Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-05-30
"We Ought to Be Friends. !"


tried to deliver a laboriously prepared
speech of welcome. but broke down
and stammered lamely. The king wait
ed one or two embarrassed moments,
when with n merry smile he broke in:
you, Senior Alcalde are evidently only
a beginner in your trade of speechmak
ing, but, then, / am only a beginner
ylso in my trade of being king. We
ought to be friends
While in Paris Alfonso asked the
president of the chamber of deputies
if he ever had to be severe In the exer-
else of authority. The president said
that he had only applied the censure
once or twice. "And For what reason"
inquired the king. For speaking i'll
Of the republic" replied the president.
"Oh," said Alfonso, III l applied the
censure TO all who speak il! of me /
should have nothing else to do"
The king was greeted 10y one delega-
tion in the French capital, all the mem
bers of which were decorated with the
order of Charles ". of Spain. II see"
he said, that you all wear the same
decoration that | do, but with this diff
ference, gentlemen - that you have
earned yours, whereas l got mine
through no especial merit of my own"
Instances of His Kindness.
Alfonso on meeting some poor peas
ants on the road looking for work took
them into his automobile, carried them
to the next town and lnterceded in
their behalf At another time his car
frightened team Of mules so that the
driver was tlSown out. Taking the
man into his motor, Alfonso headed
off and stopped the mules and saw the
man again safely on his way. A poor
woman on trying to hand the king a
petition on the street was roughly
handled by policeman. Alfonso rep
rimanded the officer, spoke kindly to
the woman and took the petition.
When the young monarch heard that
people were starving in Andalusia he
gave up projected tour TO France and
ordered that the money for the trip be
used to buy bread for the needy. At
the time the Madrid reservoirs broke
Alfonso mounted a swift horse and
rode TO the scene of the disaster, help
ed organize the work of rescue, then
rode back TO the palace, where he was
due 10 preside over a council of his
ministers. AS he seated himself at the
head OF the table the minister of the
interior pufnpousfy began. "Sire, 1t is
my sad duty to inform you that this
morning a terrible accident "Never
mind" said the king. Il was there"
II is by such little deeds as these that
Alfonso XIII. has endeared himself to
his people.
The king Is only twenty years Of
age. He was born six months after
the death of his father and thus was
king from his birth, but until two years
ago was under the regency of his moth
er, Queen Christina. Alfonso is really
not Spaniard at all, but is of French
and Austrian descent. He is rather
tall. but slight of build. quick and ath-
letic. He rides well and Is an adept at
many sports. He is dark, with a
bright eye large nose. thick under lip
and slightly receding chin. His face
is amlable and, while slightly willful,
is not particularly strong. But then
he Is young and may show more
strength with age. Rulers, like whis-
ky, are better when old.
A Court Beauty.
The prospective queen OF Spain is
Princess Ena of Battenberg, niece of
King Edward; also niece of Prince
Louis, who brought n British fleet over
here not long since. Ena has more
names-Victoria Julia, Eugene and
possibly some others. One of them
she got from Queen Victoria, of whom
she was a favorite grandchild. Another
Is from her godmother. eX-Queen Eu-
genie. The princess is eighteen and
seems just sweet, red checked,
healthy English girl, who is nearly six
feet in height and weighs almost 200
pounds. She is said to be a court
beauty and is already popular in Spain.
I1ffcre are whispers that she was In
love with British nobleman, but that
King Edward insisted on her becoming
the wife of the Spanish king when the
state Of that young mans heart was
made manifest. 1t is also related that
Ena wept on giving up her Protestant
faith for that of SPANS king There
ire doubtless heartbreaks even under
royal purple. We have no right to as
sumo perhaps that there was such in
this case, for on the surface all the
royal wooing has gone as merry as a
marriage bell"
There seems something of poetic jus
tice in the fact that a Battenberg
should become queen, for when Prin-
cess Beatrice married Henry of Bat
tenberg all the courts of Eurvpe
thought the alliance beneath her. Hen
rvs mother, you know, was not royal.
Now that his child Is to occupy a
throne. the other royalties do not quite
approve. BY the way, Ena will be off,
eiaIly known as Queen Victoria. May
the live up to the name.
All those who enjoy kingly weddings
should make the most Of the present
went, for IT Is not impossible at 40
distant day the progress of the world
will take rs past that stage.