The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-01-31

along the bank of noisy little stream
bordered with eacti, pomegranate bushes
and rlotlng nasturtiums; and sometimes
out upon the desolate, gravelly plain
beyond, where the extreme clearnaec
of the atmosphere makes distant objects
appear marvelously distinct, even to
the vlolet-tinted mountains on the hori-
zon. From every point of view. Elecbe
reminds you of Jerusalem, with it's fat
rooted casas, crumbling walls and
browning mosque.
From Eleche to Nurcia the road is
mere track across the plain, so hide
lined and strewn with rocks and bould-
ers that you expect the diligencia to
overturn at any minute. But nothing
serious happens, though the driver
hardly touches the lines. Sometimes
you reach the brink of an abandoned
stone-quarry and decide in your own
mind that further progress is impossi-
Die, or else 1t is case of 'Vain world.
adleu;' but the coachman SHES a stone
or two at his horses tails. while COM
mendlng them to God and calling upon
the Saints and the Virgin Purissima,
and down you go somehow in safety,
TO scramble up again as miraculouslv
on the other side. The highway i'm
proves as you approach Oribuala-an
old cathedral town, where all the good
looking girls are perambulating the
streets with fresh roses stuck behind
their ears, and where the country round
about is so exceedingly fertile that a
y well known proverb says, Lluee 0 no
! Lluece, trigo IN Orihudla-'' rain or no
rain, corn grows in Orihuala."
Murcia, though an important city and
the capital of the province, is seldom
visited by travellers, because it lies out
side the usual route; and having little
commerce, except with the peasantry
of its fertile huerta, it retains ancient
costumes and customs with more than
Spanish tenacity. Therefore the tray
elers aforesaid make great mistake.
The men wear tartan plaid, like that
of Scotch shepherd, only much more
brilliant in color, while the women de-
light in the brightest yellows and scar
lets, and even the poorest weave flowers
into their shining black hair. As you
near the African coast the costumes
grow more and more strange and Moor
lsh Hempen sandals take the place of
shoes, and either the legs are bare, or
are covered with footless cotton stock
ing In other districts the male peas
ants wear very wide calico drawers,
reaching to the knees and much resem-
bling the divided skirts" once so pop
ular among American lady bicyclists.
A close-ftting jacket usually of velvet
cen and covered with spanges and
embroidery, goes with the calico
drawers, and around the waist is tied
the gaudiest sash. of silk or calico, that
the means of the man can compass.
Murcia is in the midst of land of
flowers. An elaborate and ingenious
device for irrigating, introduced by
/ the old Moors, still prevails, and the
consequence is that the entire region
is dazzling flower garden, whence the
opulent classes of Madrid and other
Spanish cities get their floral decora-
lions during the winter months Though
only about $50 miles from the Spanish
capital, as the crow flies. the tropical
flora of Africa luxuriates here, while
the former city is shivering with cold
1t is said of Murcia, which remains the
most thoroughly Moorish town in Spain,
solely on account of the stagnation of
its existence, that it is the only place
Adam would recognize, could he return
to EARTH One of it's peculiar customs
is to ring bell through the streets at
dawn, While the people join in singing
the "Rosano de la Aurora" for the ben
eft of souls in purgatory. Murcia has
fine cathedral, silk factory, and an
interesting market place. But much
more interesting is the large gypsy set
Element of several hundred families, on
the outskirts of the town. you have
the good fortune to fall in with festi
val in camp, and are not murdered for
your intrusion, you may witness some
characteristic games, dances and amuse-
ments of these strange people. One
who has not seen this quaint old town
can form little idea of it's peculiar
charm, and the scene of delightful pic
lures it enables the bservant visitor to
store up in his mental gallery.
FANNIE B. WARD.
A man who neglects his own business
can't be trusted to look after other peo-
pies affairs.