ALARCON, PEDRO ANTONIO ), Spanish writer, was born at Guadix March o 1833. He had a consider able reputation as a journalist and poet when his play, El Hijo prodigo, was hissed off the stage in 1857. The failure exasper ated Alarcon so much that he enlisted under O'Donnell as a volunteer in the Moroccan campaign. The expedition provided the material for the brilliant Diario de un testigo de la guerra de Africa 0859), a masterpiece in its way as a description of campaigning life. On his return from Morocco, Alarcon did great service to the liberal cause as editor of La Politica. But in the years 1868-74 he ruined his political reputation by a series of rapid changes of front. His literary reputation steadily in creased, however. El sombrero de tres picos 0874), a clever resetting of an old Spanish tale, lives for its malicious wit and minute observation. His other works include Cuentos amatorios (1881); Historietas nacionales 0880; El Escandalo 0875); El Capitan Veneno 0880. Alarcon died July 20, 1891.