The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-23

door, their sores and Indebtedness dis
played TO best advantage; they pounce
upon the visitor from behind the columns
Of the interior; they follow him back to
the door Of his hotel and lie in wait for
him to come out again.
ARISToCRATIC PAUPERS.
Somewhat higher than those in the social
scale, but probably even more needy, since
their pride forbids the asking Of assistance.
are hundreds of starving hidalgoes, whose
only business in life is to perambulate the
plazas at regulation hours, carefully adj
Justing the capas OF their capacious cloaks
SO as TO screen themselves from every
breath of air-and maybe, also, to hide
lamentable lack of linen. 1t is curious TO
watch one Of these stately gentlemen as
he approaches the corner OF a street and
solemnly pauses to arrange anew his capa
against the possible current of air which
ne is about 10 encounter. The true Cas-
titan breads nothing so much as fresh
air-unless it be fresh water. Even the
beggars stalk about with inconceivable dig
nifty, muffied to the eyes in tattered and
threadbare cloaks. which they arrange just
as carefully as do their betters., AS to the
aristocratic classes-the Castilian gentle
development in Burgos. Always charming
in manner, frank loyal, ignorant and vain.
he is as sparing of words as prodigal of
courtesy; he is a stanch supporter of the
church rather from tradition and habit
than from religious conviction; and in pre-
tension of high lineage he rivals the cele-
brated Constable Don Pedro de velasco,
who. when some bold courtier ventured to
question his title TO nobility answered
with true Spanish hyperbole, Before God
was God. before the sun shone upon the
rocks, already was noble the house of
Velasco"
The city is built on sloping ground, in
the midst of plain. between the river
which washes one side of it, and the hill
on the other, crowned with the ancient
castle. Between ridge and river the space
is necessarily confined, so that the fine old
gateway of Santa Maria, built in honor of
Charles V, is disgracefully crowded upon
by Insignificant modern buildings: and even
the cathedral-the glory of Burgos and the
boast of Spain-is so hemmed in by COM
monplace structures that il is difficult to
OBTAIN any view of the exterior So great
Is the slope Of the town that while the
'front.' or the vast cathedral opens upon a
little plaza considerably above the level
OF the narrow streets that hem ii in, the
rear OF 1t actually abuts against the hill,
so that In entering from that side one must
descend staircase to the pavement Such
infehcities of position would kill the effect
OF an ordinary structure; but nothing can
even mar the grandeur of this
A MAGNIFICENT CATHEDRAL.
Though dirty, bustling, sordid streets
come I'D to its very doors. like the waves
OF the sea to the foot of a mighty cliff
1t lifts its head throughout the centuries.
unmoved by the tumult of pigmy genera
lions that come and go. Standing at the
loot or the lace work towers and looking
up you feel very small indeed. There is
nothing to be told of this sanctuary that
has not been a hundred times narrated.
IL Is tremendous In size and beautiful in
parts, but not nearly so striking, as a
"hoie' as many less celebrated Spanish
churches. But 1t is the great attraction
Oh this capital-some disappointed travellers
say the only attraction, so much does it
oVershadow all the others Indeed, one
might describe Burgos a cathedral with
a town attached to it, so completely is the
latter dwarfed and dwindled by the GEN.
trail mass Of towers rising above it. Before
entering the building you feel constrained
to walk around it-ta loiter outside and
daily with the exterior for it seems AL
| most sacrilegious to rush into such a pres
ence without due preparation of eve and
mind. Every Spanish cathedral is a kind
OF Westminster Abbey-a place of burial
for the great of former generations. Here
they lie, the sculptured forms that rest
above their sepulchers representing them
as they appeared in the bloom of life. the
bishop in his robes, with hands folded on
his breast; the king with crown and
scepter; the knight in his armor, who will
never go forth to battle again. One may
read the history of Spain in these me-
MORALS Of the past. An illustration of this
Is seen In the chapel of the constable of
CASTLE. He was a warrior bold, of the
Incorporating time of Ferdinand and
Isabella, and by their side he entered
Grenada Like all the rest of the old
time Spanish heroes, his religion was in
separately mixed with war On his tomb
appears not only his sword and helmet and
coat of mail. but the ivory crucifx which
went with him on all his campaigns. and
the sacramento vessels with which he al
ways had mass celebrated on the field
OF battle. His warfare over, he has silent
here more than four hundred years. be-
side his beloved wife, whose lap dog lies
at her feet
The first view Of Burgos Cathedral daz-
les one by the elaborate richness of the
gilded carvings, the mass of fiorid decora-
ton, the paintings. the statues the glitter
Ing affairs and thousands of burning tapers
But Notwithstanding the gorgeousness of
| color and gliding, there is nothing tawdry
or in bad taste, as too often seen In Span
| ish sanctuaries. This is as much due 10
the massive grandeur and vast size of the
| edifice as TO the "dim religious light" of
the stained windows, which modifies with
| out impairing the richness of the general
| effect. and the fact that the softening hand
| OF time has subdued the brilliancy of COL
oring. Among many objects of interest
| you are shown the cofre del Cid-a trun,x
clamped with iron and now fastened to
| the wall, which the Cid filed with sand and
| then pledged TO the Jews as full of gold
for loan OF 600 marks, which, 1t is said
| he afterwards honestly repaid. But after
! all. the greatest interest is with the dead
| in the cloisters where sleep the heroes