The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-06

streets and cafes Of this Andaluslan
town numbering about 10000 popula-
ton.
We are in Spain, without doubt, for
nowhere else could one see this open air
life, these streets filled with men. wo-
men and children, the women mantled
the men in picturesque capes muftied
about the throat, the children begging,
all laughing. They seemed to think us
great, fun. Most of us wanted to find
some Malaga grapes and to see Il typical
Senorita. We could not find the grapes
COMPROMISING on dates, but did see one
genuinely beautiful girl. The women as
a rule, are singularly unlovely. The
average one being a sort of composite
of embonpoint lustrous eyes, mealy
coranlexicns am animal mouths. We
took in the capes, heard some music,
drank little eXecrable coffee and rolled
in to the "Aller" at 10 o'clock with II
comfortable sense of having made a
thoroughly correct and proper might of
it ON foreign soil.
We are off for Grenada, $50 miles a.
cross the mountains next morning a
sunrise. | am sure this trip will never
fade from the memory Of the dullest i'll
telligcnce i'll this great company. The
way lay along the fair Audalusian Val
ley and over the Sierra Nevada mOun-
tains. The country was a fruit garden
from the mountain sides to the roadbcd.
Giant cactus hedges, forests of almond
trees in full bloom, groves of lemon and
orange and olive mantle the landscape
with n strange tropical beauty. Tn
homes of the people and the lirtle vii
lagos cl;nging to the hill sides fleclI ev-
erything with white The scenery is
really grand. Now the train flashed
through 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 in tn fields. The
whole party had lunch at Bobadilla and
after kodaking everything in t;;ght and
asking many vain questions, left rne
rather sullen village for the final ride
to Grenada. The snow capped mountains
burst on us at San Francisco.
A gifted idiot on board tried to insist
that it was white sand instead of snow
on the mountains. OF course no self
respecting person noticed him. He is
still talking about it and has a therOy.
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 tide. The ancient city of
Ferdinand and Isabella, the still more
ancient city of the proud Moorish Kings.
tNl, ,I,t,.
dreamed of the new world. The pOpu-
lation met us as we are wont TO meet
Barnums circus with the vital distinc-
ton that WE! were to leave the money.
Streets were lined. small boys with
school books in hand, gam'n, proud
don giving us IL rather naughty glance
and the absurd little balconies thronged
with senoras and senoritas who smiled
and winked at lis, and we smiled and
winked at them, at least, some did, fo
| caught them in the act.
In the Cathedral we saw the SarcO-
phagi Of Ferdinand and Isabella and in
the crypt, the leaden collins containing
their ashes and the crowns and scepter
which they wore and welded. AT about
3 o'clock we had lunch fAl Fresco" in
ALEXANDRIA grounds. near the Washing
ton Irving Hotel. The scene looked like
d sunday school picnic and the crowd
acted like two of them. happy, eager al
most Historically interested in THE mar
velons things before their eyes. Tn
wholesome sandwiches, sinister hunks
of cheese, bits of any old bird with here
and there a bottle of beer tho rhyme
intended lay along to tables, while
above and around cleaned the towers
and courts of the far famei Alhambra
and the wonderful park with its serene
and august beauty, the whole whis-
pering the entertainments of a far off
age and girt with the spell which irving
wove about it aad into the heart of Am
erican childhood. We spent three hours
under intelligent guidance studying the
tout ensemble" and the details of the
Alhambra. 1t was utterly inadequate,
out | would not be without the mem
tai pictures. The Alhambra is a series
of irregular buildings situated in a great
park.
The exteriOrS are defaced and unim-
pressiye The interiors are of amazing
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 Hall
Of Ambassadors pleased me most When
I find time / shall Try TO think it all over
At present one has bright vision Of
slender columns, graceful arches, arab
esques in ivory stucco like lace, blue
red and gold tints on walls that are not
walls but soft, sweet masses of billowy
color. 1t may be sacrilege but the
color scheme seemed a trife over done
in spots to my poor eyes and yet the
earth holds few fairer things to see
than this glorious fancy of the ancestors
IF the men VIII, IN we are to see to-mor-
row. squalid, wild and ignorant in the
streets of AlgieIs.
Back through Grenada to Malaga we
come, reaching the great ship long after
midnight, and Immediately sail away for
the shores of Africa. The day we passed
in Spain was trying to body and mind
and we shall not again have such 4
day, but it stitched itself on the brain
forever. ! fancy there is nothing in ar
chitecture like the Arhambra unless it be
The Tai Mahal in India. 1t is solemn
ike church and inviting as a hall of re-
Vels. 1t illustrates the sacredness of
beauty as nothing on earth can do unless
II be some great unselfiSh life toiling amid
grasping men
All day to-day Thursday, Feb. IL.