Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-18


suppose time will furnish dead statesmen
enough to fill the vacant tombs.
Gen. Prim's Tomb.
The tomb of General Prim is not only
beautiful, but entirely oyel, unlike any
thing that you have ever seen. being q sort
of catafalque made of lpHS$ bed steel. enam-
have seen the famous Yop work of Toledo.
which is like the JAPANESE tcioisnaise. de-
signs worked out in geld md silver wire.
like mosaic upon the Sdrfsae of steel, iron
or some other metal. 81 ae pattern is first
traced upon the groundRorlS and then CHS
hammered in and polished. It makes an at
tractive handle for a knife or card or
cigarette case. and yaH can puy mare s
boxes and other articles IN the shops. The
workmen of Toledo, who have always been
famous for their steefethe Toledo blades
were rivals Of those from Damascus in the
middle ages-have produced this enamel for
centuries, but now the largest supply comes
from a factory at Ibor in northern Spain.
Wen. the tomb of Marshal Prim, Gothic
structure about three by eight feet at the
base and ten feet high, is made entirely CT
this work It is the most exquisite thing
Of the kind you ever saw, and Is UNIQUE:
corresponding position in the corridor, VIII
be made Of the same material Lnder
stand Canovas Is buried in another cor
ridor
Little Progress on the Church.
Although the mortuary part of the Church
of the Atocha has been completed, little
has been done on the church except to
cut a quantity of stone from the quarry
and cart it to Madrid. Seven years have
passed and very little progress has been
made The movement Is unpopular. The
public does not respond to the appeals of
the queen. and she has palo all the pllis
thus far out of her own pocket, her con-
tributions being $1,000 pesetas. or 10000
a year for the construction fund. But she
is not discouraged. and it Is generally sup
posed that she intends to carry out the
plans and finish the church with her own
means IL the public and the government
decline to assist her. She Is not rich
woman by any means, and 1t Will be an
enormous load for her. to carry. Some
people think she has a hope that. sooner
or later the army and navy will come to
her aid, because the Virgin OF Atocha Is
the patron of those branches Of the serv-
ice as well as of the royal family "-
In the meantime the little image sits Sc
renely upon the altar in its temporary place
of abode, covered with magnificent jewels
which have been presented from time to
time, and wearing the insignia of all the
orders Of Spain, including the collar OF the
Golden Fleece, which is granted only to the
members of royal houses.g / believe it is the
oldest order of knighthood in the world.
This decoration was conferred upon the
image in 1854 by Queen isabella II, but
other kings and queens set the example.
In 1862, when the whole kingdom was in
suspense as to the fate of Don Carlos,
the son of Philip II, the image was carried
to his sick room at Alcala, the old univer-
sity town thirty miles from Madrid, and 1t
cured him, as it did little Alfonso $3.50 years
after. In acknowledgment Philip II con-
ferred upon 1t several orders.
When Ferdinand VII entered into con-
<,,>fr
Charles ", in 1906, he came to the Virgin of
Atocha to invoke it's aid and Endorsement.
When he was made prisoner and carried off
by the French in 1893 he went again to the
shrine and transferred the insignia Of the
order of the Immaculate Conception from
his own neck to that of the image. Amadeo
the young Italian who was placed upon the
throne of Spain In 1871, drove straight from
the railway station to the Church of the
Atocha to offer alteration and make vows
to the wooden image before he went to the
palace or received the greetings of the
cortes. q &Epi
For four centuries it has been the custom
of the queens of Spain to present the Virgin
of Atocha with their wedding gowns, and
therefore its wardrobe IL not only very rich
but exceedingly interesting; No one can
see 1t. however without an order from the
archbishop ar or request, from some member
of the royal family. n"
Fete Day -cslebrated.
The fete day of the Virgin of Atocha is
celebrated with great pomp every year. A
procession passes through, the, streets es-
corting the image in51a schkriot Made ex-
pressly for it at the expense OF Isabella II
some sixty years ago. tt reminds you of a
OF the wagon is of carved wood. covered
with silver tinsel intended to represent
clouds. In the midst of them is a golden
crescent upon which the image of the Vir-
haat f,tl oP
velvet with long gold fringe shelters it from
the sun. One morning in May every year
the Image is taken from the altar, placed in
this chariot and drawn through the stree a
by team Of eight cream-colored horses
from the royal stables followed by the
king, the queen, the members of the royal
family and household, the archb shop and
many priests, the ministers of state and
other officials of the government and the
municipality of Madrid, and all the famous
generals and admirals who happen to be
in the city. There Is an escort of several
regiments or soldiers, and nearly all the
bands In town are employed to furnish
music. Business is suspended the stock
exchange adjourns, the government offices
and all the factories and stores are closed
and the whole city joins in the act of de-
votion. -h., -
The Patron Of the City.
st. Isadore is the patron of. the city OF
Madrid He was plowboy who lived in
this vicinity, and his virtues were so great
and his motives so pure that angels were
sent down to do his work for him, and the
wolves were unable to deyour his oxen He
died in ITO, and was canonized by the Col
lege of Cardinals at the request of Philip
III. whose son. and SUCCESSOR Philip III,
was cured of desperate illness by touch
ing ms BODY, which is buried in an impoS-
ing granite church On the Gale de Toledo.
He is also the plowman's saint, and is in
voked by the farmers in the spring for
blessing upon their crops. There is song
beginning
San lsedro. Labrador
Qaita el aqua y pom el SOL r., ~.
which is an appeal for just enough water
and just enough sun. The feast of Saint
lsadore is celebrated with great ardor by
the farmers of Spain 1t lasts an entire
fortnight, and is largely attended by the