The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-01-31

the mind gets uSeQ TO QeedS OF VlOlence |
when so constantly presented to its view
and so, / suppose, it is in the case | allude
to. But it is absolutely shocking to see
how callous the lower classes have become |
to these swift, fierce deeds of blood.
II wonder" said an educated man to me
the other day, show many men viii be
stlbbed at the Feria this year,"
[ think any comment of mine upon this
speech would be wholly superfiuous.
There is one reflection that [ cannot help
making here-one question that constant
ly presents itself to my mind, when l see
the fearftIlly low estate of religious and
moral culture to which the masses in this
country have been suffered to become
prey-it is this, Who is to blame for these
things? Here is a country with undream-
ed of mineral wealth with vast resources
of timber uncut and of land uncultiyated
with vineyards to the full as rich as those
of sunny France, and with a glowing eli
mate: and yet her poor have no education,
and nothing but huts to live in: her roads
are mere tracks, all trace of which the Win
ter storms carry away and, above all, not
only mental but religious culture is stran-
ger to the masses; and who is to blame
for these things? The Spaniard, again, is
a man full of courage. But it is courage
of certain and peculiar kind, and his
courage is made up of paradoxes. He IS
reckless of his own life, and will fight with
an adversary far his superior in skill. He
is daring horseman, and still more dar-
ing driver. In the bull-ring, or personal
combat, he shines for courage and adroit-
ness and yet, in some things, heis strange
ly timid. AS soldier, in the ranks, he
has been proved not to be always very
plucky, by the experience of past warfare.
DIT T for fhpAPu
that. being only semi-civiliZed, the Span
lard, like all semi-barbarians, cannot rely
upon his comrades. These men do not, in
trading or in fighting, Loyalty and fully
trust one another. Then, again, the ''pres-
ence'' OF a brave and yet unarmed
man-his mere voice and presence-wiu
awe two or three armed Spaniards. Again,
in illness he is very timid; once the foe has
fairly got him in its grip, the Spaniard
gives up hope, and gives himself up to, as
he calls it, s. his fate" So, then, his cour-
age is made up of paradoxes, and account
for the fact in this way, that the nation is
really only semi-civiliZed, and shares the
characteristics of other semi-civiliZed peo-
pies. Like them, the Spaniard knows no
reliance on his comrades en- masse; like
them, he knows nothing of combination,
as secret of strength; like them, he has
not the full and free and absolute trust in
| God as the Defender of the right. Yet, as
soldier, the Spaniard's patience under
privations is of no common order, and his
exceeding endurance of hunger, thirst and
nakedness would put to shame the endur-
ance of an English infantryman. pass on
to two bright spots in Spanish character
sobriety and the politeness of all classes.
The Spaniard, however ignorant, has nat
urally the manners and the refined feeling
of gentleman. A rude speech, a laugh at
a forei- GERS expense, would be voted sim
ply indecent by him. Should an English
man so far forget himself as to become
drunk and incapable f" in a Spanish
town, believe he would be politely car
ried home and his purse restored to his
pocket. The Spaniard, again, is no drunk
ard: as he himself says, " / know when |
have had enough.'' Rare as may be his
opportunities of getting stimulants, he
would not pass the bounds of moderation
when the opportunity of drinking at an
others expense is offered him.
Then the Spaniard, again, is very con-
tented. Ask him why he does not ask
more wages, and he would often say, is
too much trouble" but oftener still, $
have enough He is not, certainly, a
g saving man - on the contrary, most i'm
provident. He reads the motto, 1.-The
L
things of itself' in its wrong sense, and
he acts upon it. In some other relations
of life the Spaniard of the lower class does
not shine. In country where the very
bread, the very existence of two out Of
every three men depends solely on . his
beast,'' one would expect to find many
4 merciful men. But such is not the rule
i The Spaniard never calls his mule or don,
kew by any pet name; he calls the one
IS Mulo' (mule), pronounced " Moo-lo F! .
and the other :. Borieco - donkey, pro
nounced 6 Bo-rukoin You hear the ON
inous sound Moolo,n and, instantly fol
lowing it, a shower of blows and kicks, toe
often wholly nndeserved. A bad-tem
perel mule or donkey driver will actually
if his beast be obstinate, seize its ear ano
bite until the blood streams down. This
disregard of the sufferings of the rest ftht
creation seems to be sucked in with theil
mothers milk, for boys of seven and eigh
years old will stand at the corner OF
street, where some poor donkey is teth
cred, and beat it mercilessly with an asher
, staff, welded with both hands, the passers
byneyer dreaming of interfering the while
; So with the dog; he is beaten, not to cor
rect and amend his faults, but simply t.
avenge the fault he has been guilty OF
The one pleasure, amounting to passion
of all classes in this country, is gamblin:
of every sort. In the street, the cottage
the casino, the fair, are, lotteries, pitch
farthing. cards, roulette-tables, and ever.
sort of gaming to be found.
i / So LET me end. Passionate, but rarel.
) revengeftll; careless of others lives, ye
equally so of his own; more enduring AM
+ contented than courageous, as a soldier
very generous of what he has sober, bu
) not very chaste polite and kind, but no
! very truthful cruel, and yet withal warm
: hearted: not patriotic, but very fond ofhi
country; proud. and yet ready to serv
! and help the spaniard has many nobl
! qualities. But he needs education of hear
and mind, moral as well as mental cul
!, ture. That given him in greater abunc
ance he would be noble friend and a b
!: no means contemplate foe.-Maenasttas
s Magazine.
!, f1r-,->y or, pr-pDrNcs -4Tiy tooptbar