The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-07-30
EUROPEAN LETTER.
lur Special Correspondent Writes
from the Land of the Dons.

as one lOOhS out OIL IDe IaGClCeu
windows of the Alhambra, the eye
falls on group of low yellow houses
across the rayine. The scene is ro-
mantle enough to arouse the ina.
gination of an Esquimau. The pic
tlFesque city, with its vari-colored
buildings and rose-flled gardens;
Sierra Nevadas beyond. From this
window princess doubtless leaned
to listen to the song of her lover, in
the ravine below; or perhaps priso-
ner watched anxiouslY for the signal
Of those who would aid his escape.
And the effect of the whole is en-
HANGED when the guide, noticing
that your glance is resting on the
cluster of houses, says "That is the
gypsy settlement. ''
Perhaps nowhere better than in
Spain can one fine examples of the
pure Romany-that strange people
whose origin is unknown and who
have retained, in spite of their nom
adic life, their own language and
Customs. Tramp and vagabonds of
M y1rietles have chosen. style them
esgyes gypsies; but the genuine race
has an individuality of its own,
which both Longfellow and George
Eliot have thought worthy Of i'm
mortalizing in poetry.
On the evening of our arrival in
Granada, the landlord asked if we
wished to visit the gypsy quarters
and see their dance the next day.
The Alhambra had so pre-occupied
our minds that we had not given the
gypsIes a thought, and were not IN
terested in visiting them. But few
days later, after W had spent hours
daily in the literal castle in the air
that was once the palace Of Moorish
kings, we remembered our hosts
suggestion and called a carriage.
Some English tourists who were
staying at the same hotel joined us
and we drove out of the city and up
the hill. We were surrounded as
soon as we stopped by crowd of
gypsies-heavy bearded forbidding
looking men; black eyed girls offer
ing to tell fortunes, smiling children
begging for pennies, which like
crones looking for something to
steal. One man who seemed to be
spokesman at once opened transact
ions, and asked if we wanted to see
the dance: 1t wou'u cost us IS pese-
tas (7) for our parv. We declared
that this was to- ~pensiye. How
much would we 9 .? they asked.
Fifteen pesetas, we said. They de-
cIared it could d he thought of,
every we'll we wered and told
the driver to return to the city,
But the gypsies held a consultation
ana came down to thirty. We were
inhexible. Would we give twenty
five: ono" Much haggling and
discussion ensued, and finally we
compromised on twenty. Promptly
we were escorted to a room, which
probably the largest their houses
contained, was small enough. We
sat around the walls, among the
friendly gypsy spectators, and with
clicking of castanets and monoto
nous clapplng the hands the dances
began. Every now ana then their
friends would call to the performers
as though to encourage them; but
it seemed unnecessary, for more
animation and grace l have never
seen. They danced all together,
in couples, and singly; but always
with the same ease and freedom.
One of the best dancers was young
girl of about eighteen. | noticed
that in the pauses she picked up and
caressed pretty baby that sat on
the floor. "Mi nino" she said, in
answer to my inquirng glance.
"And your husband?" | asked,
looking at a young man who had
been her partner IN the last dance.
ooh no; he's in Cuba" she an
swered cheerfully, and then, the next
dance being called she went on with
as much spirit as though her husbad
might not at that moment be Ian
gushing in a yellew fever hospital.
The baby clapped its hands and
swayed its tiny body in imitation of
the motion of the others. The pref
test dance of all La Juta, they call
itl was just then being given as a
duo by its mother and young man.
II was a delight to watch their 1.-the
untiring bodies their movements
that seemed inspiring by the caprice
of the moment, and the obvious
pleasure that they took in dancing.
We. paid them and left; but part
way down the hill half a dozen of
them overlook us, insisting that one
of the 5 peseta pieces (about equal
to dollar that we had given him
was false. Now there is much coun-
terfeit money in Spain, but we were
sure that that piece of coin had