The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-05-19

sHistorlc scene @
Royal Hone:yjl:1noon.|
Ia Gransa. where King lfonso.5
and his bride wiz spend their honey
moon, is situated about forty miles:
from Madrid in sheltered recess OF
The mountains, in the midst OF a pine
forest 1000 feet above the lerel OF the
sea 1t is an exquisitely beautiful
place. which owes its creation TO
King Philip ", and has frequently
been described as the Versailles Of
spain. It's gardens have: much In COM
mon with those Of Versailles, save for
the fact that the terraces are the re-
suit Of nature instead Of arHfce while
the fountains are even finer than the
celebrated ones at Versailles It was
at la Gran5a that Philip " abdicated
In 1924 IN favor Of his 5son, at whose
death. in the same year, he resumed
the crown II was there too. thatsthe
Infamous Godoy the prince of peace
and execrated favorite Of King
Charles w, signed as premier The
treaty Of 1896, which surrendered
Spain to republican France among
the relics Of the palace in Which
King Charles v and his first wife are
entonnbed is the "Baculo.r or star OF
St Elizabeth Of Hungary. and from
time immemorfa1 this relic IS placed
in the hands of the Queens rof Spain
when in childbirth. with the idea that
it may not only preserve their OVID
lives, but bring blessings to the IN
FAINT
The Queen mother Christina 1oathes
La Granja so intensely that she has
only been there once, and then but for
few hours since the death Of her
husband, more than twenty years ago
The present generation is ignorant OF
the cause Of the Queens hatred OF
this most delightful. picturesque, and
always cool and healthy summer resi-
dence OF the crown Of Spain; but old
er people recall that It was at La
Granja that some Of the most painful
quarrels between Christina and her
husband took place-quarrels arising
from the thoroughly justified Jealousy
of the Queen-and that 1t was in the
gardens Of La Grania that the late
Duke Of Sesto. president Of the Span
ish commission to the Columbian Ex-
position Of 1893, received a Singing
slap on the face from the irate Queen
when he ventured to put out his hand
in an attempt to bar her entrance to
pavilion or kiosk IN the grounds.
where the King was engaged in ac-
cording an audience TO "a fascinating
duchess, now dead.
It was from La Granja, 100, that
Queen Christina made her sensational
departure from Spain on that occasion
travelling straight to Vienna, whence
she was only induced with much diff
fculty to return to her husband by he-
kinsman. warm friend, and sasacious
counselor, Emperor Francis Joseph
Queen Christina in spite Of all this
was deeply attached TO her fiskt-
and in the affairs Of the heart-eS-
remeIy frivolous husband It is.
therefore quite natural that she
should dislike a place, no matter how
beautiful, that recalls to her memoir
some Of the most painful and uorrify-
ing episodes of her married life
Another beautiful palace Of King
Alfonso. to which he will take his
bride in the fail. is Aranjuez- It is
situated on the banks of the TaSus
sheltered from the winds by an sm-
mense and splendid forest, teemlnS
with as much game as in the days
of the Due de ST Simon. many OF The
episodes described IN his famous me-
noirs having taken place there It
owes its origin as royal residence to
Emperor Charles v. who erected >
palace on the site of an ancient 70
man temple to Jupiter But it was
subsequently destroyed by fire. and in
! KS present condition it dates back to
the middle of the eighteenth century
Formerly its walls were adorned With
ma gnifcent old masters. but most OF
| these were transferred during the
reign of Queen Isabella to the 2rad
! Museum at Madrid. which contains
what IS today probably the s-andest
national collection Of old masters in
all Europe. :,
Lord llansfeld,s death and the ac'
cession OF his younger brother to his
honors and estates is calculated tc
evoke memories OF some of the mos