The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-05


n than even his histories have in
structed.
Z IANY long years had rolled by since
MI king had slept in the halls of the
1N1 Alhambra when Philip V, the first
Bourbon to sway the Spanish sceptre, came
with his court to occupy for time that
ancient palace of the Moorish kings.
When Granada first fell before the ban
ners of CASTLE the Alhambra was favor
lite residence of the monarchs of the con-
ouering race But a series of earthquakes
which toppled down many houses in the
city below and made the towers OF the
palace itself rock to their foundations
scared them away. and the ancient splen-
doris of the Alhambra fell into decay
and disuse. The palaces of the nobility
in the city were shut up, and the Al
hambra. like a sighted beauty, sat in
mournful desolation among her neglected
gardens.
But now Philip had come, Granada re-
joiced and the Alhambra made glad her
courts He came with his second wife,
Elizabetta of Palma, and for the recep-
ton of the royal pair the old palace was
hastily fitted up and the ravages Of time
and neglect disguised as much as pos
sible. 1t seemed as If the old days OF
glory of the fortress-palace had come
again: for there was heard the clangor
of trumpet and the roll of drums; the
battlements were gay with banners and
bright with the glitter of arms
The tramp of horses was once more
heard in the avenues and crowds of pages
and courtiers walked through the halls
or loitered in the courts. Beautiful maids
of honor looked down from latticed win
dows; the sound of music stole out every
now and then in lays of love or in some
warfke strain. In the gardens walked
richly dressed cavaliers, telling their
tales to beautiful women; the fountains
were playing again and the birds sang
it seemed, more joyfully than ever be-
fore
In the train of this powerful and splen
did monarch there came to the Alhambrs
one Rayz de Alarcon, favorite page o
the queen, a froward springald, whit
though Just turned IS, was as wise In
the ways of women as many an older
man; for a court is a place where youth
turns quickly to worldly wisdom and is
no sort of a place in which to bring Ut
a roguish boy like Ruyz de Alarcon
That he was accomplished and handsome
gees without saying for the stately Eliz-
abetta chose her following for their ac-
complishments and their beauty. The la
dies of the court petted and spoiled the
hoy and it was quite evident that he
IN xxhar do
something occurred which rescued him
from the sea of dissipation and plunged
him into the sea of matrimony. But moi
all at once, of course, or there would be
no story.
This saucy page was one day lettering
about in the groves of the Generalife
which overlook the grounds of the AL
hambra. He had along with him for his
/ amusement the Queens favorte ger
falcon, which he had taken without Hel
Maiesty's permission. A bird rose from
a thicket, and Ruyz de Maroon, deciding
to do a little hawking on his own account
unhooded the falcon, slipped the jesses
gave the bird toss and off 1t went
circling in spirals high in the air In pur
suit of its prey.
Having scared above the bird 1t pur
sued, the falcon made a swoop for 1t
But the quarry was wily-swerved to one
side, and the gerfalcon missed it's strike
But it was fired with the spirit of tn,
chase now, and in spite of the whistles
of the page, who, becoming frightened
at what he had done, sought to lure i
back, the hawk rose again and followed
the quarry, which now made for safet.
to the shelter of a tower, which, situated
on the edge of a ravine separating thu
outer walls Of the Alhambra from thu
grounds Of the Generalife, was called tn
Tower of the Processes. The pursued
bird disappeared within the tower, ant
Ruyz saw the falcon settle on a bat
tlement of the edifce.
Thoroughly Frightened now at the
thought of losing the falcon and mourning
the displeasure Of his royal mistress
Ruyz descended into the ravine ant
looked but looked in vain for an en-
trance into the tower. Then he wen
through one of the gatss of the palac,
\ and made wide circuit to that part o.
the walls from which the tower pro
jected When he came to the tower h,
saw before it beautiful little garden in
4 closed - a trellis OF reeds overhuns
with myrtle He opened the gate ant
.eoeeod y,atwaap ba1e of aou,a.s ar,1 L.,