The Washington herald., 1911-03-05
IN THE SPANISH COURT

| ana SendlnS a little hlnS INTO eAlie,
Gaby Deslys, the piquant Partisan music
hall dancer, is said to have practiced her
arts upon Alfonso of Spain. And now
there is another Continental scandal
brewing, and another monarch Seems to
stand a good chance of losing his hold
upon his people. Manuel's example evil
IDENTIFY did not incuIcate a valuable lesson
in the mind of the Spanish King.
Queen Victoria of Spain appears to be
a woman of unusual pride and resolve
She married Alfonso as a matter of po-
lticaI expediency, and after changing her
religion and consenting to live in the
chilling and inhospitable air of the
Spanish court, she has a reasonable right
to the gratitude and considerate treat
ment of her royal consort. Recent de-
velopments show that Alfonso has been
leading a wild and reckless life in the
French capital and has driven his minis
ters almost frantic because of his esca-
pades. in which the frisky Gaby has
figured. Alfonso has gone the way of
many young married men. He has wan
dered from his own fireside and scan
dalized even Paris. His Queen has de
cided to return to England for an indefi-
mite stay. where she is assured of the
protection of her kinsmen. II she does,
her return to Spain will depend solely
upon the possible reformation of her un-
gallant spouse.
Although Alfonso has been credited
with a level head and creditable de-
gree of manhood, il appears that he did
not deserve this reputation. According
to the Queen and other witnesses, he
has not only neglected his wife, but has
insulted her in other ways. He has re-
mained in Paris three months at a
stretch. which is going pretty strong for
any married man. and it is certain that
the average wife would not stand that
sort of thing. OF course a king is ex
pected to enjoy questionable liberties. AL
fonsO did not marry Victoria for love.
Their marriage was arranged by two
chanceIleries. But that does not excuse
Alfonso. He is old enough to know
| better.
II there is royal separation. it will
not be the first that has sCandalized
| Europe But such scandals of late have
become unpopular There is a prevalent
idea that n King is not exempt from the
| obligations of decenCy and connubial
fidelity. Incidentally, this ballerina' seems
to be something of pest Royal purple
is her fayorite color.
The Queens grievances, it appears, are
not alone the infidelities of Alfonso. but
the pesterings of her mother-in-law.
Archduchess Christine of Austria. who
takes too much interest in the raising
Of her grandchildren. The young Queen.
perhaps, recalls that the Christines have
played very extraordinary parts in the
evolution of the present dynasty. at least
| one of them
Readers of the history Of Christine, the
| grandmother OF the present Alfonso,
would think himself following the antics
of the Byzantine women, who made the
throne OF the last of the Eastern en-
perors a center of atrocities. Christine. the
wife OF Ferdinand VII. was too kindly to
| figure in atrocities, but there was nothing
else OF the picturesque in their conduct
| that Christine didn't initiate or even ex-
aggerate. She was no more warmly re-
| ceived by the Spaniards of her day, when
| she entered Spain as the fourth bride of
| the old voluptuary, Ferdinand. than Prin-
cess Victoria was four years ago as the
consort of Alfonso. There was only her
| sister. Carlotta- wife of the Kings sec
! ond brother. Don Francisco de Paula, to
| extend a friendly hand, though Don
! Carlos, the Pretcnder, and his wife were
compelled officially to meet and greet her
| in the Kings name.
Christine by transforming dullness
| into enjoyment, became the idol Of the
| country. When the word went forth that
she was about to give the throne an heir,
the raptures knew no bounds. When,
however. the expected heir proved to be
a girl, Don Carlos and his followers took
new hope. But they didn't know their
Christine, nor the length to which Ferdi-
nand could go to cverreach his expect
ant heirs. According to a new law
passed under Philip V, the first Bourbon
King of Spain, a woman could not inherit
the throne so long as there were male
descendants. This law was at discord
with Spanish precedent since some of
the most successful rulers had been
women, the most illustrious of them be-
ing one of CASTLE, who had not only
united the warning kingdoms of CASTLE,
Arragon, Leon, and Estramadura, but had
driven out the Moors and by her gener-
osity enabled Columbus to make his long
meditated journey to discover the Ameri-
cas-.
Under the constitution of 1872 the Salic
law was abolished, but as Ferdinand had
ignored that instrument. the question was
an open one when the long-headed Chris
tine became the mother of a girl. Chris
tine had discovered among the state
papers 4 decree of Ferdnand's father.
Carlos ", revoking the Salic law. which
for some reason never had been promul-
gated She ordered the minister Of justice
to publish the long seCreted law. 1t was
proclaimed in March, 1880, to the indigna-
tion of the Carlist party. who saw at
once that Christine would be Queen dur
ing the minority of the little girl, since
Ferdinand couldn't be expected to live /
much longer.
Most of the royalties of Europe re-
monstrated. Even Christine's father |
broke out in denunciatons, since a |
prince of the bourbon blood his claims !
to succeed would have come before that !
OF his grandchild. the infant Isabella. 4 |!
year later another child was born. like !
wise a girl; the Carists shouted that !
nand had no right to change the organic |
law which he had sworT to support when |
brought from exile. Harassed by the quar- |
rels, he urged his wife tc act with Don |
Carlos as joint regent and marry the in |
FAINT Isabella to the Carlos heir, thus har- |
monizing all claims.
When this plan was laid before Don |
Carlos he rejected it peremptorily. In the |
meantime Ferdinand had been stricken |
with what was supposed to be his last ILL |
ness. and the Bishop of Leon succeeded in |
persuading him to sign a decree rescind-
ing the order of his father. thus depriving |
his own daughter Isabella of her right |
to inherit the throne. But when Chris |
tine heard of this she FASTENED to La |
Granja, the Kings retreat and so bullied /
the dying man that in disgust he bade /
her do as she pleased. She thereupon /
summoned the minister of justice to her |