Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-08-22
At A SPANISH HOTEL.
The Natives Trifle Too Polite 70,
Comfort,

The Natives TriAe Too Polite for
Comfort.
Elizabeth Robins Pencil writes Of
'"Thc Lights and Shadows of the AL.
hambsa" In the Century. She thus de.
scribcs her experiences In Spanish
hotel near the Alhambra:
The breakfast hour, however, varied
according 10 each ones fancy. 1t was
only at dinner that all the boarders sat
down together. Generally we were not
more than six or eight to gather round
the lamp-llt table, and J. and were
the only foreigners. The others were
natives Of Granada who had left its
heated streets for the cool grove, or
else Andalisinns from near towns TAX.
Ing short holiday. They were, II any
thing, too friendly; for. though our
conversation with many was limited
to "Buenas dlas" and "l,uenns tardes,"
this and bow were expected every
time we met. TO us. of a less polite
race, II became something Of n nuts.
nnce. With n few friendliness went
further. especially with an afnlablc and
pious family from Cadlz. who were our
nclghbors at table for fortnight. The
mother and two daughters were always
yelled In their mantillas. II by chance
we saw them In the morning on their
way to or from mass. But they were
never without smiles for us. and tho
father spoke some English. lie was 10
extremely civil at all times that we
were the more surprised one evening
when he lost his temper outright.
II like everything In your country
except your wine." J. told him, in an.
swer to a lending question; for we
never could get used to the vile flavor
Of pigskin.
He turned upon us in fury. "whnti
not like my wine? But It is good
best. send It almost all to England"
The trouble was, he was a wine mcr.
Chant. and lie could not he convinced
that j. meant nothing personal until we
had Kept awake the long evening with
him over bottle of his sherry,
Then we had bride and groom from
Malaga, and the groom also spoke
English. He told us they had come that
they might. during their honeymoon,
hear little birds sing, md wander un.
der green trees, which we thought q
pretty sentiment until It had been re.
peatcd to every man, woman and child
In the hotel. From the beginning Of
dinner to the end one Of the little girls
from Cadiz would keep up ccaseless
cultural prnttle. Those occasional man
dOllns would rouse the bride into q
autter Of excitement: Il was n song OF
Malaga they were playing, she would
then lean over to explain. But their
tranquil gaicty never Jared; II seemed
as much part Of the summer silence
as the chanting Of the crickets In the
grove.
The arrival Of the Warehouses was
the first shock that shook us out Of our
slumbers. She lived In Granada; two
Of her children had whoOping.cougli.
and she had chosen the hotel rs pleas.
ant hospital for them. never knew
any one 10 pcrvadc plnce rs she did.
II we went to sit In tho rocking. chairs
In front. there she was with her whoop.
ing babics: II we hurried back into the
hail, she was mt our heels: ana we
could not retreat into the dull, gloomy.
uninviting sitting room that she and
her nursery. whooping and yelling. did
not follow. This was bad enough. but
what mattcrcd moro wns that she turn.
cd our peaceful garden Into sick.
room. and our dinner into public re.
ceptiOn. BY the second course one
child or the other always began to
whOOp, ana had to be carried away,
purple and choking: by the third there
was n great Gathering Of horse.hOofs In
tho road below the terrace. and the
Marquis would pull up his horse. and
tho MarchiOncss would rush to lean
over the balustrade and give him her
harsh. voluble report: he was afraid, II
seemed. OF the contagion which lie had
passed on to us 80 cheerfully. BY tho
fourth a party of friends would troop
into the garden and young ladies' and
priests and expansive dOwngers would
make a circle round the table, and
watch us as we ate. suppose II would
have been a dreadful breach Of Spanish
etiquette had they been asked to dine,
or, II asked. had they accepted! 1t was
detestable. The whole atmosphere.
the whole feeling. Of the hotel ana its
gardens was changed. But the other
Spanish did not like It a bit better. Ev.
erybody grumbied, everybody com.
planned, and with heroic effort tho
manager got up enough energy to tell
the Marchioncss, she must 90. and we
all dozed back into our accustomed
habits,