The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-06-10
A Glimpse of Lisbon.

We foated this morning down the
Tagus, the glittering panorama of the
city unfolding before US. Its houses,
built of creamy, marble-like stone, ter
raced the hill-sides, forming stately
staircase, down which Lisbon stepped
as queen to the waters edge. We
could not dispute her claim; whatever
city may be ranked first for beauty of
situation, Lisbon can be classed no low
er than second among all the cities of
the globe. Its wonderful atmosphere
bathed all with golden glamour. The
tiled fronts of the houses, which, seen
nearer, suggest patchwork bedquilts
hung out to air, flashed back the sun
shine from their glazed surface like so
many gems; dome and cupola, church
tower and palace facade, outlined them
selves in graceful profile against the sky,
as exquisite as q poets dream, and as
unreal as some prehistoric legend.
A nearer view of Lisbon streets, while
it dispels in a certain degree the vision
like enchantment of the distant picture,
brings out details of never-ceasing inter-
est. We spend our days in long walks
and drives up and down mountainous
streets, that wind and climb, criss-cross,
angle, and lose themselves in labyrinth
inc tangles, blind alleys, or pleasant
squares. We wonder alike at the BIZ
zarre costumes of the lower classes, and
the similarity to American-or rather
Parisian-styles displayed by the more
well-to-do. We saunter along the
quays, and study fishermen and Gale
COS. We look up at the balconies draped
with a bright rug or gay shawl, at the
party-colored awnings and windows,
where beautiful face shows against a
dark background like Rembrantesque
portrait. We scan the attractive win
dows of the goldsmith's shop in the Rue
Aurea, or jingle along in the Americana,
rs they christen the open street-car,
through the Broadway of the city,
which leads to the Belem suburb.
The people live much upon
the street, and it is here
that they are to be studied to the best
advantage. The houses of the poor
open to it, and we have full view of
the home life from the narrow sidewalk.
In the more elegant quarters the vista
ria droops in, purple festoons over the
balustrades which edge the roof, while
spots of rosy pink or vivid scarlet tell of
poisoning Oleanders or cacti, for the
roof of one row of houses often forms its
own garden, or that of the houses upon
the next terrace. These hanging gar
dens reminded the eccentric Beckford
of places of interment, Gas if the de-
ceased inhabitants of the palace were
sprouting up in the shape of prickly-
pears, Indian figs, CANDY hollyhocks,
and peppery capsicums."
Here and there roofs of red semi
cylindrical tiles projected over the
house fronts, suggesting the fluted frill
of an old lady's cap. Everywhere there
was sparkling color and dazzling light.
Sometimes the tiles on the fronts of the
houses formed mosaics of gigantic
figures, vases of flowers, and baskets of
fruits; now and then, above some rusty
lantern. which in Southey's time served
the double purpose of illuminating the
streets and burning in honor of the
sacred pictures above them, the tiles
shaped themselves into MadOnnas, mar
tyrs in flames, and saints in glory-a
circumstance which called from the
merry poet the 6on-mot, These saints