Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-05-28

Madrid, May 2S.-The nature today
OF the festivities Of the wedding Of
King Alfonso to Princess Ena was the
auto mobile parade, In which the royal
party, participated. Two hundred cars,
beautifully decorated with flowers, and
flags and filled with pretty women in
gay costumes. filed thru the streets
which were packed with holiday
crowds.
The Wedding Dress.
The wedding dress has attracted
greai interest in Spain, as 1t is truly a
Spanish product, in fabric and finish,
except .for the wonderful Brussels lace
which has been brought to adorn 1t. 1t
was fancy of the king and the queen
mother that the wedding dress should
be Ynade in Spain, and the Princess
Ena graciously fell in with this patri-
otic sentiment The dress is therefore
one Of the special presents from the
king and is a marvel Of elegance. The
silk was manufactured from special
pattern in one Of the large Spanish
silk establishments. 1t was made up
with all the artistic skill of the court
dres smakers. The silk Is heavily ov-
erlald with wonderful embroidery with
soft frills Of the finest Brussels lace,
saie to have cost $50 yard. The laces
were publicly exhibited before being
put on the dress, and excited the adj
miration and astonishment of the ar
istoTatic ladies of Madrid. Orange
blossoms are profusely used with the
silver embroideries and laces, for the
corsage, and even in dainty clusters
along the train. which is four yards
long. According to Spanish traditions
the bride must afterwards present this
wed ling dress to the Virgin de Ia Pal
oma the popular protectress of mater
nSty
La Granja.
The castle which Alfonso and his
queen have chosen for their honeymoon
is the Spanish Versailles, known as La
Graflja. 1t is a quaint spot, far re-
moved from the inquisitive throngs of
tn ecapital, and with all the pctur-
esqlle and romantic surroundings suit
able. for royal honeymoon.
The palace is situated at the foot of
the imposing Pico de Penelara in the
Qua darrama mountains high above the
sea level. The little village dates from
ancient times, when Henry w built a
chapel there and dedicated it to st.
Ildefonso. LUater, the friars Of the
Parral Monastery established here a
farm (La Granja) which 81 much suit
ed The fancy of the first Spanish bour-
bon, Phillip V, that he bought the place
and erected q magnificent palace with
surrounding parks in the style of his
French native country. The foutafns
and water works then established and
Still running, are not surpassed by any
other royal possession in Europe.
For years the Spanish kings used
this palace and park as pleasure re-
sor., much as the French kings passed
their days of pleasure at Versailles.
Charles III. received here the Count
Artois, when he marched to conquer
Gibralter. Godoy signed here the
treaty which delivered Spain from
France, and Ferdinand VII. here a;p-
pointed the Infant Don Carlos to be
prince hereditary. When his energetic
sister-in-law heard of this intention,
she hasterled to La Granja, threw the
scourtiers out of the palace, gave to
Premier Calomarde the famous box on
the ear. about which he said later that
"wfite hands cannot OFFEND" tore to
pieces the first Spanish testament, and
Insured tn ethrone to the kings little
daughter Isabella-events which caus-
ed the bloody civil war.
La Granja is at its best at this time
of year, and the blossoms, the old
trees the myrtle lanes. the fountains,
an6 the fresh mountain air. will all
serve to make this royal honeymoon
delight. The castle overlooks the
park, with its numerous cascades and
lakes, supplied with water from huge
reservoirs These water works are
really the most remarkable features of
La Grauja, and the effect of the foun-
taias is much more grand than at ver-
sailles. In the fountain of Perseus.
who rescues Andrmeda from the
drs gon, the latter throws a jet 100
feet in the air. The basket fountain
consists of numerous jets, 40 to IS
feet high, and the jet Of the Fauna
fountain, 115 feet high, can be seen
at Segovia.
The '.Rath Of Diana" is a chaos of
water spouts and statues of goddess
es and nymphs glorifying the triumph
of the loving woman, appearing in her
whole beauty.