The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-06-26
SOME ROYAL LOVE MATCHES.
Royal Weddings That Were Outcome
of Genuine Romances-Marriage
of Alfonso 8 Father to
Mercedes.
London EpTess.

W1tHln lIlc ueSG Ic" WcchS tho
most exclusive circle of exalted wom-
en- in Europe, consisting Of those who
bear the title of queen and can be
counted on the fingers Of both hands,
will be increased by the advent Of the
new queen of Spain, the gracious
Princess Ena. Her marriage to King
Alfonso will, moreover, dd still an
other to the rare and beautiful royal
unions which have been rightly term
ed love marriage.
1t is, unfortunately, comparative
~ rarely those who occupy thrones
are at liberty to follow the dictates
of their hearts in the important mat
ter Of marriage. They are so hide
bound by tradition, politics, the re-
lations of their respective countries,
and the limited circle from which
Shcy are Mt libctry to choose wives or
husbands that in most cases their
unions arc mere marriages of con-
veniencc, or pure affairs Of state,
in which the least interested persons
are the contracting parties themselves.
The wedding which will be cclcbrat-
cd in Madrid next month is strick-
ing exception to this rule, for the ell
thusiasm and gallantry of the young
king have convinced even the most
sceptical that his heart is in the mat
ter
Without going back very far into
past history, it is possible to find q
good many royal matches which have
proved exceptions to the general rule.
Alfonso XII, father of the present
king, was a ease in point. His first
marriage with the Princess Mercedes,
the daughter Of the Duke Of Mont
pcnsicr, was almost the romance Of
Romeo and Juliet over again. The
Quccn-mothcr Isabelle was violently
opposed to the contemplated union
and in defiance Of all etiquette she
encouraged the family hatred which
separated the relations Of the two
young people in her efforts to pre-
vent the marriage. But the kings
love triumphcd over all obstacles and
he married Mercedes. His joy was,
however. short lived for the young
queen died shortly afterwards, to the
great sorrow of the Spanish people
among whom she was enormously
popular.
The love marriage Of our late re-
vercd Queen Victoria it popular
story, too fresh in the memory Of
P,.,I i,,
capitulation. II is we'll known how
Prince Albert impressed Queen Vic
toria almost from the first moment
she saw him. "Albcrt.' wrote the
queen to her uncle and confidant, the
then king of Bclgans, "is so hand
some, so nmiablc! lie has completely
won my heart !" Their married life
was, rs everyone knows, one Of the
most perfect happiness.
The Czar Nicholas IT, also made
lovc-match by marrying Princess
Alix of IIcsSc, in face of consider
able opposition directed against the
union for political reasons. No prin-
cess was ever brought up more sim
ply than the wife of Nicholas TT. She |
was educated at DarmStadt in exact |
~ the same way as Il mildlc-class
girl, preparing for the ordinary ex-
aminationS at school and college Just !
like lowly-born schoolfcllows. At
fourteen years of age the pocket
money which she possessed was of so
modest an amount that her compan-
ions often twitted her about it.
No more perfect love-marriage was
ever made than that of the emperor
Of Austria, the dean of sovcrcigns,
who during his long life has expert
enced so much sorrow that nothing
but the happy eompanionship and de-
voted love Of true wife could have
sustained him so long. He met Prin-
cess Elizabeth at Il ball ut Ischi,
where he went on visit during the
presence there Of the Young Bava-
rlan princess, Young Francis Joseph,
then % years of age waltzcd with the
charming Princess Elizabeth, who
was but 1G. He was so smittcn with
her, he devoted himself to her for
the rest of the evening. At midnight,
being seated with the princess at
table, looking through books Of pic
lures, he took up one containing illus
trations of the national costumes of
the inhabitants Of various parts of
Austria. "Those are my subjects" /"
he said " word from ,,o,, on1 ,,o,>