Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-05-25

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Chicago Casino some morning wher
Lake Michigan is in a pensive MOOD
the spell of the somber sheet of water
will fall upon your spirit until you
will realize that his array of cold white
palaces has nothing to offer you. IheI
In a fortunate moment you will see the
monastery Of La Rabida across the mar
row canal, and turn to its refuge as
Columbus did from the courts of Eu
rope that met his appeal with knocking
laughter.
1t stands quite alone on little rocky
promontOry-a low structure Of plaS
ter, rooted with red tiles. Clumsy doors
of dark wood and small square win,
dOWs are let into the rude walls. Ii
is a building that needs the background
of a gray olive grove Of old Spain, or
the wide rolling sweep of the Roman
Campagna dotted with large-horned
slate-colored cattle, to furnish its pro
per setting. But here, dropped down
as it is into a classic renaissance OF
architecture, it makes an atmosphere
of it's own. 1t withdraws into itself and
holds no communication with the paEl-
ceS, except to rebuke their gayety with
it's aSceticism. It has no welcome for
idle mirth, but to all who come weary
of the courts it offers the bread and
wine of knowledge, courage, self-sacrl-
tee and reverence for great deeds done
In the past. You may go there with
some secret hope of high achievement
of your own and it will meet your
mood.
Inside is a large canvas representing
Columbus and his young son receiving
the hospitality of La Rabida. To the
son is given food, and to the father
sympathetic understanding of his adj
venturous soul by the venerable prior
of the monastery. ] wish this picture
was at the entrance to crystalize the
feeling with which one enters the
chapel.
But from the opposite wall starts a
figure that seems to breathe and move.
so vital and intense are attitude and
expression. 1t is Columbus setting foot
ON land. A wide waste of water is be-
hind him. few figures in boat. There
are no Indians, palms, flags, crosses
just the admiral of the ocean-sea and
God above him. The brOnZed, SCARED
face is upturned, the hands forward in
eagerness, the feet planted wide apart
on the spot of earth set in this place
for him. The great heart can almost
be seen to throb under the folds Of his
cloak The beholder knows what right
eouS achievement means
The chapel is lofty. white and bare.
Tiny windows pierce the walls high up
under the pointed arches; curious old
illuminations of the holy family make
a glory about the altar platform.
Among them is a tall cross of mahOg-
any, a fac-simile of the one raised
at San Diego 400 years ago. Below
the pictures are prayer benches. and
leaning in corner in front Of the altar
rail is a corr0ded anchor of iron Of
ancient pattern found near Navidad,
where the Santa Maria was known to
have been wrecked. There is a section
of chain and a piece of c. .nvas from
the caravel 1t is inc""dible tn Vt he wore
the chain. Yet there he is on another
wall. He stands alone under sail
Il
deck Of the ship that he brought in
safety over these unknown waters.
You come to know how the great
navigator looked. SmOoth-faced he
was. with an abundance of gray. then
silver hair that SwocnS back from a
noble brow He has the soul of sea
bird that struggles in the body Of a
man TO be away to lands it knows of
that lie under the languor and storms
of tropics. He is patient with the little
chirping about him because he is great.
but always there is a cry unintelligible
to his companions that rends his breast.
Eighty portraits-oil and ink. painting
and engraving stare down upon you
from the walls. Some are like these |
have Described and some have ruff.
doublet and hose. slashings. buckles
and pointed beard Of EliZabethan days.
You cannot think how they could have
gained credence. Your ideal is au-
fhentic: these portraits are the vain inn
aginingS of artists who tricked out a
popuIar hero of a hundred years earlier
"0~oorv of Sir Walter Raleigh.
We are nearer him now than they were
in the dark ages. and think of him with
dranerv sweeping free from the bronze
column of his neck. the square chin
and face as frankly chiseled with a
dominant thought as an old Greek stat
ne That primal genius never grew a
pointed beard nor rested it in a
startched ruff.
Here is the front elevation ana plan
Of the house where he was born in
Genoa-a narrow house of seven floors
that from the upper windows one could
speak to his nPighbOr across the WAY
From the door-steps of that house his
feet wander to all the courts of Europe.
We see him grow from youth to mid
die age: sea faring man from the age
of fourteen. much given to reading
Marco Polo. At last he is here at the
portals of Ia Rabida. with a hungry
child. vet his soul is undaunted. From
here he goes to the court of Spain
HencefOrth it is he and Isabella. TIC
her he speaks In the centuries when
women were held inferior how did the
painters dare make Isabella the oniv
one To whose ear his message held any
meaning? Ferdinand is there. polite
attentive. little bored. the court def.
erential. 1t is but a few steps to the
next chaper in this grand collection
The sun has come out and floods the
upper galleries built about the inner
court in open logias. The red and or