Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-04
Spain's Latest Love Story
Suggestive of Middle Ages

| MADRID, July 90 1907.
7 OWES strategy has revived an insti-
tuition Of the middle ages, and a
marriage by surprise" to which two
| clippers have Just had recourse, Is being
| copied through the length and breadth Of
| the land.
| Having in mind the enchantment Of the
romance Of King Alfonso and Queen Ena.
| stern parents in Spain have treated young
| lovers with more than usual leniency. Yet
| In the noble house of de Conquista there
was exception. The fair daughter Of
the house, Donna Petronilla, named for an
cestors of the ages past. loved the young
Marquis de villa Real. In every way the
pair Of lovers were ideal. She, a maiden
of eighteen, was beautiful, patrician to her
finger tips, and an only child Of wealthy
parents. The young man is the son and
heir to the ancient marquisate, a tall and
handsome figure. well to do, but devoted to
sport and motoring rather than to the busy
walks of working life.
The two young aristocrats lived in their
family palaces in this city and met fire.
quently In the gay life OF Madrid, now
basking in the sunshine of a full-blazoned
; reigning court.
| They loved. The youth declared his love
| 10 the naughty Marquis de Conquista and
was Instantly refused. He sought the aid
| OF his parents, but they, too, met with a
rebuff The opposition famed the young
| couples love into a passion The fiery
| blood of young Spain would brook no OBJ
| stacles. The young marquis met Donna
| Petronli!a IN secret; he bribed her duenna :;
| a charming secret correspondence passed
| between them.
| one day one of the girls scented love
| mlsslVeS went astray. Her father read II
| There was an instant search OF her rooms
| In the ransacking billets by the score we're
| unearthed. and with them the details of the
secret courtshlp.
| The marquis, the marchiouoss and their
daughter left Madrid the next day For
weeks young de Villa Real was in despair.
No word came from his sweetheart. Her
J fathers servants withstood all brides for
time and private detectives could get no
| trace OF the girl and her parents. There
| was no news OF them in the social world,
! they were not at any OF their country
, places.
| But at last a young servitor succumbed,
| perhaps to the lure of gold, or perhaps out
| OF love and sympathy for her young mis-
tress. At any rate the youthful marquis
| learned that the de Conquistas had been
| given the loan of a relatives country house
| on the outskirts of the village af Trujillo.
| Here In the birthplace of the great PiZarro
| was Donna Petronilla hidden away.
Her lover disguised himself and took a
| trusted mechanIcian and his swiftest motor
! car to the village. 1t did not take him long
! to communicate with the donna. Quickly
| an c,Opemcnt was arranged. Quite in the
| fashion Of the middle ages did the girl steal
| from her bedroom window in the old cas-
! tie. y run through fields with her lover to
! the high road, where the motor car was in
! waiting. and then off to Madrid as silently
! and swiftly could be.
The young marquis did not scorch. He
| could not AFFORD to meet with an accident
nor run into the hands or the guardia
civil. The summers sun was up by the
time the 100 miles was ended. and the car