The Republican journal., 1900-03-01

more careful STUDY OF IL. on might visit
it hundred times, and ramble for DAYS
through its aisles and chapels, continually
finding new objects of wonder and admir-
alton. Through five hundred years this
sanctuary has been steadily accommodating
treasures, from donations and the sale of
indulgencies. To many of the pillars,
great iron Golfers are attached, each as
large as ar ordinary trunk. Time was,
when the treasures of the world we're
pouring into Seville, that these chests
were too small to hold the heaps of doub-
looms with which returned adventures
sought to purchase pardon for their mis-
deeds; time is, in these days of national
poverty, when little but copper coin is
dropped into them.
To begin with, the cathedral is approach
ed by high flight of steps, and the broad
platform on which it stands is surrounded
by hundred columns from the mosque
which formerly occupied the site. On the
same spot has stood the successive temples
of Astarte. Salambo and Mohammed-the
latter having been pulled down to make
way for the cathedral-all but the Giralda
nine entrances, two fine Gothic doorways
at the east end, and on the north side the
famous Puerto del Perdon, which has
some exquisite details over it's horse shoe
arch, and pair of magnificent bronze
doors. Entering for the first time, it is
well to choose the Puerto del Bagarto.
''Gate of the Crocodile, so called from
the enormous stuffed crocodile that hangs
above it, which was sent by the Sultan as
present, when he requested the daughter
of Alonzo Subro for his wife. The king
kept the ill omened gift, but declined the
young lady, who doubtless thought that
her sutton first love- token was not indi-
catve of the tender regard she deserved.
Just inside the main entrance is the
tomb of Fernando Columbus, son of the
great navigator and last of his illustrious
race. A simple marble slab covers his
dust, with sculptured caravals upon it
representing the primitive ships in which
the New World was discovered. Below
the caravals is the unique decree of a
globe, belted with the famous inscription;
"A Castillo Leon
ManO nuevO die Colon"
At the opposite end OF the church is
ha &c
magniicence, where beneath the altar
Saint Ferdinand rests in a sarcophagus
of solid silver, wrapped in his robes of
state and carrying in his skeleton hand
the golden insignia of royalty. The king
ly rascal was canOnized in 1927, ''because
he carried fagots with his own hands for
burning of heretics." Every year, on the
anniversary of the capture of Seville, an
imposing mass is celebrated and the troops
of the garrison file through this chapel,
presenting arms as they pass to the bones
of the sainted soldiers, which are TN
covered for the occasion. Here also sleeps
Queen BeatriX; her son, Alonzo de Sabio;
of Pedro the Cruel. The war-h horse of
the conqueror of Seville, fully caparisoned,
stands above the grating of the entrance,
and within are preserved the banners
used by both armies during the seige, the
keys of the Moorish city, the sword of the
Ferdinand and small statuette which
f,iyr Ia "a Of
1t is said that until he died the image
never left his person, and was then made
the presiding divinity of the chapel con-
tanning his tomb 1t is called "Nuestra
Sonora de los Reyes, Our Lady of the
King. 1t is an inartistic thing of wood,
with hair of spun gold, rubies set in the
eyes, and clothed in a mantle of cloth Of
gold, embroidered. with fleur- de-lis, and
more than one ''king's ransom in the
way of diamonds and precious stones.
More interesting than these are the
splendid paintings, sculpture and carvings
with which the whole vast structure is
crowded. Amid this maze of art and
oeduty, LHfee pictures STAND 1OrCn beyond
all others. They are Murillo's CANCEL de
la Guarda," in which glorious seraph
with spreading wings leads little child
by the hand; Murillo's ''San Antonio"
representing the saint kneeling in a cell,
all the poor details faithfully portrayed,
and beyond the long arcade of cloister,
while above the child Jesus appears,
drawn by the power of prayer and descend
ing through wreaths of angels. The third
is in the great sacristy; it is the solemn
and awful Deposition from the Cross"
by Pedro de Campana, before which, at
his own desire, Murillo was buried. Dur
ing his lifetime the great master, Murillo,
whose heart had no room for jealousy,
used to remain for hours before this pic,
ture. Once the sacrestan asked him why
he stood gazing there. Said he: 81 am
waiting till those holy men have finished
their work.
Day after day, when wearied of explor-
ing the cathedral, we go out under the
big crocodile, into the ''Court of Oranges"
where the moss grown fountain in which
the Moors performed their sacred ablu-
tons still sparkles in the sunshine.