The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-03-15

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Gas houses of that period COY, No. PLAZA
de Alfaro, at the end of the street Lope de
Rueda. The present owner of the place
has collected in it large number of Mu-
rillo's pictures, and made fortune by al
lowing travellers to view them, for a small
sum per capita. 1t is fiction that the
artists bones lie in the great cathedral,
under the deceiving slab that bears his
! name, and is said to have been placed, at
his request, before Campana's picture of
the descent from the Cross which
Murillo so much admired. They were
buried in the parish church of Santa
Cruz; and there remained until Soulte
the revered ashes scattered to the winds
an act of vandalism which sadly dimmed
the warrior fame. He also caused the
destruction of the Magdalene church, in
which Murllo was christened: but some
how the baptismal entry escaped and may
still be seen in San Pablo. The date-Jan.
parents, are distinct as if written yester-
day. They must have made better ink in
that early time than most of the writing
fluid one buys now a days. Murillo's
wife, the rich and titled Dona Beatliz de
Cabrera, died some years before the
painters fall at Cadiz which caused his
laft
eldest son started out in life an Indifferent
artist, and afterwards became a better
priest. His second son amounted to SO
little that his vocation and career are en-
t!rely unknown. The only daughter,
named Beatriz after her mother, went the
natural way of women in marriage
doubtless to some serenading scalawag
with full equipment of Spanish cloak gui-
tar and Albucete dagger; and her great
great great grandchildren in Seville are
yet Dragging about their illustrious fore
father. There is a fine statue of Murillo,
in the Plaza del Museo, opposite the pic
ture- gallery which contains some of his
ed ''Conception'' St. Francis embracing
the Christ crucifed; St. Felix with the
infant Savior In his arms; st. Anthony of
Padua, kneeliug before the Child Jesus,
who is seated on an open book; and
score of others which the world will de-
light to honor as long as paint and canvas
can endure. StTange--iS it not?-that the
handiwork of man should look SO bright
and fresh hundreds of years after the
hands that wrought it are dust. Murillos
Christs seem much more real and childlike
than those of Raphael his Saints and
Virgins more like natural men and wo-
men. 1t is worth coming to Spain merely
to become acquainted with the best speci-
mems extant of his work Through them
one seems to become acquainted with the
great Master himself, and to love his
simplicity and sweetness, which remained
until his ubtimely death at the age of
sixty four.
so numerous--about one to every hundred
inhabitants-and the bells thereof are
continually calling to divine service, the
Sevllllans have the greatest reputation
among all the people of Spain for lvliness
of character and enjoyment of worldly
pleasures. The past and future have few
&c bn1
care about, and how to get the most enjoy
ment out of every passing hour. There
is a little while in the middle of every day
when the streets are comparatively des-
erted, while the Local world enjoys its
siesta; but presently they are filled again
with moving throngs, far into the night,
while every plaza has its band of music
every opera house and gambling place and
club-room its full complement, and every
patio its singers and dancers. No evening
promenade (even i'll ''gay Paree'') is more
brilliant than Las Sierpes, street so mar
row and crooked that guards are stationed
at either end to prevent vehicles from
entering Along this alley the finest
shops and handsomest clubs are situated:
the shop keepers standing at their portals,
the club members sitting far out in the
roadway, drinking cool syrups, smoking
and gossiping, while crowds of well dres-
sed people promenade to and fro, every
lady with fan which she YIELDS with in
imitable grace and meaning. From the
shops both doors and windows have been
removed leaving only open porticos sup
ported by pillars, like Oriental bazaars.
Conspicuous among them are those for
the sale of gay colored mantas (shawls),
kept by solemn looking old Moors, who
insist on the customers seating themselves
and being RECALLED with dates and sweet
meats, while the suave but willy merchant
displays his wares and with gentle per-
sistance wheedles pesos out of their
purses. In the engraver's windows you
notice a great many visiting cards of jet
black pasteboard, with the name thereon
in white letters. They are not mourning
cards, as one might suppose, but perhaps
may be called precursors of the same, be-
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