National Republican., 1873-12-12
SPANISH LIFE.


You cannot think how entirely different Spanish
domestic life Is from what II Ia In England, nor
would you credit II were TO toll you how rough
and rude IL the life Of tho lower-how ephemcral
and purposolcss the pursuits OF the higher classes
Let us take a glimpse Of family life In the
middle class. The Spanish houses are built chiefly
Of the hard but porous sand iron stone quarrles
OF which abound In the interior; they have some
ten or twelve rooms, all Of which are paved with
stone large tiles for In this country Of dust and
burning heat-the Thermometer has varied from
SO to o5o throughout the summcr-no carpets
seem TO be used, save Just In ono room, in the
heart OF tho winter. The stable Is ut the back Of
the house, and horses, mules aud carriages all
pass through the hall Just do the inmates Of the
house. have often bean taking q rstre,eo with
tho seRor and his sposa in the hall, and we have
had to move the little table to lot tho servant and
his mules pass through! Every morning the
criddd, or Spanish maid.scrvant, takes her water.
ing.pot and carefully lays the dust and cools the
room with an abundant sprlnkling Of agaa (rescd.
At cnrly morn the master rises, and his little cup
Of chocolate, an cyg, and n slice Of melon, await
him In the sdid, or lnrgc sitting-room-to English
eyes a most comfortless place-yery large, stone;
In tho rudest way, and one large table In the
midst, The rooms, owing to the heat, are always
kept darkcncd by means Of closed shutters
glass, some not; but all arc strongly protected,
without exception, by strong cage OF massive
lron.work outside. The senord has her chocolate
in her bedroom, at the open window, enjoying the
Ali the Spaniards rise, as a rule, at or in the
summer, 70 enjoy the only enjoyable time Of .he
eemidd-and after that follows the two hours
sie,ia In a darkensd room. Evening then draws
freshly from the hills, and the ladies go out IN
groups to the aiomssa for the Pa,eo, or walk.
Such is the Spanish lady's day. She has, how.
dresses to make or supcrlntcnd, and her graceful
nsnnfild to arrange. II e quite striking sight
to pas down ts streets from t to a. night and md
stately, upright walk Of the Spanish ladies, with
their long white dresses trailing behind them In
rough, unpaycd, uneven streets, without "Trip, is
mystery, At about 10 all retire to rest, to rise
up refreshed for another uncycntiul day:
AS regards the master OF the house, he really
seems to have but one interest In life, and thai
Is politics. lie may ride out to Wow his olve.frm
OF his mine; and you viii certainly meet him In
the inevitable eigdyiiio, and chatting or making
bargain. But there is absolutely no reading Of
any sort, not even book Of tho calibrc Of three
volume novel. Politics politics arc everything to
hlin, and Of politics he seems mover to tire. was
but yesterday talking with a friend here, pro-
sake Of "his eausc,n and during the whole weary
evening we seemed to have nothing In common
At last bethought myselfof tho uniailing sub
'What is your opinion Of Senior Casteiar's en-.
forcing the penalty 0i death ngain 7"
In 4 moment all was changed; his look Of utter
amt. knocking the cigdriHo out OF his mouth, he
said, with hashIng eyes and flushed cheeks
"tustclar Is u statesman, n poet and an orators
he knows aud says that In desperate cases dcspe.
rate remedies must bc appliedi so he does right
for while to enforce once more capital punish;
republicans, and consider capital punishment
opposed to the true spirit Of Christianity. desire
irSe to scrye ' Scr od as they iii ike az thsr
fettered conscience tells them; freedom In their
families; freedom from slavery In their colonies;
hdi Is the wish Of Heaven; that Is my wish also.m
You Will say, what then are the pleasures Of
the SpanardsG asked that question too, nnd
received for answer, shooting IN the SIERRA pic.
the Ioao del RIO, (rivor.batIj
1t was piping hot evening In July last, and we
were all IN This house fairly cxhapsted With the
,SIil, un1roken drought and heat, when my friend
said, Let US ioin the ladies tomorrow, and yet
10 break the honotony Of daily life, especially 5y
tempting, and / thankfully accepted the pro.
posai. We had q long ride three milcsl across
ssSn Ss sba %e n " rs DOWN Sis
at sunrise q U'clock) the following morning. the
scnoras going In u sprlnglcss covered cart before
US.
Before the sun broke into view We were In the
saddle, amer swallowing glass OF dgudrdienfe, a
Kind Of cognac and ansccd, The spirit OF the inte-
Tho morning was quite gray, and u chilli air.
blowing from the hills, as we passed outside the
town walls ana entered upon the thrnshink moore.
These thrashln floors are simply strips OF dusty
land where the corn is brought and thrashed; day
by day, all round the town, the unmutIled oxen
are seen trcadlng out the corn: and boys driving
tiny little carriages, with wooden spikes, among
the rich, full ears, round and round the floor; as
soon as all is thrashed II is stored In sacks and
carried into the ednaro or granary, at the top Of
each house; and tho pdga, or loose straw.chaif,
piled up for the horses and mules provendcr, for
Andalusian horses know no taste OF hay. As we
passed the floors the guards, gun In hand, were
Slowly rising up, like ghosts, from their bed Of
straw, rubbing their eyes, end lighting their
cigdrilios. These men are generally old depend
ants of the owners, live all day and night on the
floors, and one Of them told me his health was
better In the two months OF that duty than ali the
year round Huge dogs, too, were sharing In tho
duties Of the guards, barking ut our early foot
steps but never presuming-so well were they
tralned-to cross over the boundary-line Of their
own "ho9r.n
time stood on the banks OF the hr-famed Quad:
alquivir. Our bathlng-plac and our method
were as follows: First, we unsnddled our horses,
put halter u. them, and gladly they plunged
Into our bathing: place to enjoy the bath. stood
still to see the place. A magnificent view II was.
q few miles In front, stretching farther than the
eye could reach, lay the serrated edges OF the
| Sierra Morena. In the river bed all was fertile
and green, and all along Its peaceful banks, and
It, W. wsss. . were Ct the 1sirt rose
loved story. An old miil-house, with Its elsmsy
wheel, aud couple Of megranates, shaded one
corner OF this part OF the river, and under their
shade, sitting up to thor shoulders In the water,
Of the river Is composed, were groups Of Spanish
ladies! Truly II was pretty sight. They sat,
as though on chairs, clothed to the neck In bath
l'ng-gowns Of the gaudiest colors-red, gray, yel-
low, and blueGann, holding IN ne Sns n,,n hana ,nsr
selves they formed most plcturcsQue group,