THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION" OF THE KING OF SPAIN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 53, 27 February 1880, Page 2

THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF THE KING OF SPAIN.

Unfortunately, the year 1879 has not been allowed to close without another daring attempt being made to shoot a monarch, the intended victim in thie most recent oase of attempted regicide being the young King of Spain, whose marriage to the Archduohess Maria Christina of Austria I recently chronioled. The young and royal oouple have hardly yet got over their honeymoon, and are in the habit of driving out daily with a very simple escort. It was not supposed that any one would be criminal enough to attempt the life of a man when he was sitting by the side of his bride, especially in Spain, where, whatever faults may be laid to the charge of that unhappy country, violence towards women is a crime of very rare occurrence. Indeed, ifc not known whether, in (his case, the asassin meant to kill the King, thd Queen, or both of them. They had been out for their usual drive, and were returning to their palace when, • just as they had reached its very gates, two bullets were fired at them. The assassin, who had hid himself behind a sentry-box, and had re* mained there for some time unperceived, was seized by the bystanders, and it is a wonder that he escaped with what little life there was in him. He proved to be a lad of nineteen, who came from the province of Galicia. in the northwest corner of ■

Spain, and had been employed by a confectioner in Madrid. It is not easy to pueus what oouU have been the native for this ciime The-e is considerable excitement still prevailing in Madrid, but it is difficult to conceivo how such a fellow as this Otera^Gonza'es could have imagined hiipstjif bori: 10 sei things right. He viin&sured.'y be executed. lis au tempt, however, has had the effect of making the young King and Queen moro popular than before among their subjects. Ihey went to the Opera House the sama night, where they received an ovation beyond anything on record, and yesterday, -when the King openly drove the Queen in the same phaeton to the church where they were married to offer their thanksgivings, they were more vociferously cheered than on their ■wedding day. — Correspondent Canterbury Press. " Mike, come in and take a drink." He rolled his eyes upward, then brought them down, and replied, " Darlint, I thought twoz an angel spakin' to me." A Stare-oase.— A telescope. A Hand-to-Mouth Business. — Tippling. Bound to occur — A muzzle. The Hangman's Vegetable— The art o' choke. The toper may be termed one -who can " smile and smile again, and be a willin." .Annual flowering plants resemble wnales, as they come up to " blow." A Popular Sovereign. — One pound sterling. The Place to Find a Bear Living. — In a menagerie. For Those " in the Fashion."— A quiet person wants to know if the •' favourite tint " is invariably a " fast colour."

A Coincidence. — A curious coincidence is reported in the obituary column of a Kelson paper. Mr J. K. Waite, of that city, it appears, lost an aunt, sister-in law, and daughter, in tbe brief space of four days — viz., on tbe 4th, sth and 7th instant, in Victoiia.