The Republican journal., 1901-03-07
Pharmacists of Belfas

through the wicket at the narrow por-
tai, and their heads cut off Every guide
in the place will assure you that for
days thereafter the great fountain in
the centre ran red with blood, and that
the broad, ruddy stains you see on the
pavement is the gore of the gallant
chiefs, which nothing can obiterate
Listen a moment in the semi-darkness.
The moon does not illuminate this roof
ed chamber as it does the open courts.
and the silence of the night is undis-
turbed Suddenly you hear confused
sound, resembling the murmur of an
angry multitude, with now and then a
faint tinkling, like the distant clank of
chains. Louder and louder grow the
noises, till every hair upon your head
rises like quilts upon the fretful por-
cupine;;' then suddenly ceases, and tie
silence of the grave reigns supreme.
Again and again you may hear it all the
night through, until daylight brings
worldly feet into the Alhambra. Is it
the sound of bubbling currents and
tinkling falls of water coursing through
pipes and channels under the pavement
to supply the fountains; or is it really a
nightly conclave Of ghosts of the MUIR
dered Abencerrages, invoking the ven
geance of Heaven?
And then the mysterious subterran-
can apartments, the dungeons, the mag
azines, the baths, the cisterns, the little
oratories, or mosques, like gem-encrust-
ed jewelboxes; and the isolated tow
ers, each forming miniature palace,
with guard-room and hall of state,
courts and harem-boudoirs, cooled by
the spray from alabaster fountains,
their walls a gorgeous mosaic resem-
bling woven tissue of brocade! The
Alhambra fortress, you know, is wall
ed circuit, nearly a mile long and seven
hundred feet wide. The walls, rising to
a height of about forty feet, are five
feet thick, with dozen or more towers
scattered at intervals. To visit them all
is a work of time and strength, but for
the sake of their traditions you would
not miss one of them. The Tore de la
Vela, or watchtower, the last on the
southern promontory, is perhaps the fav
orite with strangers, because it affords
the best view of the Alhambra, and
with the natives because of its. sup
posed miraculous powers as matri-
monial agent The custom inaugurated
by the Moors still prevails, of ringing
it's great bell to announce to the peas
ants how long they may use the water
of the river to irrigate their 1ields. The
standard of the Christian cOnqueror
was first raised on this tower, and the
departing BOabdil, as he turned to take
a last look, saw therein golden cross
on crimson ground appropriate Span
ish emblem of blood and greed in place
of the familiar crescent. On every En-
curing anniversary of the conquest
the I'd of January-a fete is held in the
Alhambra, when all its fountains play
and the peasants flock in from the sur
rounding districts. 1t is believed that
any girl who on this day ascends the
Vela tower and strikes its bell will be
sure of a husband before the end of the
wear and the harder she strikes the bet
ter will be the husband! Unfortunate
ly, your correspondent arrived too late
to try it's magical virtues. Those who
were here assure me that from the
racket made from dawn till dark by
women in the tower, it may be safely