Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-02-18
Spanish Life.


! it were 1 to tell you how rough anG
ephemeral and purposeless the pursuits
OF the higher classes.
Let us take a glimpse of family life il
the middle class. The Spanish house.
are built chiefly of the hard but porous
sand or iron stone, 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 81
to 90 throughout the summer-no car
pets 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 pass
through the hall just as do the inmates
of the house. l have often been taking
a refresco with the senor 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
takes her watering-pot, and carefully
lays the dust, and cools the room with
an abundant sprinkling of aqua .fresca.
At early morn the master rises, and his
little cup of chocolate, an egg, and a
slice of melon, await him in the sala, or
large sitting-room-to English eyes q
most comfortless place-very large,
stone-fagged, with 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 shut
ters throughout the day. Some of the
windows have glass, some not but all
are strongly protected, without excep-
ton, by a strong cage of massive IRON
work outside. The sonora has her cho
colate in her bedroom, at the open win
dow, enjoying the fresh morning breeze.
All the Spaniards rise, as a rule, at
five or six in the summer, to enjoy the
only enjoyable time of the summer day;
at one o'clock they have dinner-the
coDlidd-and after that follows the two
hours siestd in a darkened room. Eve
ming then draws Oh, the delicious night
breeze rises and blows freshly from the
hills, and the ladies go out in groups
to the alameda for the paseo, or walk.
Such is the Spanish lady's day. She has
however, her criddas to look after !;
and, above all, her dresses to make or
superintend, and her graceful mantilla
to arrange. 1t is quite a 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 in a cloud of dust; how they man.
age to walk over the rough, unpaved.
uneven streets, without trip, is mys-
tery. At about ten all retire to rest, to
rise up refreshed for another unevent-
full day.
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
mine; and you will certainly meet him
in his shop, his casino, or his friends
casa, smoking the inevitable cigariUO,
and chatting or making bargain. But
there is absolutely no reading of any
sort, not even book of the calibre of
three-volume novel. Politics, politics
are every thing to him, and of politics
he seems never to tire. L was but yes
terday talking with a friend here, pro-
ltSclOuul OLt WIZ NOull RlNC
all for the sake of "his cause" and
during the whole weary evening We
seemed to have nothing in common. At
last bethought myself of the unfailing
subject, and said:
"What is your opinion of Senor Cas-
telar's enforcing the penaly of death
again 2"
In moment all was changed: his
look of utter apathy had given place to
the keenest enthusiasm, and, knocking
the cigariiIO out of his mouth, he said,
with flashing eyes and flushed cheeks;
"Castelar is statesman, a poet, and
an orator; he knows and says that, in
desperate cases, desperate remedies
must be applied; so he does right for
while to enforce once more capital
punishment in our army for me, am
a republican of republicans, and 1 con-
slider capital punishment opposed to the
true spirit of Christianity. l desire
nothing for my country but to see her
sons free; free to serve their God as
they like, as their unfettered conscience
tells them freedom in their families
freedom from slavery in their colonies !;
that is the wish of Heaven that is my
wish also."
You will say, what, then, are the pleas
ures of the Spaniards l asked that
question, too, and received for answer,
shooting in the sierra; a picnic in the
campo the annual feyias (fairs); and
the 6ano del rio (river-bath).
1t was piping-hot evening in July
L
fairly exhausted with the long, unbro-
ken drought and heat, when my friend
said, LET us join the ladies tomorrow,
and get bath in the river" The
thought of any change to break the mo-
notony of daily life, especially by the
GOODNESS of bathe in the Guadalquivir,
was tempting, and thankfully accepted
the proposal. We had long ride
| (three m.Ies) across the campo, or open
country, to get to the river, so it was
arranged that we should ride down
thither at sunrise -four o'clock the fol-
lowing morning, the senoras going in a
springless covered cart before us.
Before the sun broke into view We
were in the saddle, after swallowing a
glass of dgudrdiente, kind of cognac
and aniseseed, the spirit of the interior.
I shall never forget the wildness of the
ride. The morning was quite gray, and
chilly air blowing from the hills, as
we passed outside the town-walls, and
entered upon the thrasbing- floors. These
thrashing- are simply strips of
dusty land where the corn is brought
and thrashed; day by day, all round
the town, the unmuzzled oxen are seen
treading 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. it is stored in sacks, and car
ried into the camGrd, or granary, at
the top of each house and the paga,
or loose straw -chaff, piled up for the
horses and mules provender. for An