Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-11
TRYING TO MAKE A KING SMILE
No Effort Too Extravagant to Win
Alfonso's Attention.

Spaniard has burned down his house
because the king came to visit him.
1t was in the grand old days of gal
Icons, when the kings grant could
make a grandee rich, but the king $
smile could raise him above riches.
After the Fountain of Honor had
eondescended to sleep one single night
in a grandee's chateau it ought not to
he desecrated in the future. So as the
court rode off with solemn hand the
noble Spaniard put the torch and
watched his castle burn. Those ashes
We're the quintessence of his glory.
Today they don't burn down the
house because then king has stayed
there. They burn money-in the hope
to get him.
Instead of ashes there is a mortgage
And the mortgage is a glory. Spain has
lost her domination, but the grandee's
heart is still faithful. The kings smile
can Still raise from above the plane of
mere money. So once year the noble
Spaniard burns his entire revenue and
risks his capital to win the royal
glance, to make the young king laugh.
The place in San Sebastian, the
Kings vacation city. Certainly Alfonso
worries, but he smiles too. Young and
laughter loving, worn with cares of
state and craving relaxation, the fun
and surprise of a costly joke, any novel
luxury or gay extrava gance strs him.
Others help. They are Americans,
French. South Americans, Russians
and middle class Spanish who have
made money in railroads, mines. indus
try and real estate and who are the
worst of all. All are prepared to burn
the house for fun. And that's worse
still. 1t makes the grandees wild.
To make the king laugh and SO win
everybody's admiration and be talked
about and have all San Sebastian and
Biarritz begging invitations. the Eng
lish wife of a South American mine
owner gave
But I will tell you what she gave,
because it began series. She gave a
haying party with prizes of diamond
rings and jewelled trinkets for every
couple that could dance the tango on a
load Of hay without falling off.
Those who fell off got good slide.
even more applause and consolation
prizes just as valuable as others. Only
the grand recompense was double, and
two couples won it. actually dancing
on the load of hay in movement toward
the barn.
1t made the Spanish sore with envy.
Why had they not thought of some
thing as gayly and extravagantly nov
ell? One grand dame of them made
hit with PASTORAL gymkhana.
Lambs were to be led about her
villa lawns by ladies dressed as (mod-
ernized) Louis Seize shepherdesses,
and she furnished the lambs.
Money has no value in this COM
petition Lambs are not dear, even
when selected from a dozen mountain
villages for their gentleness and
beauty. Shepherdess gowns de-
signed by Biarritz annexes of the Rue
de la Paix cost scarcely $500 apiece
without the hat, and you can get a
nice crook with rose quartz handle at
price as low as 500. 1t may be
cheap; it Is the idea that counts.
The young king approved it as
poetic, very 18th century, and a test
of magnetism in the ladies-who
could lead her lamb most docilely. as
If the tender. timid thing should in
stinctively recognize the beautiful
soul of it's protectress, and cling to
her.
They were merino lambs. Washed.
soaped. petroleum-vapor shampooed
and electric fan dried-that was moth
ing. A Bayonne hairdresser-young
man of artistic feeling; he has now
his parlors in Biarritz-wore himself
out marcel waving each lamb. They
were beautiful, all light and wavy;
and the king was happy and the
Spanish hostess in her glory.
Then just as the show was starting
up rolled a magnificent new race
course automobile horse van. And
lovely Hungarian widow. famous for
her wit and diamonds, blushing in
girlhood perturbation, begged per-
mission to lead her own lambs
brought all the way from her estates
near Temisvar.
my girlhood's pets" she gurgled.
"Oh, I am so glad to have them!
Please excuse my haste"
What really" exclaimed Alfonso.
turning from the others. you had
really lambs for pets, just like Mary
in the poem?"
How romantic" said the Spanish
courtiers: bat turned pale as out