Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-11-11
An INN IN An OBSCURE SPANISH rows.

We entered the usual stable, place that
would delight farmer in search of fer.
tilizers, and climbed up the broken stone
stairs, through the reek, to the apart
ments above. After some search we
reused an ancient crone, who Hospitality
offered MS the best the house afforded.
The room that / obtained was a small
chamber with a stone floor, and it did not
take me long to make all inventory of
the furniture. There was cot bedstead,
with horse blankets, but clean sheets, a
tripod with washbowl and chair. |
forgot-the room had good coat of white
wash. The window was a small opening,
without glass, and an iron grating out
side when shut the wooden blind, the
only method of closing the window, the
room was totally dark. When, after we
were installed, we approached the kind
old woman ON the subject of something
to eat, she seemed little surprised that
nything of that sort should be expected
of an inn. There was no milk to be had
at this time of night, nor in the morning I;
milk was only to be procured about noon.
She could send out and buy some meat
il it was absolutely necessary, but it was
late. As to bread, the old entertainers
face frightened up at once; bread, Ger.
tainly; wine, yes perhaps eggs may be
cheese. We were reminded of dialogue
which Gautier quotes, in a Spanish inn /:
Traveler-'I should like to take some-
thing" Landlord" Take chair" Trav.
eler-"I should like something more
nourishing." Landlord "a What have
you brought with you?" Traveller
Nothing" Landlord" Well, the baker
is down the street there, and the butcher
is just around the corner" While our prov.
ident hostess was looking for hens nest we
sailed out to view the town. 1t is as neat
as whitewash can make it, has several
large churches, a spacious public square,
and better houses than one would ex-
pect to see here. The plaza was gen.
uIne surprise for its size, smart appearance
and animation. The oblong center, ele.
waited slightly, and surrounded by low
parapet, is the place OF promenade and of
shows. At one end is lofty church, and
at the other prosperous Jail. This in
stitution is contrived for the pleasure as
we'll as the detention of criminals the
barred windows open upon the square, and
the prisoners on the ground floor were
chatting with their friends. Oar advent
was received with marked attentions. The
young msjos, or loafers, decorated with the
black saucer hat and red waist-scarf, who
were lounging about the prison end of the
square or leaning against the door-posts,
bestowed upon US scowling and suspicious
glances: people crowded to the doors to
stare at us I; women, seated before their
houses, or promenading in groups of three
or four, nudged each other and laughed !;
and crowd of unmannerly boys followed
US and inspected us with undisguised inter.
est. As we crossed the plaza toward the
church, we were struck by few pebbles !;
but they were small pebbles, and the boys
ran to safe distance when we turned
round. Perhaps they were only trying
to attract our attention, and see what 8
new kind of human being would do when
excited. Boys are much the same the
world over. and we bore them no malice :;
indeed, we could not take in i'll part
performance that seemed to entertain
their naughty and courteous elders. Be-
sides, we were by this time so accustomed
to Spanish civitity that We did not mind
it. | have no doubt that if we had been
familiar with the language, and dressed so as
to pass for Spaniards, we should have been
spared these delicate attentions. The peo-
pie OF shop into which we stepped were
certainly polite. It was the only shop in
which We saw anything characteristic of
the country. The articles for sale were
binders OF mule brides, and saddle-cloths
embroidered III worsted of vivid colors and
staring patterns. The Spaniards are fond
of this sort Of decoration. i Atlantic
Monthly.