Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-06-01
Miseellaaeuus 8eadin9.
ENA AND ALFONSO.


The wedding of King Alfonso o.
Spain to Princess Ena of Battenbere
took place at Madrid Thursday, ant
the details connected with this even
were watched with great interes
throughout the civilized world, no
alone on account of the royal posi-
tions of the contracting parties bu
also because of their personalities ant
because Of the fact that In this cast
the marriage of individuals means !;
closer union between nations.
1t is claimed that this is really not
a political marriage; that 1t was moi
arranged by politicians; that Alfons.
himself selected his bride because OF
her intellectual endowments and per-
sonal charms and that on both sides
1t is a case Of genuine love; but how
ever that may be the ceremonies in
connection with the marriage are new
ertheless interesting. The bride first
crossed the Spanish boundary from
France on May 81, accompanied by
her mother and long retinue of at
tendants from the British court, and
since then she has been in constant
association with King Alfonso, who
has been showing her the most devot-
ed attention.
On the day of the arrival Of the
princess in Madrid the members OF
the Spanish government called upon
her and assured her of their loyalty
and devotion. Wednesday the senators
and deputies went through a similar
performance, and Wednesday night
the reading and signing of the mar
riage contract and the "tomar de
dichos-" promise Of marriage took
place. The double ceremony was wit
messed by the whole Spanish royal
family, the Prince of Wales, who rep
resents King Edward, the English am
bassador, the most exalted functiona-
ries of the palace and the suites of
the royal personages.
The minister of justice, Senior Gar
cia Prieto. in his quality of notary
general of the kingdom, read the nup-
tial contract, and this contract was
then to be signed by King Alfonso
XIII, and Princess Ena, then by
the Queen mother, the Prince of
Wales, the Princesses Marie Teresa
and Isabel and Princess Henry of
Battenberg 1t was signed as wit
nesses on behalf Of the king by the
ministers, the cardinal primate of
Spain and archbishop Of Toledo, Mgr.
Sancha; the head steward Of the pal
ace the commander of the halber-
diers, the first aide-de-camp of the
king and the chief intendant Of the
palace.
AS witnesses for Princess Ena, II
was signed by the head steward of
the palace, the Marquis of Viana, the
English ambassador, the first gentle
man of the Princess Henry, and the
two grandees in attendance on the
bride.
When that business was finished Car
dinal Sancha, assisted by the head
chaplain Of the palace and the bishop
of Sion, proceeded to the ceremony
of the "tomar los dichos." The be-
trothed couple kneeled before the
cardinal. each placing the right hand
on the volume Of Holy Writ, and the
left over the heart. They then repeated
n 90 ,x,hi inh to
tion: I'm the entire possession Of my
mental faculties and making use of my
free will, swear by the holy gospel
to give my hand as husband Cor wife }
to (here follows the name of the bride
or bridegroom). promising to fulfil
faithfully all the obligations which
marriage imposes on me-" The fol-
lowing advance description of the
marriage is from the Boston Herald of
last Sunday:
The obligations which Spanish laws
impose on Spanish queens are quantity
simple and in striking contrast to the
bewildering maze of ceremonies which
attend her daily life. They are en-
bodied in two rescripts. That of AL
fonso X. called "the Sage" "orders
the queen to procure for her lord and
husband as many children as possi-
ble." The rescript of Philip II "or-
ders the queen and her ladies to de-
vote themselves to the preparation of
bandages for wounded soldiers when
ever a war breaks out in which the
king takes part
So far as Spanish law is concerned,
it will be seen that there Is nothing to
prevent the queen of Spain from lead
ing the simple life, but everything else
is dead against It,
On the day Of the wedding, May 81
the military bands of Madrid will be
astir early. They will first gather in
front of the royal palace and sound
the reveille. Then they will traverse
the principal streets and squares of
the city, with martial music, sum-
moning the populace to rejoice and
make merry. Troops will line the
streets through which the royal pro-
cession will pass.
From the royal villa of the Pardo
the princess and her suite will be es-
corted to Madrid by a brilliant cavai-
cade. The princess will proceed d.
rect to the senate house. where a lot
of aristocratic DANES will look on
while a few deft fingered women, who
have no exalted titles, but understand
their business, will array her In her
bridal finery and see to ii that heI
hairpins and various other fixings are
properly adjusted. When the aristo-
cratic DANES have declared themselves
satisfied with the result and pro-
nounced the bride too lovely for any
thing" she will go to the Church OF
st. Jeronimo, accompanied by all hel
gorgeous galaxy of attendants.
Alfonso will drive there from the
royal palace in the famous historical
coach of ebony and pearl, known as
the Jeanne lie Folle," which Is fal
more costly than the gorgeous old We
hicle in which the lord mayor of Lon
don makes his official journeys.
Everybody who considers himself
somebdy in Spain will try to squeeze