Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-06-18
A STOLEN KING

sador to me, as we sat slipping his
excellency's very choice cognac after
dinner. that there is no one who can
write the secret history of Europe for
the last few decades"
But, M. iAmbassadeur, we were |
in Paris-"surely it is impossible for
any event Of real Importance to remain
concealed?"
Not in the least, my dear sir.
win give you an instance. You re-
member that supposed illness long ago |
of the king of Spain, then but child?
His young majesty was no more Ill at |
that time than you and I are at this
hour. Alfonso XIII had been stolen!"
And, lighting fresh cigar, the am
bassador proceeded to give me the fol-
lowing astonishing narrative:
1T was several years ago, as you
will recollect, that the press of Eu-
rope was filed with reports Of a mys-
terious illness from which this young |
monarch was said to be suffering. This |
malady was described as being OF a |
highly infectious character, though not
exactly dangerous. At the same time |
the world was called upon to admire |
the maternal solicitude OF the queen |
regent, who, it was said, in order to |
nurse her son, had shut herself up in
his apartments, with only two attend |
ants, refraining from all intercourse
with the rest Of the palace while the
critical period lasted. The only other
persons who were permitted to have
80 10 fnlr, hn
physician in attendance, were Father
Olivia, the kings tutor, and Senior
Guastala, at that time prime minister
OF Spain.
I'm the meantime, what had really
happened was this;
"On the day before these reports be-
gan to appear which was, ! think, a
Monday grand review Of the troops
forming the Madrid garrison was to
come of in the city park The review
was IN honor Of Saint Jago, the patron
saint Of Spain, and it had been pub
1icly announced that the young king
would be present, together with his
mother, the queen-regent. It was, In
effect. to be an imposing celebration,
and all Madrid was expected to be
there. On the very morning Of the re-
view, however, letter came to the
palace, addressed to her majesty and
marked urgent. On being opened this
letter was found to contain the alarm
ing intelligence that there was q plot
on foot to attempt the kings life. The
anonymous writer went ON to add thar
the conspirators hoped TO carry out
their design during his majesty's pres
ence ct the review.
"This letter bore the postmark Of
Pamplona.
Her majesty showed this letter to
Father Olivia, In whom she reposed
great confidence; and, as was natural.
they decided to keep the king at home,
giving out as a pretext that he was
unwelL The regent accordingly set
out to the review without him, taking,
instead, his elder sister, the princess
of Asturias. Alfonso was greatly dis
appointed. but they succeeded in paci-
flying him by the promise OF huge
box Of lead soldiers. toy which has
always given him supreme delight
"As soon as the queen was gone,
Father Olivia took the king into his
study, and commenced to give him his
lessons as usual. An hour passed In
this way.
AT the end of this time closed car
rriage drove up at a furious rate to the
principal entrance Of the palace. and
there alighted a person in the uni
form OF a general officer. attended by
AN aide-de-eamp. This parsonage, who
appeared to labor under considerable
excitement, announced himself to the
porters In waiting as General Espinosa,
He stated that he had been sent By
the Queen-regent to fetch the king to
the review. and demanded to be taken
immediately into his majesty's pres
ience.
Thoroughly overwhelmed by the
manner OF these officers. the lackeys
thastened to conduct them to the room
where the tutor and pupil were al
work. Here. as soon as the servants
had Withdrawn, the general repeated
his statements, adding to Father 0livs
that the troops had shown grave symp
toms OF dissatisfaction at the kings
absence, and that serious consequences
were apprehended If he were not Inn
mediately forthcoming.
You can well understand that IL
Spain. the land of pronunciamentos
where the army has SO long been &C
customed to regard itself as the mas
ter of the government. and is Away
seething with sedition. such intelli
gence was not to be trified with. Thu
generals uniform and the presence o
the aide lent an air Of reality to the
story; and, In short, the priest appear
to have been completely taken of hi
guard.
"No doubt it would have been NOR
prudent on his part to have insisted OF
accompanying his pupil But the sud
denness Of these mems arrival. am
the alarming character of their state
ments. deprived him Of his usual pres
ence OF mind. He sent for the child
hat. and allowed him to depart witt
the emissaries. The king himself, |
is needless TO say Of mere boy. wa
only too eager to 60 He is daring a
a lion, and to him shyness Is absolute
u unknown.
THE next thing that happened wa
the return OF the Queen-regent, at tn
close Of the review. She sent to tn
=