The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-28
IN THE SPANISH CAPITAL.
Farewell Guardianship Isidro, the
PlOyvmuu's saint.

Especial Correspondence of the Journal
and Courier.)
Madrid Spain, June 30,-To imagine
the Spanish capital without it's Prado Is
as impossible as the play of Hamlet
with the Prince OF Denmark left out
The great parl-or. more correctly
Notwithstanding nearly th.el
miles along the whole eastern side OF
the city, is the daily gathering place OF
all classes of it's people, the center OF
its fashionable social life, and the
scene of its intrigues amorous and po-
litcal. The familiar saying, Matches
are made in Heaven" is here amended,
to state, with more of truth, that they
are made on the Prado; for nowhere
else, amid the rigorous restrictions OF
Spanish etiquette, can Romeo meet his
Juliet and WOO her in the wotdlass Ian
suage of lovers.
The word prado means meadow,
and this afforded scanty pasturage for
goats and mules until Charles III met
amorphosed it into a charming drive
and promenade, overarched with trees
the whole connected with the gardns
! and miniature lakes of Buen Retro,
laid out for Philip ". Fountains and
statues divide it into four imaginary
/ sections. each known under a different
name--an arrangement, by the way,
which is very confusing to strangers
who naturally infer that several parks
are indicated instead of only one Thus
the least popular portion of the Prado,
| called de Castellapa,' extends from the
Hippodrome, past the beautiful new
. eto Of far tho Mint
where the "Paseo de Recoletas' is
supposed to begin. The latter, contnu-
ing as far as the splendid fountain of
| Cybyle, mergaa at that point into the
Salon del Prado," until Neptune foun-
tain is reached, when 1t again changes
| it's name to "Paseo del Prado,'' and
goes on its way past the Royal Picture
Gallery and the Botanical Garden to
Atocha chapel, in which the queen and
| her children, with most of the court,
perform their vesper devotions. That
most aristocratic portion near the up
per end, known as Salon del Prado
is the great center Of attraction; and
thither, just before sunset, everybody
goes to Sc and be seen Of men, to en-
Joy the cool breezes and to chat with
friends, who are certain to be there
All who can afford it, and very many
who cannot go in carriages, and al
ways in his, or her, best clothes-for
the true Spaniard Will practice the
closest parsimony at home in order to
keep up a creditable appearance
abroad. The scene is indeScribably
brilliant-hundreds of handsome equip
ages, crowds of elegantly dressed ladies
and gentlemen, picturesque groups of
peasants each clad as in Josephs coat
of many colors, and nurses without
number in gaudy costumes of scarlet,
orange or purple, often all those hues
combined in one short-skirted gown
slaahed with broad stripes of black vel
vet, looking like animated rainbows as
they dart about after their children,
Cronies sit together on stone benches
under the acacia trees smoking their
cigarettes and discussing questions OF
the day, in all the languages Of Europe
French and Spanish predomnating.
Indeed, SO much French is jabbered on
every side, combined with Partisan
fashions and elegance that you might
easily imagine yourself in the "Alee
DIES Acacias' of the Partisan Bots.
Only the customs differ greatly-some
that are de riguer here would be con-
sidered cause for duel in France;
such as putting cigar smoke in a lady's
face, or for unknown admirers to range
themselves in solid phalanx directly in
front of her and near as they can get, |
and deliberately stare her out of coun- |
tenance perhaps with opera glasses.
Bellies to the manor born consider this |
the highest of compliments, but fancy |
an American woman's disgust at such |
brutal rudeness and the righteous |
wrath of her husband or brother!
Meanwhile carriages and pedestrians
so slowly round and round--the fash |
icnable world never venturinR an inch |
beyond Cybele fountain at one end and |
a queer obelisk called Dos de Mayo |
(second of May) at the other. The Sa |
lon del Prado proper is exactly five |
hundred yards long by eighty broad, |
with two driveways and several prone
nades between oyerarching avenues of |
acacia trees, bordered on either eide by |
tiny gardens It's roads are always |
muddy from constant volumes Of water |
squirted over them to subdua the dust, |
and all the trees appear to be growing |
in ponds, channels being cut to convey
the water to their roots. All along the I
way are hundreds Of iron chairs, placed |
back to back, for rent, at the rate of /
five centavos for as long a time as may
be desired. One of the most amusing
things to the observant spectator is to
watch the manoeuvres Of lovers and CO.
quoting couples to outwit stern duen-
mas by securing chairs set back to back
to note the little hands that are sur
,p,,tjtip11 S1N gifnnn1 hnbiTA hi11lat- |