Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-20

y II lAe OAlteu SlatFS ~AN bASoN 1874
MADRID, May 10, 1906.
a THOUGH the wedding OF King
~ Alfonso Of Spain to Princess Ena
"a OF Battenberg does not take
place until June 2, high OIL
cial has Just furnished me with
com lete details of the elaborate ana prl4-
liant ceremonies by which it Will be accom-
named. They will last nearly fortnight
,nd will cost. II IS calculated. in the neigh~
h,rbood Of 100000.
These wedding observances have oeeh ai
ranged in accordance with the etiquette Oh
tie spanish court which is far more fussy'
sim and pompous than that OF any other
az The royal households of Europe Ger
yaotes laughed Spanish chlvalry out of ex-
tsrerce but nothing short of revolution
that would make a clean sweep OF ths
whole business can change by so much as
q hairs breath the tyrannous etiquette VI
rI. Spanish court. to which Kings anu
queens unwilling victims for the most part
must subscribe. Princess Ena, VINO, to help
her sustain the tremendous dignity that
awaits her has been promoted from the
rank OF a plain everyday "tslghness TO
that Of Her Royal HlghheSs py htns
Edward has probably spent many hours
ere this IN trying to master It's eXacting
pnd iuexorabe requirements.
rbat old proverb stin holds good. the
OF SPAN nave HefIDSi lSth h'-
Iecs.' which being interpreted, means that
Tar the vulgar to think OF them as Ike
utto ordinary women is lese majestic, or It's
Spanish equivalent The phrase originated
s. an actuaI Incident A predecessor OIL tne
future queen. in entering the capital with
her husband the king, was presented by
some manufa cturers with gift or peautl-
mi silk stockings. The grand chahioeila y, u
seized the wares and tossed them paCk III
a passion Know that the queens or spain
have no legs he said. And the poor young
queen accepting the saying literally, wept
and cried that she would never have mar
1-Ied the king had she known that her legs
we've 70 be cut OF.
court etiquette by the way, might have
deprived Princess Ena OF her future hus-
band Rad it not for once been fagrantly
violated When his was four years of age
the king fell headlong down stairs There
tappened TO be on guard on the staircase
s. raw turnkey who with laundering fgno-
rance did the most outrageously human
thing. he caught the baby king in his arms
and prevented his brains from being dashed
out The queen mothers heart oVerho%ed
with gratitude and she rewarded him hand
someiy. But the regulations were tnexor-
able lie had dared to touch the sacred
person of majesty, the exclusive privilege
of graudees- He had to be summarily dis
charged and a situation provided for MIN
elsewhere.
But King Alfonso, who seems to be as
genuinely In love the most ordinary or
in0rtals. is doing his best TO make his bride
happy. according to his lights. by fixing
I'D things for her In the most gorgeous
style. He is personally directing the WORK
at beautifying and renovating the royal
villa of the Prado where tho princess Will
be lodged for some days Immediately pre-
ceding her marriage. and the royal apart
ments In the palace itself His face wears
& broad grin of delight whenever he con-
templates the progress of the work. Some
sfapshoiers have caught the royal eounte-
nance which is far from being handsome
0ae with that grin full upon 1t. The re-
suit:ng photographs are decidedly comical