Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-06-16
HIS CAREER is NOTABLE.
WORLDS EYE ALWAYS TURNED ON
HIM SINCE HE WAS BORN
MONARCH.
MARRIAGE A LOVE MATCH.
Bride Was Favorite of Queen Victoria
and Has Become Catholic Since
the Betrothal

birth twenty years ago has been
of especial interest not only 20
his c0untrymen, but to all the world.
Little more than a score of years ago.
Alfonso Nil, King of Spain. died of
consumption, leaving his throne tenant
less. A real Spaniard, the present Kings
father was popular among his subjects
by virtue of few Spanish qualities. but
he did nothing to distinguish himself.
and at his death left his country in a
greatly disturbed state, prey to the
Carlists and reyoutionists
Alfonso a World Figure.
Then Spain waited. The supporter of
Don Carlos hid away his Internal ma
chine and the complaining republican
ceased his murmurs, anXIously awaiting
the event on which hinged the entire po-
litical future of Spain, the pOsthumOus
birth of Alfonso Mi. Everything
turned ON the sex of the child. As the
day that was to decide the nations fate
drew near, the princes of Spain. mobiles
grandees, cardinals, ministers and of
fcers. gathered in an ante-room of the
palace. gorgeous in their robes and trap
pings eager for the earliest tidings In
the court yard gathered those of moro
Suddenly from one of the biggest baS-
tons Of the castle puff of smoke. fol-
lowed by Il dull report, electrified the
multitude and the royal standard of
Spain broke from above the regal abode.
The shout of joy raised echoed and re-
echoed through the room where the
Queen mother lay. Then there came Il
rang out till the final one telling all
Spain that the country had a King
Amid the cries of Viva el Rev" the
baby, scarce an hour old. was placed
on silver tray and born by Senior Sc
gaSta. the premier. to the room where
the mobiles were assembled. This was
the Kings birthday.
Joy Tempered by His Frailty.
The Joy of Spain ut the infant Kings
birth was soon to be tempered. however.
by the news that the royal babe was
inherited taints of that dread disease
which brought Alfonso MI. to an early
grave. 1t was now that the Queen
Mother became the commanding figure.
Spain. least cosmopolitan of all civil
lied countries, still clings tenaciously to
race hatred engendered by wars fought,
many of Them centuries ago. and it was
never forgotten until recently that the
Queen Regent was not "A Spaniard. For
years the royal mother. a descendant of
the proud house of Hapsburg. was bur-
dened not only with the care of her in
FAINT son and those of the state. but had
to bear the double cross of making a
place for herself in the hearts of the
people whom by right of marriage she
governed.
How well she has done this during the
long years which preceded the ascension
of Alfonso to the throne is testified to
today by her popularity and the popu-
H.. e =
herited many of his mothers traits. and
who seems more German than Spanish.
1t was inevitable because of the Queen
mothers retiring disposition. that the
education of the young King would run
in m-Spanish lines.
Under the tutelage of four stern Span
ish officers Alfonso soon began to
breathe the atmosphere of the court of
Ferdinand and Isabella. and his educa-
ton as a Spaniard and a future monarch
was begun. Even in his earliest years
he showed an aptitude for study and
soon became familiar with several Ian
guages, among them English. which he
speaks as well rs a native Briton. At
the same time he developed a fOndneSS
for out-of-door sports and strengthened
constitution which at one time was
none too strong.
Since his coronation and ascension to
the throne. in 1902, the boy king has
grown by leaps and bounds in the affec-
tons of his people.
Has Democratic Spirit.
Democratic spirit seems to have
tnrived despite the fact that Alfonso has
often been the object of anarchistic at
tackS and the prospective victim of many
plots Once when he was visiting Presi-
dent Loubet in Paris a bomb was thrown
which killed some of his escort but left
the King uninjured This is the only
time on record where death was near
him.
1t was on one of his tours when he
visited King Edward that .>lfonso first
saw his queen. According 10 general
report. he went to England to court Prin-
cess Patricia of Connaught. cousin of
his bride. and there met Princess Ena.
Gossip is the only authority for the
statement that when the proud Patricia
avoided the young monarch's suit. Enl
said:
If Patty won't marry the King,
will"
Many have taken this statement to
mean that the young princesS-she was
born one year after the king-lovcd
SPANS ruler Mt first sight. The court.
ship of the couple. begun in England
was later continued mt Biarritz, Gascon.5
Just over the Spanish border. Here IL
Ena spent some time in each others 50
cicty.
The only cloud cast on the courtshlp of
the two was the fact that Ena was not a
Catholic. hut before the betrothal ceTc.
mony in March. she was baptized into
the Roman church at San Sebastian.
King Edward coming from England for
the ceremony.
Following the betrothal. both went To
England and there the Young King 70
manned until recently. when he returned
to Madrid not to see his Queen again un-
til the wedding.
Was Favorite of Victoria.
The Princess Ena, or TO give her fun
name. Victoria Eugenie Julia of Battcn-
berg, favorite grandchild of Queen Vic
toria. was the first royal child to be born
in Scotland during: Il period of nearly 600
years. in fact since the year 1900. when
the unfortunate Charles l. was born.
Hence the Scotch folk have Il natural