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Show ISPISHROllJSE REUS FORMALITIES; All Old World Customs Kept Up in Court Circles Despite Democratic King MADRID, March 12. The royal houso of Spain, despite the democratic nature of the klng and people, alone among the remaining courts of Europe, retains all the old world formalities, which up to the outbreak of the wnr were so rigorously observed in Vienna, St, Petersburg. Berlin and to a more or less extent in London, Home and some of the smaller capitols of Europe. This is due to a, large extent to the Influence of the Queen Mother, Maria Christina, who remains all powerful pow-erful in court circles and is a stickler Tor the observance of those forms and I ceremonies which marked 'all occasions occa-sions at ihe' court of Austria, where, j as a grand duchess, she learned them. . King Hates Formalities King Alfonso, after receiving in tho throne room at the paluce in the morning, morn-ing, may rub shoulders with Jockeys, bookmakers and the general run of race-goers at the track in the afternoon, after-noon, but when he returns to the palace pal-ace in Ihe evening he resumes, as it were, the crown. It is generally reported re-ported that to him the afternoon, free from conventionalities, is the happiest part of his day and that he has often expreasd a desire when harrassed by the political troubles of his country, which seem never to settle down, to leave it all and take his family oCJf to sortie South American republic and engage en-gage in the breeding of horses, of which he Is passionately fond. The strict formality of the court was observed at the banquet and reception Ighen lo the diplomatic corps a short 'simc a-ro when for Ihe first time the representatives of all countries had Won invited lo the same furictlon sineo the summer of 1014. Tho guests saw a display or jewels, which probably prob-ably could not be matched outside ol Asia. Although the diplomats were the guests of the evening, the younger members of Ihe royal family preceded them and were to the right and left or Queen Victoria at the tables, the ambassadors and ministers of state King and Queen Meet Foreigners Dinner over, the king and queen, with the royalties and dinner guests formed In procession down a long reception re-ception hall where the foreign repre-i jseniatives presented Ihe members of their staffs. The king and queen stopped at caoh group to pass a few words, but this was the only Informality Informal-ity of tho evening. Later in the ! throne room guests not belonging to the diplomatic, corps were presented. The finest scene, however, was on tho grand staircase, on oither aide of which stood a row of brilliantly garbed servitors. As the beautifully" gowned women wearing many jewels and the men In their brilliant uniforms, passed up and down this staircase n changing color scheme was presented. Queen Victoria in a dress of clotli of gold, u wonderful diamond tiara on her fair head, two great diamond neck-laces neck-laces reaching to her waist, was a stately and dazzling figure. The queen mother was equally resplendent re-splendent In pearls, of which she wore a collar of six rows, a tiara, two necklaces neck-laces and many clusters. Ladiea-in waiting wore Jewels formed of every precious stone known, with whom vied the wives and daughters of the grandees gran-dees of all Spain. oo The shoe profiteers' nlehtmare life in the garden of Edeu |
