Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-02-24
EUROPEAN LETTER.
FOR THE MONITOR


Spain is the absence of fellow tour
lists. The "Nectar of romance and
adventure has not all been drained
by curious Americans and discon-
tented English, and one finds the
people are musical, picturesque and
unciean as could be wished. The
local color and life have withstood
the comparatively little invasion of
travel, and though Granada with it's
incompatible Alhambra has been the
goal of more curiosity and sight see
ing than other Spanish cities it re-
tains many Of it's purely character
istic and delightful features. One Of
these is the gypsy camp in the out
skirts of the city. We drove there
late one afternoon and saw the gypsy
in his native lair. Cervantes alone
describes these people as, "Just as
God made them and of ten times
worse.n Education has never laid
her rule or ferule on them; honesty
and morality have passed the NJ in de-
spair, and if the proverb affirming
the proximity Of cleanliness and god
illness is true the gypsies are ''way
off," 1t has been enough for them
that they live and they have never
asked those enigmatical questions,
whence, why, and whittier. Their
houses are caves and we were allow
ed to go through one. The first room
he, lit 40 loc
choicest one the abode of the pigs.
There were many of these cOmpart-
ments about the size Of steamer
state room, and as one CROPPED his way
by the aid of a small candle into tn
depths of the hill, the smell became
painfully prominent. The pigs, though,
like the gipsies, were cOntented, and
the fact of being kept in the parlor or
spare room, added no arrogance to
their amiable manners. Evidences of
certain luxurious tastes were to be
seen in the cave, such as a piece of
carpet before each bed on the earth
floor, and stovepipe running up
from the kit chen fire place. Indeed
artistic taste was also manifest, for
hanging over the bed in one of the
rooms was a highly colored adver-
tisement Of German beer.
When we left the cave we were
told that we could see the real and
genuine gypsy dance for the modest
sum Of seven dollars, but We declined.
Our interpreters after consultation
with the gypsies told us that our econ
omy would be respected and the
dance given for five dollars. AS we
drove regretfully away we were again
informed that though it was great
sacrifice and altogether unparalleled in
the annals of history we might see
it for three dollars. We accepted
this proposition though it developed
that we really paid four dollars, the
last one being in redemption of
counterfeit dollar that had been sub
stituted for the good one we had Civ
en-. The coin was probably product
of gypsy ingenuity and SO far as I
know, the transaction may be one of
their established ways of making an
honest dollar, SO to speak. The dance
however, was quite worth the ex-
perience. Accompanied by our guides
and two policemen who, it was ex-
planned were necessary for our safety
and who only added to our general
feeling of insecurity, we went up
dark alley, a darker flight Of steps
and into a tiny room where the or
chestra and dancers were assembled.
The orchestra consisted of three men
who played the guitar, mandoline,
and tambourine. The dancers were
four ugly women and pretty one, all
gorgeously arrayed in bright calicoes
and with artificial flowers in their
coarse, dark hair. The services open
ed with a frightful song that nearly
deafened US, who, on account of
the size of the room were within two
feet of the singers. Then the women
danced together, active, spirited
dance such as Kiralfy Iabors in vain
to get. This was followed by sort
of danse du centre. There were sew
eral graceful figures danced by the
women, and the one, ola Hata.n by
the tambourine player and the pretty
girl, which was quite the prettiest of
all, and would compare favorably
with the best dances on the American
stage. During the performance I
wondered that some enterprisinp
American had not imported them all