The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-02-22

in the winding alleys, are as charming
as unique, and prove the wisdom of the
shade loving Moors. They are generally
ornamented with Moorish things, called
azuellos, and have an entrance arch called
Ell Zaguan, (Arabice, Sahan), which leads
to the chancel, or great gate of OPEN
worked iron, behind which the family life
goes on, securely locked from the public
gaze. The interior walls always enclose
patios or open courts, surrounded on all
sides by wide corridors supported by pill
( lars-marble in the better houses, tapia
mud and lime) in the poorer. In the
Fsunmer, the court is covered by an avn
ing, (toldo), and then becomes the draw
ing room of the inmates, where they sit
all day long, dine, and receive their
guests in GOODNESS and comfort Here ter
tulias are given-the pleasant, informal
receptions which are about the only even
ing parties ever given in Seville. These
patos show very clearly the individual
tastes of their owners. Each has CEN
trail fountain, or very old, moss grown
we'll, with olives, banana, pomegranates
and other trees growing around it, some
are brilliant with flowers, others enriched
with statuary, and others have ancient
cypress trees cut into fantastic forms of
temples and pagodas. The zaguan or
short hall, which leads from the street to
the patio, is the place where the young
ladies' of the family receive their calls
the ladies ON the inside of the high, care
| fully locked gates, the gentlemen on the
outside. If the accepted lover were to be
admitted to the parlor, or even to the
patio, in the presence of his dulcineas'
father and mother, it would be considered
cause for scandal; so he patiently hangs
upon the grating, night after night, how
ever long the years between betrothal and
the marriage, earning for himself the title,
,, ''comer hierro'-one who lives on iron.
No chairs are allowed in the zaguan, for
if the lover was made too comfortable he
might never go away. 1t is not uncom-
mon to see engaged couples standing close
together on opposite sides of the gate,
past midnight, perhaps with the 1an
blowing in on them, oblivious of all sub
lunary things. Like other Spanish cities
the windows of Seville are faced with iron
gratings, and these too, are rendezvous
for lovers. Every evening you see hun
dreds of Romeos and Juliets making love
through tile window bars, each slim gal
liant wrapped in a long, black Spanish
cloak, the girls in their best attire, with
smiling, powdered faces and roses in
their hair. Frequently Romeo brings his
guitar, and his wooing is no whispered
confidence, but love -lorn serenade which
everybody may hear 1t is the fashion
approved of parents and guardians since
time out of mind, and for the lover to
neglect it would be to forever forfeit his
sweetheart's favor. The young lady who
can boast the most ''lron- eaters is the
belle of the locality; but fatal trays some
times occur as the result of her coquetry,
when the arriving Romeo finds his place
pre- emptied by another. You hear blood
curdlng tales of the swift murderous use
of the long Albncete knives which every
body carries, when welded by jealousy.
''Don Pedro the CrueP' set the example
in Seville, and his ardent countrymen
poorest servant wears knife in his sash,
and many a gentle dame secretes a dag
ger in her stocking, or as hairpin in her
shining tresses-and knows we'll how to
use it when her temper is aroused. The
true Albucete knife is about eighteen
inches long, with broad blade and a
powerful spring clasp. 1t is held open by
curious little wheel between the blade
and handle, and in native hands is used
with equal dexterity to slice a melon,
or sharpen a pencil OF sever a jugular
vein. The handle is Of tortoise or ivory,
often richly carved and inlaid with jewels,
with crucitix or an image of the Virgin
or the Saviour upon it: but the Christian
emblem does not prevent it from being
bathed in human blood.
Speaking of Don Pedro, nicknamed
"The Cruel'-his influence seems to per-
wade Seville, much as that of Philip II.
does the Escorial. When he was small
child, his mother fed with him to it's
Alcazar, the most beautiful Moorish
building in Spain, which was his favorite
palace when he came to be king, and the
scene of his wickedest deeds. Here he
lived with the beautiful Castilian girl,
Maria de Padella, while his lawful queen,
the poor French princess, Blanche de
Bourbon, after being prosecuted and i'm
prisoned for years, was finally put to
death at Medina Sidonia. In this Alcazar,
Pedro received the Red King of Grenada,
with the promise of safe conduct, and then
murdered him for his jewels, one of which,
'the fair ruby, great like a racket ball, "
to- day adorns the crown of England.
Here, too, he had his brother, Don Fad
rique, assassinated, after inviting him to
be his guest during tournament Maria
de Padilla knew of his coming fate, but