Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-29
ALFONSO AT THE THEATER.
Eyes the Ladies-Applauds and
Laughs like Regular Yankee"

From the Boston Transcript.
a Swedish gentleman travelling in Spain
writes to one of his papers divert'ng
study of his Catholic majesty, King AL
fonso as he is today.
On arriving at La Granja. he says, We
went Immediately to the royal theater.
where Il premiere was given in honor Of
the young royal couple.
The queen was slightly indisposed, but
King Alfonso was already in his box,
with the Duke of Santa Mauro and Mar
quise Somebody or-other as cavalier in
waiting. AS kind fate would have it, our
seats were near the royal box.
His ma jesty is dressed in a marine blue
business suit. The jacket is closely but
toned He wears low Oscar Wilde col
lar and large tie rartiste On the left
wrist there glimmers golden bracelet,
while the corner of white handk srchicf
sticks out over the cuff II was a tn IT.
Oughly democratic and inexpensive out
hit.
But then. every theater evening costs
him 2JO pesetas. whether he is present or
not. Without these royal pesetas the
Thalia Temple could not exist. and with
out the Thilia Temple Spanish royalty
could not exist. The royalty attends oaly
the premieres. but premieres are given
almost every evening-which is rough on
the artists! =.
1t is surprising how the Hapsburg-
Bourbon features are focused in the
young monarch, as IL nature intended him
to be the last of his race. The face is
strongly neutrality-suspicious. at the ex-
pense of the forehead, which bends anx-
iously backward.
The heavy. high-circled eyebrows give
to the eyes a look of questioning asst IN
Roman curve, is bold and pronounced
The lower part of the face Is noticeably
large in comparison with the upper part.
All this. together with the large. pro-
truding ears, the broad mouth and the
heavy-tOo heavy-under lip, remind ono
very strongly of Velasauez's Philips In the
Prado.
While the king Is sitting down one
hardly notices how boyishly slender and
frail his bodily frame really Is. On the
youthful face. already strongly marked
there Is. especially when In repoes, an ex-
preston of carewornness and fatigue
which gives a suggestion Of premature age.
AS the ladies, all dressed in white. enter.
they all make deep and respectful courtesies
to the king With blinking. curious eyes
he examines them from head to foot while
slightly, almost unnoticeably, bending his
head or only lowering his long eyelashes
in recognition.
During the performance he speaks very
freely with those about him and seems as
much interested in what Is going on among
the audience as on the stage, while the
audience Is far more Interested in the king
than in the actors. If he happens to catch
humorous retort or witty replique from
the stage he bursts out in loud. boisterous
laughter. throws himself backward like a
regular Yankee
AT times 1t seems as il he would upset
the royal chair In his hilarity and land his
Catholic majesty on the floor. When any
thing especially pleasing reaches the royal
ear he claps his hands vigorously and en-
Enthusiastically, while the audience from fear
of disturbing the royal applause, remains
immovable
At this the king grows visibly ANNOYED
and turns impa tently to his officers, signi-
flying by imperlous gestures that he wishes
the stupid audience to join him. And then
all at once laundering applause rings out
throughout the auditorium.