The record-union., 1894-02-23
SLOW TRAVELLING IN SPAIN,
But Plenty to See When You Have
Time to Spare.
A Cathedral Where the Gloom Disap-
pears Only for Favored Visitors
St. EuIalia is Buried There-CavaIry
That Has Prize Winning Horses
Roses and Birds for Sale In the
Streets,

Streets.
One hears great deal about Spanish
slowness and laziness, and there can be
but very little travelling in and about the
country without having those two char
acteristics brought very prominently INTO
view, says a correspondent OF the New
York Times. To this general reputation
Bercelona forms a very prominent excep-
ton, and one can readily realize the APP
plicability of the term, the 1ankeedom
OF Spain, which has been applied to tins
city. 'Tis hustle and crowding from one
end of the Rambla, the principal thor
oughfare, to the other, and in the whole
sale districts it is as busy as downtown
in New York, with quite as much excite
ment, and probably greater amount OF
noise, for the drivers kept up constant
cracking of their whips and talking to
their teams. They have very popular
way here of clipping their draught ami
mails, particularly those that pull the
horse cars. These are mostly mules, and
all the hair is clipped from their backs
except a lew patches here and there,
which seem TO be left at the fancy OF the
clipper.
Tie car lines run almost everywhere,
and one can quickly find himself out in
the suburban districts, which are beautl-
fully and most enterprlslngly laid out,
far beyond what seems the present needs
of the city. During the greater portion
OF the day these cars are, as rule,
crowded and other cOnVeyanceS, that look
something like our "black Marias." are
also called into play to bring the people to
their shops. Everybody smokes at all
times, regardless as to employment or
time. The car driver smokes pipe and
the conductor a cigarette, or, at least, a
S uccession of them, and all the male pas
sengers are at liberty to indulge. When
one gets of the Ram bla and strikes into
the old city he finds narrow, winding
streets, that are, however, interesting,
and which are quite apt TO lead him into
an unexpected square or close to some
ancient building that has stood the wear
and weather of centuries.
The kambla is fine, broad street, with
a continuous park running through the
center. 1t is lined with cafes and restau-
rants, which are filled every afternoon
and evening with gay crowd drinking
light wines or beer, slipping chocolate or
eating dulces, all engaged in most ami
mated and heated political discussions or
bemoanIng their fate as the result OF the
last lottery drawing is announced.
The Cathedral is intensely gloomy the
greater portion of the time; at least none
of our party ever saw it when the sun
produced the wonderful effects as 1t
streams through the beautiful stained
windows, which other visitors have de-
scribed. The windows themselves are
bright and gorgeous, the principal colorS
being red, purple and blue, and we were
probably not there at the proper time, al
though we went there upon various days.
What we did hear on one occasion was
superb rendering of the vesper service
by number OF male voices, and this was
rich and rare treat, and harmOniZed
perfectly with the surroundings.
There is a subterranean chapel under
the high altar, in which lies the body Of
Saint Eulalia. Tapers are kept constantly
burning here. and it was apparently
much frequented by women, who are
generally seen kneeling and praying
close TO the staircase leading down to
the tomb. Saint Eulalia was noted for
her great beauty, and is said to have
been martyred by Emperor Dacian in
3O9 Many sovereigns are said to have
passed day and night at her shrine. The
cemetery is full of shelves, and is most
curious place, the dead being placed in
rows in the walls. The name OF the per-
sou within the cell is placed in a little
niche. nicho as the Spaniards call it, hav-
ing wire netting or piece of glass over it
for some little gift OF remembrance from
the friends of the one who has passed
away, and one often sees flowers, pict-
ures, and. in cases where children are
buried, toys and playthings. An annual
rental is charged for these spaces, and
should it not be paid the casket can be,
and generally is, taken away and buried
elsewhere. The name is removed from
the niche, and the place made ready Tor
another.
The soldiers are one of the features of
Barcelona, the cavalry being particularly
fine and we'll mounted. The horses here
would, Pm sure, be awarded 'blue rib
bons" at our horseshow at home; they
are fine, well-bred, handsome animals,
and seem to be quite we'll cared for. Some
wit remarked that a French soldier was
Tommy Atkins turned upside down.
Tommy wears a red coat and blue
trousers whereas the Frenchman wears
red trousers and blue coat. 1t is about
the same with a Spaniard in full dress.
They have, however, gray linen canvas
suit for wearing in the field which must
be extremely serviceable and inconspic-
uous. 1t does not show dirt, wears we'll.
is fairly cool under the sun and keeps out
dampness and moisture. They have
black cloth leggings and sandals instead of
shoes, which prevents them from becom-
ing footsore, and enables them to march
ground.
An early morning walk through the
streets is sure to be filled with interes ting
incident, particular on market morning.
''If want 10 know a people thoroughly
l always so through their market, aud
when | see what they eat l can tell you
lust about what the people are like, - said
an old traveller who had had experience
in almost every quarter of the globe.
Here the women do the marketing, and
in twos and threes they trudged through
the street chatterlng Vlvaclously, most
probably telling how they made the gro
Ger or the butcher come down half cop
per or so in his prices. They all had a
1ine healthy look, and are much better
specimens Of humanity than their hus-
bands, or at least than the corresponding
lot of men that one sees going about the
street. They wear no head covering, and
at that time Of day dress in simple cali
Goes, which are, however, cut with some
idea of fitting well. Then, as one strolls
along, be passes stall after stall OF flowers,
beautiful, sweet-scented roses, with girls
10 sell them, looking as fresh and sweet
as the flowers themselves. 1t struck me
that there were finer types OF beauty
among these pretty young faces than L
saw at any of the evening gatherings
where wealth and blue blood are sup
posed to predominate. Their eyes seemed
TO tell with great effect upon the male
portion of the community astir at the
somewhat unconventional hour, and they
did thriving business.
Then alter these fair vendors one strikes
whole lot OF bird cages, hundreds and
hundreds of birds, from the smallest
twitterer TO the barshest and noisiet par
rot, and such noise and confusion were
undesirable after the roses and their ac-
commandments, so we did not go further
in that direction, but turned back to look
at the roses-or perhaps their aceompani-
ments-again. In the evening the trees
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