SO long as they could be avoided.
According to the dictates of custom,
however, there had to be one at
least once in year.
| During the regencyslmany Eng
lish customs wereIisubstituted for
the Spanish ones. lat Ecourt. This
displeased many ofsthe Spaniards as
did also her aversion to the bull
fights. AS she is an Austrian they
would call her the foreigner. All
this did not seem to disturb the
Queen Regent at all!aslshe kept at
her two-fold duty of ruling the ma
ton and educating Cher son that he
might take uplhis nburden and bear
1t bravely when the time should
come.
In spite of many notifications
by Alfonso XII the court customs
are very formal. For instance he
would permit the audiences at the
theatres to applaud when he was
present and he would see all who
asked to see him. Such things were
not permitted before his reign.
Another of his innovations was
early rising. He rose at five as
does his son s'Alfonso XIII. The
king then has.his.coffee after which
he attends to Estate affairs such as
signing papers, lietc. c. When that is
done he has the time to himself IN
til Is o'clock q p. n.y. which is the
time whena the members Of the
royal household have breakfast.
Then comes the siesta the length Of
which varies from one to two hours.
At 16 a p. n.y. light refreshments
are served. Dinner comes at Is Is
%. m. } coffee again at 20 e p. m.,)