Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-02-05
Home Life in Spain.

You cannot think how entirely diff
erent Spanish domestic life is from our
own, nor would you credit it were I to
tell you how rough and rude is the life
of the lower, how ephemeral and pur
poseless the pursuits of the classes
Let us take glimpse OF family life in
the middle class. The Spanish houses
are built chiefly Of the hard but porous
sand OF ironstone. quarries of which
abound in the interior; they have some
ten or twelve rooms, all of which are
paved with stone, or large tiles, for in
this country of dust and burning heat
the thermometer has varied from
elghtr seven to ninety five degrees
throughout the summer-no carpets
seem to be used, save just in one room,
IN the heart of the winter. The stable
is at the back of the house, and horses,
mules, and carriages all passed through
the hall just as do the inmates of the
house. have often been taking a
''refres.o' with the senior and his sposa
in the hall, and we have had to move
the little table to let the servant and
his mules pass through.
Every morning the s'creade," or
Spanish maid servant, takes her water
lng-pot and carefully lays the, dust and
cools the room with an abundant sprink-.
ling OF aqua .tresca. At early morn
the master rises, and his little cup of
chocolate, an egg, and slice of melon
! await him in the sala, OF large sitting
room, to English eyes most comfort
less place: very large, stone tagged,
with a few massive chairs, walls painted
in the rudest way, and one large table
in the midst-The rooms, owing to the
heat, are always kept darkened by
means OF closed shutters throughout
the day, some of the windows have
glass; some not; but all are strongly
protected, without exception, by a
strong cage of massive ironwork out
side. The senora has her chocolate in
her bedroom, at the open window,
enjoying the fresh morning breeze.
All the Spaniards rise as a rule at
five OF six o'clock, in the summer, to
enjoy the only enjoyable time Of the
summer day; at one o'clock they have
dinner-the comida-and after that
follows the two hours siesta in. dar-
kened room. Evening then draws on
the delicious night breeze rises and
blows freshly from the hills, and the
ladies go out in groups to the alameda,
for the passao, or walk Such is the
Spanish ladys day. She has, however
her creadas to look after, and, above
all, her dresses to make, or superintend
and her graceful mantilla to arrange
1t is quite striking sight to pass down
the streets from six to eight at night
and see the graceful carriage of the
head, and the stately, upright walk Of
the Spanish ladies, with their long
white dresses trailing behind them il
a cloud Of dust, how they managed te
walk over the rough, unpaved, un-
even streets without trip is a mys-
terry.
At abont ten all retire to rest, to rise
up refreshed for another unevenful dav.
AS regards the master of the house, he
really seems to have but one interest
in life, and that is politics, He may
ride out to view his olive farm; or his
mind, and you will certainly meet him
in his shop, his casino, or his friends
casa; smoking the Inevitable cigarillo,
and chatting, or making a bargain
But there is absolutely no reading OF
any sort, not even book of the calibre
of three volume novel. Politics, po-
litics are everything to him, and of pol
itics he seems never to tire