Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-04-14
Letter from Spain.
CAnIk. Spain. Feb. y. ls92

bctsSA IIu4l cpdIu'
CApik, Spain Feb. -. ls92
mar AMERICAN
When freigi,ts are somewhat better an
pleasing 10 write and to many of your
readers living near the surf. | am led tn
believe, Il i interesting. But just a. this
time 10 write in any way regarding vessels
i, hu: al unpleasant way of keeping the
mourner> worked up. Therefore, in
stead Of writing a. you suggested. de-
sire to make few candid and, IL possible,
l5cliuu- remarks concerning thi, bcnght-
ell country and then 10 mention some
things in general and near home in partic
ular. You may think am suffering from
The gIip, but such Is not the case, Be
yond the common cares of business and
perennial cold feet | have no aches; and
being in the land OF the Dons. seated in
large, square backed oak chair. marked
down TO four dollars, ST desk made By
Gnpiil, the marksman, and with pen In
It's ripe ninth year. ought 10 write well
and not unkindly. Some Of your readers
II here. would no doubt see many interest
ing things 10 write about, but these old
gray haired places never had any charm
for me. and only see the absurd side Of
them.
TO me progressive country and people
ar he Oh 1tpf, l,fA. har
use the term, they seem TO be advancing
backward. On every hand one can but
notice the ancient ways and customs Of
dong things the extreme ignorance and
poverty Of the common people ana he way
they are ground down 10 support the church
and state. II this country was well man
aged it might be one Of the gardens of
the earth-one Of the bright spots of the
world. There Is no climate more kind, no
,oi. more generous | believe it il safe to
say that outside Of = majority Of the higher
iiirals Of The government and the priests,
more than niue-teEth> of the people are
secretly rebels and any such sentiment
never had greater cause 10 be cherished in
the hearts Of people. The ignorance
which the government and church foster
for the common people Is what keeps them
dOwn.-they do not know their strength
nor how to use 1t for their own good. The
government j. having more trouble at this
time to keep the people in subiection than
the outside world has any know ledge Of.
A force Of twenty thousand soldiers In the
city Of Barcelona is required and kept
there 10 maintain the peace. Men are be-
ing put 10 death more than often under
the name of anarchists when they are
nothing more than poor men made desper-
ate and rebellious through hunger and op.
pressIon.
Some Of the people inquired why our
tiags were set to-day. and OF being told that
this was the birthday of the one who led tue
American people out Of bondage they show
a wistful interest and exclaim. "Ah, buea
rspabAco" If all Americans travelled
more their patriotism would be greater
They should see more of how some other
people live and suffer, and they would bet
ter know how to thank their God that they
are subjects Of the finest government that
the sun in all his course has yet frightened
or will ever see. and ruled by the great
est emperor that nation can ever know.
the will Of free, prosperous and intel
ligent people,
This Cadz is walled city-a city with
in fort, nearly surrounded by the sea,
with but one gate towards the country and
two towards the qnays. First settled by
the hpnicians-eyidently not so much
for its natural conyeniences for commerce
a for its peninsula and defensive site. 1t
somewhat scarce rains, Qately water
pipe has been laid across the bay from
Santa Maria and this very inconvenient
fact was used as severe weapon by the
French in the long Napoleonic siege of the
city. To now see the guns, citadels and
soldiers, one might think it still to be un-
der an active state of siege. Soldiers, SOL
diers everywhere. / have one of my own,
d
officer. He has a loaded gun, a keen
sword, q pointed bayonet and other ac-
coutrements of bloody war. The govern
ment boards him with me for nothing and
be is no dyspeptic, but have every reason
to hope he may be before all of my proyis-
ions give out. He is placed here to see
that do not smuggle ashore a fve-cent
cut of forecastle tobacco, and then, fear
ing he has not done his whole duty by me,
am inspected each time pass in by the
city gates; not SO thoroughly as a doc
tor at home might inquire into the lungs
and the hearts minor secrets Of an appli-
cant for life insurance, but by kind Of
an aggravating up and down optical ques-
tioning have sometimes thought they
feel suspicious that anything like large.
blondish stranger may be going to take
the city. But that, however, can hardly
be their thought because they scarcely
notice one passing out and apparently
| would not know whether had taken the
town or not. Well, if l should I wouldn't
know what to do with it, except possibly
taking it home for some dime museum.
We are not having any bull fights just
now: we got all out of bulls but are laying
in a stock for the soon-coming carnival.
Tbev have little recreation of that kind
every Sunday in Madrid-after prayers.
Rvrou. in Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, very
oraphically sets out Sundays pleasure
of this kind here in Cadiz. lunched to-
d.v in a restaurant of considerable style
where the prices are only doubled for