The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-07-21
ALFONSO Of SPAIN
DEMOCRATIC KING
0utgroWs Weakness OF His
Youth and Now Enjoys
Excellent Health

King Alfonso of Spain, who r.,..t.
ly completed his ~twenty-seventh trfh-
day year. has quite ontgrovn ex
early delicacy Of constitution ana rcw
has excellent health. He rises .arI.
and a an early breakfast cons>--
ing of coJee with milk, buttered t..>t
and fruit Occasionally at II o'eo..
he has a sandwich and a glass .r
sherry. He lunches at 2 and dimes II
8 with the other members Of the FAM
ly and any special guests he may
have invited.
The palace chef is a Frenchman
Marechal, formerly in the service -
the Duke Of Alva- The cost of kitch.r
including the Kings table and that e
the household and other
f~unctiOnarieS, to some STA
600 a month. Except on state occa-
sions no foreign wines are drums
Spanish wines being served exclusive
ly at all other times, except the
French
Dresses Himself.
h King has three Wallets. two
S~paniards and one Frenchman. They
are paid $500 a year each. and receive
besides various prequiSites, tips and
other gifts. Alfonso always dresses
alone, an operation which EMPLOYS
some 20 minutes. He never much dis
likes being fused over. He dresses
very smartly, always in the English
style and in the latest fashion and in
excellent taste. He frequently wears
a military uniform, in which he feels
more at home, and it becomes him
better tina civilian attire.
He % incessantly, chiefly Ha-
vana cigarettes, especially made for
him, and occasionally Turkish cigar
Iettes, very rarely cigars. He sleeps
WELL, and goes to sleep at a momen.'S
notice and on any occasion, IN the
| railway train, in the automobile. in
the coentry, anywhere. He is a good
all-round sportsman, a splendid Iider.
a crack shot and ar excellent polo
player. He also plays a good game
Of billiards, and at Mirainar. IN san
Sebastian, he has some fine English
stables, which are his fa:oritea. lie
makes a point of never talking snop'
politics or international topics-out
of working hours.
His daily mail consists OF from 240
to 500 letters, all of which com. mr.
der his personal notice, to be aftel-
ware dealt with by his private se're.
tarieS. The note paper Tor his cores
pOndence is especially manufactp>ti
for him. It is a white linen papor {
the finest quality, embossed in one
corner with a diminutive "A" with
the royal crown IN gold. He carr .
on a large private correspondence, and
when away from his mother he never
allows a day to pass without ur1ttnE
TO her. He S very devoted t. her ana
between them there exists n very real
and tender affection. Alfonso recog-
niZeS how much he owes her for her
admirable training.
Reader of Newspapers.
He reads the Madrid daily press ~
all shades of opinion and especial
/ dRtlphfO IN thu ronrh1i00n journal ID
and those that contain reference I"
and comments Oh himself. Eur@cts
from all the chief foreign ~newSpapetf
are brought to his notice daily, and he
ha a lacto and varied collec,icl II
c~aricatures Of himself which afford
him unqualified amusement H.
spends much money on books and
magazines, especially foreign, and
keeps in u with a1 mcderi
thought and movement.
A~1fonso's intimate knowledge IF for
elgn politics and SOCIAL affairs raliI
5 is extraordinary, anG j. mnch CON
; mented en- by all foreign diplomats
He observes with ferSor lis religious
duties, Tut he is very liberal lnfnCet
and RESPECTS the opinions Of o1hers
He is not fond OF music except o
! the highest kind, ard c1nfesses TIA
! ioES-Wlnded classical concerts an
i'etvs Wagner Spe-as bprc him Il dis
s traction. What he likes bet Is ~ ST
9 rlLg military mach.
Is Very Anable.
Alfonso is extremely affable in man
r ners, and puts on no side He speak
English, French, German and Italia
with equal f1uency. Spanish is tn
only language spoken in the palace
though in private Alfonso often speak
English with Queen Ena, who, how
ever, speaks Spanish very well am
with hardly a trace Of foreign accent
Alfonso works hard and lives for hi
. people and the nation. He is yer
2 popular and is considered a goo
sort"
The palace in Madrid may be con
+ s1dered the most democratic in Flu
@ rope. One day last whe
Alfons visited Oviedo, he noticed j
q n telegraph office an antique tele
8 p apparatus Of the Nineteent
q Century. Turning to the press me
VINO accompanied him. he remarked
Genfiernen, last century one r.
celVed the news in about an hour. b.