The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-10
HOTEL LIFE IN SPAIN
IT'S PEsuiIARITIEs TEND TO DIS
COURAGE THE TRAVELLER.
City of Magnificent Ruins-Factory
which for Centuries Has Turned
out Toledo Blades.

Correspondence OF the Indianapolis Journal
TOLEDO, Spain, May 2.-Castilian hotels,
from the showiest of the imperial capital
TO the shabbiest of border villages, are
celebrated throughout chrisendom for ex-
traordinary discomforts. This Metropolis
OF three empires possesses the poorest of
them ALSO poor that the una noche To-
ledana Ca night in Toledo). has passed into
a prOverb, indicating unmitigated wretch
edness. The most expensive Of Toledo's
hostelries-one cannot truthfully say
best where are no degrees Of goodness
Is the Fonda Imperial fronting the once
fashionable Zocodovar, or Moorish plaza.
IN the heart of the city Its rather impos-
ing exterior gives promises which are un-
fulfilled within. and the sophisticated Wis
itor bases well-founded apprehensions OF
evils TO come on the first Whit of vile odors
encountered in the long, dark entrance
hall The railway omnibus. which is about
the only wheeled vehicle in Toledo. cIatters
straight through this front hall, from the
street to the interior patio; and of course
pedestrians follow suit. What a contrast
20 the cool, delightful courtyards of An
daIusia, with their sparkling fountains. fra
grant flower beds and orange trees! This
wide and barren court-open overhead to
sun and shower. roughly paved, like the
public street and infinitely dirtier-is sur
rounded by a rickety gallery. into which
all the chambers open. Three sides of the
groud floor are utilized as a stable, where
mules munich their barley and murder
sleep for tired travellers in the rooms
above by stamping the stones the long
night through; the rest of the space being
occupied by gossiping servants and mule
teers. bags of grain and charcoal, saddles.
Kitchen paraphernalia and all the odds and
ends OF the household. The landlady-her
bare feet thrust into heelless slippers and
figure presenting a ludicrous resemblance
20 one of her own grain bags. indifferently
tied in the middle-meets you in this char
acteristic reception room and with voluble
Spanish welcome places the casa and all
Il contains "a su disposition de u and
then by elapping her pudgy hands, sum-
mons the mozo to conduct you to an apart
ment.
AN IMPORTANT FUNCTIoNARY.
The mozo. by the way. deserves a special
paragraph He is the steward of every
Spanish house. the major domo and facto-
tum-in-general, without whom the ma
chinery would soon stop. like a rundown
clock. He buys the food. and often cooks
ii. is chambermaid, Underwater. porter.
errand boy and bootblack-performing
these manifold services for the average
salary of 81 or So a month and his keep
catching his meals on the run, so TO say,
and sleeping whenever and wherever he
can generally on the stones of the patio
while guarding the front door. He never
dreams Of lettering his condition, but is
honest. faithful. even proud of his position.
which he rightfully considers the most i'm
portant in the household. Having so little
leisure. his toilet is not elaborate-consist-
ing OF a calico shirt, seldom washed, pair
of his masters cast-of trousers, cowhide
sandals, without hose, and sort of shawl
wound around his waist in bulky folds. the
slack OF IL in front making convenient re-
ceptacle for carrying things. from the mar
keting to the morning mail and the coppers
that are bestowed upon him in the way of
tips. Such useless articles as collars and
ties never girdled his neck; the soap of old
CASTLE and his skin are manifest strangers,
and he considers his duty done in the line
CT personal adornment IL he combs his hair
on fiesta days and gets himself shaved two
or three times a year
The bedrooms of the Fonda Imperial are
fair sample OF the best TO be found in
Spanish hotels, and a description of one
fits most of them to perfection. The floor
ing is of square. red bricks. called by cour-
tesy tiles. damp in summer. cold as the
charity of the world IN winter. The ceiling
is formed by unplaned joints that support
the roof; walls whitewashed and usually
hung with few French wood cuts in
gaudy colors. portraying scenes not usually
on exhibition where the prophecies of life
are considered. The bedstead is of iron.
curtained with lace and canopied with
satin, but with remarkable paucity of COW
ering. sheets that you hesitate to put your
self between. bullet-proof pillows and flock
mattresses hard enough TO satisfy an an
chorite
CHRONOLOGICAL ABUNDANCE.
The whole business is painfully sugges-
tive OF objects OF chronological research
and indeed you need not search for them;
like sins. they will speedily find you out
The peculiar wit of the Spaniard. as well
as his Incidence, is shown in the military
names he has bestowed upon his abound
ing vermin. while taking no pains to eradi-
cate them. Those belonging to the genus
Pediculus he calls infantry; feas, cavalry
and the humble but Industrious laborer in
the human vineyard, known in the far
West as "B-fat," is ciassed as artillery.
Mosquitoes are appropriately styled trum-
peters: reaches. drummer boys. and so on
TO the end OF the chapter.
I am told by Americans who have made
the Spanish tour that in every city where
considerable time is TO be spent il Is far
better TO eschew hotels and seek some casa
de huespedes-a sort of boarding house.
equivalent TO the French pension. There are
several of them in Toledo. the best kept by
two elderly senoritas in narrow strees
near the cathedral. Wherever you locate
sleep is almost out of the question. except
during the middle OF the day. when men
and beasts taking their siesta- These
narrow alleys. within high blank walls.
carry sound like trumpet. Not only the
serenos, yelling the hours and the state Of
the weather. make night hideous. and peo-
pie returning late from club or opera
pounding upon their doors 90 awake the
sleeping mozo or calling the policeman
with his duplicate keys, but ordinary con-
versation has the effect OF shouting. and