n told Alfonso that I had leave to go to Spain, my wish being to see
the fighting and to be in it; but that, quite in ignorance of the fact
that his succession to the throne was imminent, I had arranged to attach
myself to Don Carlos, as my cousins on my father's side were with him.
"Go, by all means," said Alfonso; "I know well that your father's family
have been zealous supporters of Don Carlos's cause. My country has been
rent for years by the devotion of our people whose sympathies have been
divided between Don Carlos and myself. Please God I may be able to unite
them for the future welfare of Spain. My first act as King of Spain will
be to offer a complete amnesty to all and one who cease their enmity to
myself and my Government and are willing to assist me in establishing law
and order and ensuring the happiness and prosperity of my countrymen, of
our glorious Spain. Go to Carlos, certainly, but in case you wish to
leave him and get some experience of our loyalist soldiers, Mirasol will
give you a letter now, which I will sign, and which will make you a
welcome guest of any of my generals. Good-bye. Come and see me, if you
have time, in Spain."

Mirasol gave me the letter and, with it in my pocket, I felt more than
satisfied that I had the chance of my life, a chance given to few men to
be a welcome guest in the field of battle of two opponents, one a king,
the other one who, for long years, had striven hard to be a king.

The carriage was waiting and we left Brown's Hotel for Charing Cross
Station. Next day, December 31, 1874, Alfonso was proclaimed King of
Spain. He landed at Barcelona on January 9, 1875.

For just a moment let me tell of Mirasol's sad end. For some time after
Alfonso's restoration to the throne mutinies of soldiers and civil
disturbances occurred throughout Spain. One of these mutinies took place
in the Artillery Barracks in Madrid. Mirasol was an Artillery officer,
and after the Coronation of Alfonso had again taken up his regimental
duties. He received a message at his home one morning that the men at the
barracks had mutinied. He started at once to the barracks, telling his
wife not to be anxious and by no means to leave the house till his
return. As he was approaching the barracks he was met by some of the
mutineers. They stabbed him to death on the pavement. His wife had not
paid heed to his request. She waited for a little time, and could not
resist her desire to follow him in spite of h