The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-05-25

lOtCStlNS lSSlSldllOH.
The peasants attract you by their pic
turesque costumes. Taste is triumphant,
artistic effect perfect, almost independent
of means and education, as nature die
tates.
Some peasants are dressed from head
to foot in black velvet, striped shawl of
bright colors is thrown gracefully over
the shoulders, and there may be fez
falling like the Phrygian bonnet on to
the sides and back WI tie canvas shoes,
called alpargatas, are worn, the So)es be
ing of interviewer cords, and fastened
with red or black ribbons crossed at the
ankles and enabling them to walk
stealthily, noiselessly as cat. These
shoes are useful and cheap.
Visiting the cathedral, we met a
battalion Of infantry marching to mass in
the large Eglesia church, facing Our
hotel
The uniform of these troops is almost
like that of the French soldiers, includ-
ing red trousers, blue-grey coats and
hunting caps. They had alpargatas and
proceeded without noise. Their youth
was striking, stature low, complexion
brown, bodies thin; all looked clean, steps
were short, quick, graceful, with pride in
their erect bearing and martial air.
The cathedral of Barcelona is grand
and to be classed with the best churches
of Spain. Very interesting is the tomb
of St. Eulalia besides which, many
princes and archbishops are buried
there.
A suggestive object is cross from
one of the ships engaged in the battle Of
Lepanto uninjured by the shower Of
shots falling around it, and away over
head in the apex Of the arch is suspended
a model of that ship, oar-rigged and
used by San Juan of Austria in fighting
the Turks There is also an enormous
head of Saracen, hideous in look, with
a gigantic, gaping, grinlacing mouth,
from which in the great festas, bonbons
fall to the happy children below.
The other monuments are unimpor-
tant There are two palaces used by the
Government as offices; one is called
Casa de Deputation, and the other
Casa Consistorial These palace-ofices
are of the 18th and 10Th centuries re-
spectively; they are vast piles without
interest. There is also palace of the
Inquisicion of dark repute (Spain the
land of its birth), and it retains the titles
and terrible souvenirs of those awful
days when religious persecution was
paramount.
Amusement is not neglected, for there
is circus, holding ten thousand people
for the peculiar Spanish recreation, las
corridas de Toros, the bull fight, which
seems as essential to a Spaniard as the
air.
Some different ideas are suggested by
the cemetery which we visited. 1t is
outside Barcelona in a vast plane, and
looks like a garden. When in Gods
Acre the silent state is like Pompeii, as
it is laid out in long, deserted streets,
with high walls each side.
The dead are placed in compartments
in the walls, in layers and rows, like
drawers in drug store.
Every space containing coffin is
labelled with name of deceased. Most
compartments have cage-like enclos-
ure of iron in front in which are placed
little things which were dear to the de-
parted, in some instances indicating the
profession or trade followed, portraits,
affairs, lace, artificial flowers, ribbons,
collars, toys, books, images being gen
eral. saw tress of hair which had
belonged to young girl, with card at
tached bearing the words, "Nuestra
Querida" (Our Darling).
hunted up my old professor who had
taught me the rudiments of colloquial
Spanish in 1889, at which historic period
spent six months in Spain, and with
him and Rennyson we went to the lead
ing cafes and clubs.
The cafes in Barcelona, like most ot
such places in Spain, consist of one large
hall, ,ornamented with oil paintings, fres-
Goes and mirrors galore, every inch O.
space available being used for table
room. These cafes are always crowded
the evening seeing all seats occupied
chairs being at a premium. At nearly
every table are five or six caballeros, pat
ronizing cigarillos and dominoes, thu
latter being the favorite game in Spain
for from morning to midnight the click
click is so loud at the tables that shout
ing is imperative to reach the ears o
your neighbor.
Nearly everybody takes chocolate, al
excellent drink, served in pigamy cups
and in such thickness the spoon will
stand in it, while the heat is enough t.
burn the throat A large glass Of waite
and cake called bollo are served will
this choice liquid.
The Spaniard is not liquor drinker
| ht,k ~ :,,kaes4r H,Ol