Year: 1879

of King Alfonso XII. OF course pronunciamente
might overthrow. without warning. the government
established FIVE years ago. But. far as statesmen
could found calculations respecting the future upon
the past they justified in regarding the throue
OF Alfonso XII as more firmly established than tha'
OF Isabella H. was at any period during her long ano
troubled reign.


THE VIRGIN OF THE PILLAR"


Unhappily an event occurred which threw
one more shadow over the young Kings life. The
three young Infantas Marie del Pillar, Della Paz and
Eulaie. his sisters. had spent twenty days at the
baths at Escoriaza. in Guipuzcoa. and were on the
eve of joining the court in La GranJa. bail was
given TO the princesses by the nobility and gentry
IN the neghboring baths and country. at which the
Infanta del Pillar was present. though she felt un-
well. After dancing the whole evening she retired
and was seized during the night with an attack OF
Mysteries. followed by prostration bordering on
coma. and she soon became unconscious. Much
alarm reigned at Escorisza. and an eminent ply
sician was summoned. The news of the illness of
the Infanta telegraphed to Madrid and La
Granja. Next morning the serious symptoms IN
creased to such extent that Marshal Quesada.
with his 'aides-de-camp and surgeons. left in the
evening for Escoraza. where he arrived in the mid
die OF the night to find general CONSERVATION. the
Princess having been declared to be in hopeless
state by the assembled physicians The King and
the Princess Of the Asturias advised by telegram.
had left La Granja during the afternoon. Meanwhile
the Inanta Pillar had not recovered consciousness.
but was sinking fast. The utmost excitement
reigned in Escoriaza, where many families OF the
Madrid aristocracy had taken up their residence to
meet the prncesses. The people focked in from the
neighboring villages and prayers and masses were
said in the churches, in Vitoria and Vergara.
When the pronounced hopeless the last
rites and extreme JUNCTION were administered to the
Princess all the Of the bathing establish
ment kneeing and weeping in the hall and passages
of the house. Very anxiously did the Infantas Paz
and Eulae, the Marchioness Of Santa Cruz. Marshal
Quesada and the bishop of vitoria wait for the ar
rival of the King and the Princess Of the Asturias
around the couch of the Princess. morning broke
over the lovely mountains and picturesque vale OF
Escoriaza. 1t was broad daylight when the Intanta
expired. About hour later the King and tho
Princess passed Miranda. and arrived at Vi
toria too late. The Princess was the love-
lest Of the sisters OF the Kiug-tall. fair
and graceful; and her winning manners had
endeared her to the Court and those who saw her in
Escoraza. This sad event caused q painful impress
sion in San Sebastian and on the frontier. Flags
were hung halfmast high. the bells Of the churches
tolled ana other signs of sympathy were shown by
the natives and the numerous bathing population at
this trial of the royal family at the very moment
when the Austrian alliance about to be made
public. The King and royal family awaited in Vito
ria the transfer of the remains to the Escurial.
where the body was placed in the pantheon of the
Spanish princes. not far from the chapel of Queen
Mercedes.


PREsAGE EVIL.


IDau faIv aft the f,11 he
King. with the royal family. the Princess Of Astu-
rias and the two younger Infantas surviving. and
with their retinue, set out for the royal country
seat of La Granja de San Ildefonso Two roads. one
from the Escurial, the other from Villalba, to La
Granja lead from their respective stations up to the
ascent Of the Sierra de Guadarrama, joining at the
village of Navalcerrada, close to the puerto noun
tain pass on the height OF the Sierra From
the pass the road comes down very steep
slope. IN q zig-zag, through seven turnings.
called Las Siete Revueltas, winding right and left
at very sharp angles. The distance from villslba
or Escuria to La Granja is travelled by
the diligences in five or six hours. but the King.
who is young and needless Of danger. by relays of
horses at very short stages. contrves to get over
the distance In two and half and even two hours.
The seven turnings are at all times trial on the
travellers nerves. especially the drivers come
rSeS
or mules with which they toll up tho ascent. thus
rendering tho rounding of the sharp corners ex.
tremely ticklish operation The King was returning
in light char. d-banc, drawn by six horses. with
some twelve or fifteen persons of his suite seated
beside him. Something went wrong with one
of the axle-trees after starting; the
carriage was repaired, and orders were given
to abate the usual fearful speed. On going round
the last but one Of the seven turnings one Of the
hind wheels few of. the carriage broke down and
those seated on the foremost bank-the King, Gen.
eral Echague. commander Of the Royal Halberdier
Guard, and others-were thrown on the ground.
The position who had charge of the leaders, with Q
happy presence Of mind. turned sharp to the right
toward the hill and stopped thus the headlong
course Of the carriage which would otherwise have
been wholly overturned and thrown down the preci-
pice on the left 1t fortunate also that the King
this instance had dispensed with the usual escort
Of his mounted Cuirassiers. for had q score Of
heavy horsemen been galloping close after the
carriage. they have to do on ordinary state
occasions, it would have been impossible for them
to pull up in time and avoid treading the bodies
of the PROSTATE King and his fellow sufferers When
the crash was aud the cloud of dust had cleared
1t was found that the King lay on the ground with
his right shoulder dislocated half smothered by
the weight Of the Marchioness of Superunda. the
lady in waiting to the Princess Of Asturia, very
bulky person. whose dress torn to tatters by the
violence Of her fall. General Echague had also his
right shoulder dislocated. The Kings face
bleeding; 1t not at first clear whether from the
mouth or the nose. Two doctors-the Marques Of
San Gregorio and Senior Alonso-were in the carriage
with the King; they had neither medicines nor nstru


ents about them. but with the aid of the bystanders
and the scarfs of of the mounted foresters of
suitc they bandaged the arms and shoulders Of the
sufferers. and messenger was sent to La Grsnja
for fresh conveyances The royal party expected
to reach La Granja at one Long before the time the
garden square before the Palace crowded by the
Court aud people. The messenger galloped up to
the royal news gave short account OF the accident
and forthwith of the royal travelling carriages
and stage coaches which happened to be at hand
were hastened to the scene Of the mishap. About
ono hour later the carriages came back. the
King and General Echague in the first. with
closed windows. and in tho next the Princes