Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-12-20
XMAS In SEVILLE.
HOW THE DAY OF DAYS IS KEPT IN
THE OLD MOORISH CAPITAL.
Great Fiooks Of Tarkevs and Tempting
Confecsions-Briilinnt Scenes In the
streets-Popular Customs


city Of Spain. is never seen to better adj
vantage than during the Christmas season.
Though long period of time has passed
since the residence of the Spanish
monarchs and the seat of their govern
ment was transferred from Seville TO
Valladolid and afterwards to Madrid. and
though from population of 100000 which
II numbered in the time of the MOors II
has dwindled TO less than 10000 inhabi-
tants, IL is still one of the most picturesque
and interesting cities TO be found in all
Europe. and there Is no other in which
Christmas is more profoundly reverenced
or more joyously and universally cele-
brated
Already elaborate preparations for the
observance of the great day of Ma jiddd
(ChrstmAs) are visible on every hand. The
decorations of the grand high altar and
other interior portions Of the magnificent
Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Sede have
been commenced aud are progressing
rapidly. Though this great structure is
the largest Cathedral IN the world after
st. Peters at Rome, and though the paint
lng5 and other art treasures in which 1t
abounds are of inestimable value, there
are several other churches, such as San
Juan de Ia Palma, Santa Catalina, and
Santa Maria la Blanca which are scarcely
less magnificent and where the work of
Christmas decoration is also in progress.
CHRISTMAS CHEER.
| The columns of the Ddrio DAILY Adver-
tiser) swell almost to bursting with an
Inducements of the daily arrival of Christ
mas good-cheer tempting TO the rich and
| tantalizing 20 the needy epicure. There
| are alluring advertisements of sweet hams
| from Candelas. of barrels of escabeche
! (pickles) from Biscay and Alicant, of cheese
| Act nd Of nj
| (sweet meats of all kinds from Valencia
and Saragossa, and of tOrOnes preserved
| fruits, rOScds (almond cakes). dried figs,
muscatel raisns. lines, oranges, lemons,
! pomegranates, dates, and countless other
| good things from fertile and sunny Malaga.
FLoCBs OF TURKEYS.
Through the fifteen gates in the old
| Moorish walls five miles in circumference
and surmounted by sixty-siX towers,
| great focks Of turkeys are now pouring
/ INTO the city daily from all directions.
/ Roast turkey is Christmas dish which
| Spaniards regard with quite as much favor
as do our people at home in the United
| States. Large fiocks of these toothsOme
| birds are to be seen in every country
| place throughout Spain. They are driven
! into the city at Christmas time just as
American farmers drive sheep and cows.
| Their guardians are queer, oddly-buIlt
L
vests, tight breaches. and long hose of the
same dingy hue, the latter often minus
| n foot, which fact IS plainly revealed by
| their low shoes. A broad leather girdle
about the waist does not prevent the dis
| play of a considerable portion OF shirt in
| yawning chasm between vest and
! brooches. Some handles indulge in red
! worsted sash, which hides their linen and
| cash at the same time. but in general these
| p1uerOs (turkey-drivers) decline all super
| tluOus ornament, preferring q republican
| severity of costume and devOting their en-
! tire attention and their long taper wands
| TO the marshalhng of their noisy DrOteges
and to preventing their being run over
! by coach, cart, or horse, of which they are
in imminent danger, despite the evident
! friendllness with which they are regarded
| by all the coachmen. As they pass along,
| their focks are constantly diminished by
watchful housewives, who rush out from
| their dwellings, select the bird they want,
pay his price, and bear him off for sacrifice
upon the domestic altar.
GAME AND CONNECTIONS.
s==Besides these pdUerOS and their feathered
! wards there are the vendors of Christmas
| game-lounging fellows who go along the
| streets with half dozen hares and rab-
bits slung over their shoulders, together
with sticks strung with redlegged part
/ ridges. which they offer to passerS by with
| many loud and Oft-repeated encomiums on
their fairness, favor and size. Then there
are the country people, who come In TO
vend their cream-cheeses, which are as
white as snow. and which, though a little
too puugent for an uneducated palate, are
very agreeable after one has learned to
like them.
The many elegant shops along the Gales
Cstreets) Mayor, San Marcos, Plateros, and
other fashionable thorOughfares all wear
n holiday appearance. Those of the con-
PETITIONERS are especially attractive. The
making Of sweetmeat5 IS carried TO great
perfection III Spain. Partisan confection-
ers may surpass their Spanish rivals in
their gorgeous manner of displaying their
wares but for the intrinsic merit of their
productions it would be hard 10 decide
which nationality should be awarded the
palm. Young men OF Seville who aspire
10 hiar (shine) as .fnezd (gallants) are ex-
peCted al tins season OF the year TO invite
their fair acquaintance TO assure them
selves of the excellence of the confec-
TONERS chcf-T OeliUFes, and whole troops OF
pretty, dark-eyed senoritas may be seen in
the observation-disclosures of the thOroughfares
| have mentioned, readily complying with
the entreaties of their escorts and re-
Yelling in chocolates, cGrdmel0S, and Gus
tards.
CHRIsTMAs-EvR.
Perhaps even more important than
Chrlstmas-day itself in Seville Is nOche
buend-literally good night" but also
used by the Spaniards TO designate Christ
mas-eve. Emerge from your hotel or casa
de hlteSDides lodging house)-no matter IN
what part of the city 1t may be located-at
about O'clock =. III. on December Gath
and you Will find yourself in the midst of
a busy, busting throng, whose every mem
Der is eagerly intent upon enjoying NOc1e
Bitead to the fullest possible extent as
preparation for the additional festivities
of Nagddd on the morrow. You Will lind
the main stream of these crowds vending
its way to some of the principal public
squares of Seville, such as the Plaza del
lriunfo, the Plaza Nueva, the Plaza del
Duque, and the Plaza de la Constitution.
If YOU allow yourself TO be showed and
pushed, elbowed and trodden upon all the
way along the various Gales through which
YOU must pass to reach the last-named
Spacious and handsome square, l think
YOU will be well repaid by the scene which
will meet your gaze upon your arrival
there.
BRILLIANT sPECrACLEs.
A more brilliant, varied, and animated
spectacle than that which Is presented by
the Plaza de la Constitution of Seville on
Cbristmas-eve-and, indeed, on every
night for several weeks preceding it-one
can scarcely nope TO see at any Otner time
or in any other part OF the world. The
great square has been converted into sort
OF open-air bazaar for the display and sale
of every variety OF holiday-wares.
Flaming rows of odorous resin torches
throw q rich crimson glare on all around,
and being placed behind the great mounds
of Jelly, display the brilliancy of that
agreeable edible to the best possible al
vantage. All Spain has been drawn upon
10 furnish the supply of Christmas cheer
piled up in such liberal profusion. Here
are the renowned lorOn from Gijon Sorla's
Ua,lteouiAa, more candescent than the lily
of-the-yalley red festoons of chorios lsau-
sages) from Estremadura bltifd'TdS from
Maiorca and other pork-prOducing dis
tricts, countless turkeys, and great aro-
matte heaps of fruits of all kinds.
THE PASSING CROWD.
There is the elegant mucRacid (young
lady) of society, accompanied by tho ex-
ouisitely-attired lechngllnO dandy, brush
ING clothes with the much more pictu-
rescue raanoia. or young woman OF the peo-
ple. The broad, shining face aud bold,
dark eyes of the latter are set OF TO the
best advantage by gaudily-colored hand
kerchief wound about her shapely head,