The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-09-15


which the tourist receives upon his en-
trance into any Spanish city is Of the
incredible numbers of muscular mendi-
cants-men of unusual size, their ruff
fanly, staggering strength exaggerat-
ed by the national cloak, The garment
Is of heavy, tufted wooden, long and
fringed almost indestructable, serving
from generation to generation ana ire
quently worn to muflle half the face.
The broad slouch hat above 1t, usually
with a couple of bedraggled feathers
stuck in the band, does not tend to
soften the brigandish effect His hlgh-
ness the beggar, does not deign to So
licit alms--he reaches out his dirty hand
and demands money in the name of the
patron saint. To refuse is to inure the
dire peril of the Curse Of the Unfortu-
nate which all Spaniards, and partic-
ularly young, unmarried women, dread
as they do the Prince of Darkness him
self. The government must reap con-
siderable revenue from the disgraceful
crowds whose living upon the world for
funds it encourages by license. There
is a magic formula of dismissal which
is constantly on the lips of all Span
iards, and which the foreigner will do
we'll to adopt Translated into English,
| it is; Pardon me, brother, for Gods
sake" The beggar who has followed
YOU half a mile with insolent demands
will fall back. good naturedy enough,
as soon as he hears ii. 1t is the beg
CARS custom to come up from their ken
mel homes very early in the morning to
make a tour of the city before taking
! 20, of ho
doors of the various churches. Each
seems to be provided with green pud-
ding" in his garlic-pot, and he casts as
he goes along and prays as he eats,
stopping in front of the iron-lattice
gates that guards the patio-entrance of
every wealthy mansion, Here he makes
prodigious racket, shaking the iron
rods furiously, and all the while NUT
tering his prayers until some member
of the family appears at the gallery
window. Then instantly the mutter be-
comes a whine, a pitlful tale is walled
forth and aims dolefully implored "for
the love of God" But though such
notices as Poverty is No Crime" Re
member the Poor" etc, are painted on
many of these fine houses, the probable
tiles are that the unmoved sonora Of
the case will answer, Pardon for Gods
sake, brother" and swiftly retire, to
reappear again and again with the same
potent formula to silence other members
of the mendicant. fraternity. Many
times during the day every Spanish lady
is compelled to use the same appeal
On her way to church and home again
she utters it swiftly dozens of times
On crlo n tho NJ
washed hands thrust into her face as
she passes.
However, each of the countless hordes
is sure to gather In enough centimes
every day for his garlic and cigarettes,
the prime necessities of life, which, with
the broken bits of food received, support
life sumptuously according to his
ideas) to good old age. No doubt a
large portion of the beggars' revenue is
insured by the national superstitious
fear of the curse. The more vicious oil
the begging fraternity keep close watch |
upon the ways of the wealthy young |
senoritas and station themselves where |
they must pass whenever they go out. |
Thus from ball, bull-ring, theater even |
her own door, a burly beggar bars her |
way asking insolently for money. If |
it is not forthcoming, or in sufficient |
quantity, dirty, rosarled arm is rails
ed, the evil eye" fixed upon the DOOM !
ed one and the Curse Of the Unfortu-
nate Observation-Disclosures to childess-
ness and spinsterhood-to avert which
will bring the last centayo out of the
senoritas purse.
A drive of six hours over African
like plains broken by boulders of gray
rock, brings you to Zamora, pirched on
It's steep hilltop above the Duero river
a town whose name awakens thou
sand recollections of the medieval chiv-
airy and romance. Doubtless its name
was derived from the Arabic samurah
Spanish zamarra), meaning sheepskin
Jacket, worn by the peasant warriors
IF other days. Some old books call 1t
The Eye of the Duero," Placed on the
barrier river, 1t was an important
stronghold against Moorish invasion,
ind it's arms still show its bridge, with
.wo towers and a flag. History says
hat ZamOra was recovered from the
nfdel in the year 748 by Alfonso de Cat
,lico, but was again besieged by Abdul
'-rahman in the summer Of 1877, when
desperate battle was fought for its
'elief by Ramero II. After that the
own was rendered almost unassailable
~ being enclosed within seven lines of
walls. However, it was retaken and
destroyed by the great AL Mansul, in
which battle forty thousand Moors were
TILED; and in 1865 Ferdinand l. rebuilt
he city and presented it to his daugh-
err the Dona Urraca.
An hours time is all you need devote
o Zamora. You enter the town by an {
ncient, gate-defended bridge of seven {
cen pointed arches over the deep and
ushing Duero, and find yourself at once {
n its single, long, narrow street, wind
ng along the breezy hilltop and domi- :
ated by an immense Mosque-like gran t
te cathedral. This eleventh century
anctuary, half church, half fortress,
irectly overhanging the river, is about {
he only sight" of consequence. Its
urious dome is much like that of the 4
aamanca cathedral, and its one Ro- c
tower is short square and t
Massive, with windows in three tiers f
lcreasing in numbers upwards. There /
re four turrets also, with four gables /
etween them on the same level placed |
gainst the spring Of vault, with lovely t
reading. The transept has a fine, l
doorway, with singular v
choll-like mouldings and RomaneSque t
lpitals The interior is round in plan, C