The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-08
THE CHARM OF SEVILLE
AN ATMOSPHERIC or MOORISH An
TIQUITY STILL LINGERs THERE.
Winter and Early Spring the best
Season for NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF
Family L~ife-Cigar takers.

move on TO other scenes. with sorrow. be IL
confessed, for there is not another city on
the face of the earth which possesses 80
potent, though intangible. a charm. Just
what it is that thus fascinates the strang-
er and seems to bind him closer the longer
he stays nobody attempts 10 explain. II
cannot be the climate. delightful though IL
Is. because there are many other places
where the bright, brief southern winter
presents greater perfection Of weather.
Perhaps it is the SAVIOR OF antiquity. the
glamour of departed greatness. the romance
and tragedy of Goths and Romans. Moors
and Spaniards who have successfully
played their few century parts and passed
into the land Of shadows. each leaving
traces behind so plain that he who runs
may read them; and maybe the spice OF
peril in daily life. especially TO hated Amer
leans, adds TO the attraction.
BY the way. the best time TO visit south
ern Spain is i'm the early spring. because
in summer the heat Is intense, I'm autumn
floods are liable TO be troublesome and in
winter the marble floors and absence or
fires sometimes render the great rooms
damp and comfortless. But IL is Infinitely
better TO come at any season than not 10
come at all. Whatever time of year your
| inevitable visit to the Paris exposition oc-
ours you will be well repaid for continuing
your Journey down through the lberian
peninsula, though TO do so you must cur
tail gay Paree" by half. In this part OF
Spain February is like New England May.
Roses are blooming everywhere, orange
| trees bearing flowers and fruit on the same
stem. bananas, dates and figs hang tempt
| ingly within reach, and such grapes as no
northern sun can ripen may be had for the
gathering. The Spanish peasant is very
poor and unthrifty indeed who does NOT
| contrive TO own a few feet OF soil in which
to grow a choice Malaga grape vine. lie
refrigerates his crop, so 10 say, by erect
ing over the vines a canestalk arbor. upon
which he suspends the picked clusters for
winter use. Hanging for months in the
current of cool wind. the pale green
punches remain as plump and fun OF naVor
as when first hung up until grapes ripen
again. In this simple manner they are pre-
served for the winter market. so that In
snain there is never an ''on season" Tor
grapes.
WISDOM OF THE MooRs.
If is easy TO see why Seville is so In
tensely hot in midsummer. The immediate
surroundings are fat and marshy. and the
encircling mountains, though wonder
fully effective in the landscape. with their
lights and shadows and dim, blue line
blending with the horizon, are too far on
TO benefit the city by their breezes- IL Is
said to be an actual fact that the favorite
way OF cooking an omslet in Seville is to
expose II a few minutes 10 the MONDAY
ravs of the summer sun. But then. the
houses are built on purpose for this kind
of weather and one suffers no ~inconven-
fence from the heat. If he takes life easily.
as the natives do. The old Moors were
wise in their generation and prepared for
hot weather.: and though IL Is more than
six hundred years since Seville was taken
from them, their style OF architecture Is
stin faithfully copied. OF all the sights OF
the town, the Moorish patios are most in
teresting. You find imperfect specimens Of
them farther north-at Grenada, Toledo
and even Madrid-but Seville is pre-emi-
nently the place where the patio Is at It's
best. Even the ordinary houses are orien-
tai in plan and admirably fitted 20 resist
the scorching heats Of summer. There
are patios of all sizes and degrees OF
splendor, from the several marble-paved
court-yards of the newest hotel, 10 the
meanest and dirtiest in the old Jewish
quarter. Each shows something of the
Individual taste Of it's owner, and one never
tires Of peeping into them when walking
along the streets. That is easily done.
though the tall gate opening from the
zaguan-or short, paved hall. leading from
the sidewalk to the p~atio-is always closed
and locked, for the lace-work Of its eie-
gantly wrought and gilded iron Is not much
hindrance to the view. In the older houses
the kitchens are situated close to the front
doors. Just off the zaguan. giving passers-
by the full benefit of garlic. grease and
saffron odors, but preventing the diffusion
of the same through the patios and sleep
ing rooms. The finest courts are foored
with marble, usually Of various colors and
laid in patterns, the walls are inlaid with
elegant mosaic, and marble columns on
every side support the inner projections OF
the upper story. In the center Is a foun-
tain, surrounded by flower beds: blossom
ing vines Irvine around the columns, scores
of bright-winged birds sing in wicker
cages, swing lazily I'm the shade,
and the murmur Of the fountain mingles
all day with the family talk and the tinkle
OF guitars: for in these patios the people
spend most OF their waking hours. The
courtyard Is always open 10 the sky at
night; but i'm the day time. when the sun
Is hot, an awning is stretched over and fire.
ouently sprinkied with water 10 temper
tho burning atmosphere. The sleeping
apartments, in the upper story, have many
windows looking into the patio. hut the
street walls are as blank as the face OF a
man born blind. At night. the fragrance
of dew-sprinkled flowers in the patio as
cends so rich and overpowering that one
is fam to close his windows and sleep like
a salsmander. or wrap himself i'm q sheet
and retreat 10 the roof. as the Seviilians
have a funny habit of doing. so
~ high are the sleeping rooms that. look
Ing up from ones bed. one feels as IL down
In the bottom of n well. The fhoors are
usually OF white marble. and walls orna-
mented with brilliant azulejos: but the
partitions go only a little way above ones
head and the ceiling is OF canvas or painted
boards.
U~NOCCUPIED PALACES
The unintroduced stranger mus content
himself with only passing glimpses Of these
luxurious dwellings. for the proud grandee