The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-03-08

town numbering about 10000 poplla-
ton.
We arc in Spain, without doubt, for
now here else could one see this open al
life. these streets filed with men. Wo-
Mon and children, the women maItel
the men in picturesque capos mulne'l
about the throat, the children Begging.
al lauobinc. They seemed to think ue
GREAT fun. Most of US wanted 10 flhl
some Malaga grapes and 10 see q typlcai
Senorita. We could not find the grapes
COMPROMISING on dates. but did see one
genuinely beautiful girl. The women as
4 rule. are singularly unlovely. Inc
average one being a sort of composite
of ~cmbonpoint lustrous eyes, mealy
corarleXicns II animal mouths. We
took in the capes, heard some music.
drank Il little eXecrablc coffee and rolled
in 10 the "-Allcr" at 10 O'Clock with Z
comfortable sense Of having made Z
thoroughly correct and proper night 81
it ON foreign soil.
We are off for Grenada, 100 miles a
cross the mountains next morning Il
sunrise. | am sure this trip VIII never
fade from the memory of the dullest III
tclligence i'll this great company. The
way lay along the fair Audalusian Val
ley anu over lllc boItIId NtN"to mum
tains. The country was Il fruit garden
from the mountain sides to the roadhcd.
Giant cactus hedges, forests Of almond
trees III full bloom, groves Of lemon ard
orange and olive mantle the landscape
with = strange t~ropical beauty. Til
homes Of the people and the lirtle VII
lagos c~linging to the hill sides tleck sN-
erything with white. The scenery Is
really grand. Now the train flashed
through a great cut, reaching Il canon and
sheer mountains rising thousands
Of feet, and now through
gentle valleys, the red goats
browning on the slopes, the poor patient
donkey. with panniers laden with olive
brush, and some picturesque wretch IN Il
red sash, standing I'm tn fields. The
whole party had lunch at Bobadilla and
after %kodaking everything in Gi"ht and
asking many vain questions. left JAe
rather Sullcn village for the final ride
to Grenada. The snow capped mountains
burst or US at San Francisco.
\ gifted idiot on board tried to insist
that it was white sand instead of snGw
on the mountains. OF course no self
respecting person noticed him. He :
still talking about it and has Il thcroy.
At two O'Clock we reached Grenada. and
rode about two miles through the city
to the Alhambra. 1t was an amazing
ride with impressions streaming in upon
one like Il tide. The ancient city of
Ferdinand and Isabella. the still NOR,
ancient city Of the proud Moorish Kings.
| where Boabdil suffered anu Columbus
dreamcd of the new world. The pOpu-
latlon met us us we are wont to meet
Barnum's circus with the vital distinc-
! 11na tho NJ 1x,nnn 10 80 40 hn ,nnn
Streets were lined, small boys with
school books in hand, gamin, : proud
don giving us Il rather naughty glance
and the absurd little balconies %thronged
with senoras and senoritas who smiled
and winked at us, and we smiled and
winked ut them, at least, some did, 70
| caught them i'll the act.
In the Cathedral we saw the Sarco-
| phagi of Ferdinand and Isabella and in
the crypt. the leaden collins containin.
their ashes and the crowns and sceptel
which they Wore and welded. At about
; o'clock We had lunch Al Fresco' il
ALEXANDRIA grounds, near the Washing
ton Irving Hotel. The scene looked like
II sunday school picnic and the crowd
acted like two Of them. happy. eager al
most Historically interested in the mar
velous things before their eyes. Tn
wholesome sandwiches, sinister hunk.
of cheese. bits of any Old bird with here
and there Il bottle of beer mo rhyme
intended lay along to tables, wiki
above and around cleaned the towers
and courts Of the far famed Alhambr;
and the wonderful park with its serene
and august beauty. the whole wills
perlng the enchantments of a far of
age and girt with the spell which Irving
| NynCo a bn1t II 90 into tho hoar+ Of ~,
erican childhood. We spent three hour
under intelligent guidance studying the
tout ensemble and the details of thu
Alhambra. 1t was utterly Inadequate
but | would not De without the men
tai pictures. The Alhambra is 4 serie.
of irregular buildings situated in a great
park.
The eXteriors are defaced and unim
presSive. The interiors are of amazin.
beauty, standing for the highest arts
TIC conception of the Moorish race.
can not attempt an orderly description
here. The Court OF Lions and the Hal
of Ambassadors pleased me most. WheI
| find time | shall ny to think it all over
At present one has Il bright vision q
slender columns, graceful arches. arab
es1ueS Ill ivory Stucco like lace, blu,
red and gold tintS on walls that are no
walls but soft. sweet masses Of billow,
color. 1t may be IL sacrilege but tn,
color scheme seemed Il trifie ovcr don,
III spots to my poor eyes and vet til,
earth holdS few faircr things to SCI
than this glorious fancy of the ancestor
IF the men Wh' IN we are to see to-mor
row.. squalid, wild and ignorant in tn
streets Of .Algiers.
Back through Grenada TO Malaga W.
come. reaching the great ship long afte
midnight. and Immediately sail away flo
the shores of Africa. The day we passe
in Spain was trying to body and min
and we shall not again have such
day, but it stitched itself on the brait
forever. | fancy there is nothing in al
chitecture like the Arhambra unless it b
the TAI Mahal in India. 1t is solcm,
like Il church and inviting as a hall Of r.
vclS. 1t illustrates the s~acredneSs O
beauty as nothing on earth can do unleS
It be some great unselfish life toiling ami
graspin@ men.
All day to-day THURSDAY. Feb. II
the noble steamer which We are begin
nlng to think Of as home has been eli,
| 'nr thrnlpbl thn l-inl1y- L