New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-03-13
GOOD old ALFONSO
POPULAR MONARCH
King Of Spain Democratic Ruler,
Despite Exalted Position

New York, March 13.--The follow
ing interview with the King of Spain
written by Filson Young for the Lon
don Daily Mail is, by special arrange
ncnt with that paper, made available
for members of The Associated Press:
The first time l saw the King of
Spain he vas running up tho steps Of
the Ritz Hotel in London. and the
cabman to whom l was paying my
fare remarkcd:
=. Good old Alfonso"
He YVES certainly not old, and it is
possible that at tilc moment lie Na:i
not particularly good; but the words
expressed faithfully enough the atti-
tudc of mind--sympathctic, halfpro-
prietary, wholly indulgent--of the
British public toward the boyish mon
arch OF a friendly but foreign land.
i was enough that he was coming to
England for d wife and that he WAS
..thc triond and protcgo of King |d-
ward: he was zone OF us
The next time I saw him was at
his mothers palace Of Miramar. in
Sebastian, whore he did me the honor
10 receive 0lc in private audience. The
first touch of autumn was on the roses
and Git nlust be Confessed) the &c
y
uunshin2 lay bet and bright on tho
hlue waters of the shel-!ike haY,
Where, under the very windows of the
palace. the great yacht Gralda W&5
rolling at hes moorings.
On the walls OF the room where 7
waited there VS. bat one picturc--an
enlarged photograph of a, little boy on
Il horse; little boy sitting firm and up
right in his saddle, his face turned
to look you straight in the eyes with
an expression OF keyed-up courage, Of
anxious boldncsS, as though to meet
" whatever destinies might lie before
him. / thought, as I regarded the
picture, that some good influences
must have been at work moulding the
little E?ind that looked out through
the windows of those smiling fearless
eyes; and the words Of the London
cabby came back to my mind and gave
mo the sense that in Il foreign coun-
: try and amid the uncustomary en-
vironmont of royal state. I was about
to meet with familiar friend.
Just at first on being ushere6 into
his presence, that sense forsook mo.
The young man who came forward
With just touch Of formaltv to greet
me seemed to be a denizen Of the his
torical rather than the actual world;
and the arched eyebrows. long Haps-
burg chin. and the dvidethna oustachc
"A la Philip ". under the bng Bour-
hon nose. produced a strangely for
oign impression which it took d few
moments, of the eaSiness of the mod
Crn manner and the we'll odulated
English of tho quiet voice to dispel.
But only n few moments.
" NeIasquez faded and tho little boy.
on the horse and the youth enjoying
presently I told him about the cabby's
remark. 1t was obvious that it repre-
scented just the kind of feeling the
sportsman in him would wish to in
spire: and the wide, slow smile spread
over his face as we Nalked of London
and ENgland--eSpecially Of King Ed
ward, of whom he spoke with an af-
> lection and regret that were very
touching to an Englishman. The love
of life that endeared Edward to his
world found ready echo in the young
heart of Don Alfonso.
He was my professor he said, and
the hoy who had never know father
found in the worldly wisdom Of tho
English king supplement to the low
ing, though stricter influences Of his
>,own circle. He told me of a dozen
ways in which King Edward. by show
ing a ready sympathy with youthful
high spirits, could hold them back
from follies of excuses by a single
word Or hint, and at the same time
win the heart of his young fellow