The National tribune., 1892-12-01

| have preferred to stop. The Portuguese royal
family were to have been present as the guests
of the Queen Regent, and wonderful fetes were
! 10 have been the order Of the day.
| Alas for the uncertainties of life and the no
less uncertainties Of this country. The little
| King was taken ILL., the Portuguese royalty post
| poncd their visit, and the exposition was not
| ready for opening So the much heraded fetes
resolved themselves into much disappointed
crowd of visitors from far and near.
| But as have already repeated, never be in
hurry. AT last on the last day Of the proposed
week of fetes the exposition was opened, still
in an incomplete condition. A large new
building has been erected to serve az national
museum and library, and it was temporarily
used for the exhibition.
This consisted of collections of various articles
from ali the American countries North and
South. illustrative Of the life Of tho people as
they now are and were in the time Of Column
bus. The collection was very interesting and
most extensive. IL delighted my American
nature to see six rooms devoted to the exhibit
from the Etados Unidos" as the Spanish have
it. The Stars and Stripes decorated every
available place and the American eagle cast his
answering eye over the general arrangement
OF affairs The American exhibits were lent
by the Smithsonian and other museums to the
Spanish Government for few months. They
were arranged very tastefnlly and in a way
illustrative of the life of the savages princi.
pally.
Fifty miles from Madrid stands on an mpos.
ing elevation Imperial Toledo, famed far and
wide for its swords. Who has not heard of the
famous Toledo blades? 1t was the former Capital
of Spain. and seems well worthy that distinction.
Now it is important only from its monumental
decay. 1t has fallen to the rank Of a second or
third-rate provincial town. Yet at one time it
contained the then enormous population of
100000 souls About the time of Columbus, or
little later. Toledo was in the enjoyment of
the greatest prosperity. 1t was the residence
Of court surprising in splendor that of any
other nation. 1t was the seat Of Catholic
Archbishop who in himself was an Emperor
within an Empire.
What a sad contrast is its appearance to-day
Its former 100000 inhabitants have dwindled
to less than one tenth that number. Its former
magnificent buildings, once glitterng with the
ornamentation of an earlier age, now are only
shadows of their former selves. They, together
with the former inhabitants, seem TO be taking
9 long.extended Rip Van Wrinkle sleep.
Yet, what sight for Capital, What a con-
trast to commonplace Madrid. Situated on a
high elevation surrounded on all sides save one
by almost precipitous rocks, a river sweeping
around this with horseshoe curve, it is q
fortress IN itself by nature without artificial
Notifications. Add to this natural efense the
aid Of such solid massive walls as still exist,
and you can have an idea of the commanding
appearance Toledo presents. Why the Capital
was ever moved is as great a mystery as why
Madrid was chosen.
1t abounds in fine old buildings churches
once ornamented with fortunes in gold, silver
and precious stones; in palaces, now in ruin, of
former kings There is now a church for every
few score inhabitants, and shrine exists at
every few yards. There are remains of
mosques and synagogs, for this city was like
wise the favorite Of the Moor and the beloved
of the Jew.
The streets are narrow and winding Some
of them are not wide enough for two donkeys
to pass with their loads. They so winding
that you cannot see more than IS or 100 feet
ahead because of turn. No sun can pene-
trate into some of them to purify them, as
they badly need. The houses are built with
an open court, which is generally ornamented
with fountain and trees and is the only thing
attractive about the entire establishment.
They exist to-day only in very dilapdated
state.
The people have no ambition. If they can
earn n living bv doing odd ioba thav are cnn.