FREE CRITICISM OF ROYALTY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3841, 7 November 1883, Page 4

FREE CRITICISM OF ROYALTY.

Tho arrival of a Spanish royal party in Paris, rocoully, was not a very ceremonious or impressive occasion, though the grime and smoke were concealed in the waitingroom of tho railway station 1-jy flowers and velvet hangings, a line of superb carriages •was drawn up, and there were ladies and gentlemen of high quality awaiting the express. There was a gathering of fat, oily Bourse Barons, who order about the railroad officials. Policemen were on the lookout to keep unimportant sightseers in the background. When the train came in sight all lints were removed. A little, elderly, redfaced gentleman stepped forward alone. Ho was Don Francisco do Assisi, honorary parent of King Alfonso. A door wns opened by a grandee, and from it descended a young lady, blonde, slender, and dressed in blue of two shades. She tripped up to tho old man, and kissed him with reverential affection. All those who had been grouped ou tho quuy stood back in a semicircle. Tho heada of the gentlemen ■wont low, nnd were kept for some moments bowed; and their hats almost touched tho ground. This was Queen Christina. A little lady, with a roly-poly figure emerged from tho saloon carriage. She was a Duchess and governess, and she led by the hand to Her Majesty a toddling tiling, dressed up in a niuflled style, feathered and ribboned. The Queen said, "This is your grandchild Merees," and held her up to bo kissed. The nurse brought forward a staring baby, which was also embraced. " The LcingH whom I most admired," says Labouohcro, " were tho ten horses. As St. John wrote at I'atmos about the scarlet lady, I beheld and wondered with great admiration at tho Bourse Barons, and the Duko and Duchess, prostrating themselves beforo the inaniiikin with tho red face and tho young lady in blue. I suppose they think that wealth nlono would not enable them to lord it over their fellows, and that in crying ' God save Alfonso and Christina !' they cry, ' God savo ourselves, and keep us forever at top of tho wheel!' "