The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-08
KING ALFONSO
 |S GREAT JOKER Is Perhaps Most Democratic of
 Sovereigns HEADS OFF DRY SPEECH Feeds Orator of the Day On Sticky Candy Before Moment of DeIiv- ering Address-ceremony Is
 Suspended in Confusion.
HEADS OFF DRY SPEECH

From Pearson's Weakly.
 King Alfonso, whose Queen has just presented him with a daughter. Is the most exuberantly light-hearted of kings, and to describe him one could hardly find better word than happy"
 His father, Alfonso XII, had what was sometimes an inconveniently keen sense of humor, and he was in the habit of letting off practical jokes at the expense of his ministers of state or anybody else about the palace. This trait the young Alfonso appears to have inherited, to- gether with = capacity for extracting fun from all sorts of unexpected sources.
 Some time ago he paid a visit to the lit tie town of Arenas. a few miles from Madrid. Among other less important things Arenas Is celebrated throughout Spain for sort of candy made of sugar and almonds, very sweet and very, very sticky.
 deputation of the townsfolk welcomed the King and presented him with an ela- borate box of Arenas candy, and the gathering settled down to serious busi- ness-the presentation of an address. A deputy advanced bearing in his hands a fat roll of paper, and Alfonso feared that he was ia for good half hours read ing.
 Quick as thought he began to pass round the candy to the officials about him, and insisted on the deputy helping himself nberally. In a few minutes the assembly were munching as hard as they could The deputys jaw went slowly up and down on the stick mass, and his face began to wear a worried look. When Alphonso was certain that any thing in the way of speech was quite H. IL l. l. rl- pleasantest way.
 Now, Senor Deputy let us hear your speech" he said calmly. The assembly broke up in confusion.
 During his first tour of the European courts the young King had riotously merry time, and some of the more sedate royalties were highly scandalized at his ongoings.
 Poor NJ Loubet, the most mild-man- nered and amialble of French presidents, was almost sent into a nervous break down.
 Tt was no longer a drive" he said in describing a motor trip with Alfonso at the steering wheel; 'it was race at breakneck speed. I do not like motor cars overmuch. and this one went like greased lightning. I honestly confess that I was very much afraid indeed, and l heayed q sigh of satisfaction when we got back safely to the palace
 The Kaiser prepared for his visit pro- gramme that was @ sort of continued re- view, and the young King was bored to death. He had a much jollier time in England, where he signalized his joy by turning cart wheels down corridor of Buckingham palace for the edification of Queen Alexandra. One of the show places he was taken to was Mime. Tussaud's. Here he displayed a keen interest in his own effigy. saluted it and pretended to shake hands with 1t.
 Alfonso has a truly royal contempt for danger, and if proof of this were neces- sary it was furnished by his journey tc his revolutionary provinces, and Barce- Iona in particular.
 During this expedition an urchin man aged to get entangled among the feet of the horses drawing tbe royal carriage. Alfonso was out of the carriage hke shot He picked up the child and carried 1t to a neighboring inn. kept, as 1t hap pened by a man of strongly republican sentiments, whose inn was ornamented by a picture of leading republican.
 The child's mother was sent for, pu, before she arrived Alfonso had assured