Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1904-05-07
Especial Correspruence.)

Especial Cores lunuence-)
Several years ago the writer was
student of the Academia de las Bel
las Aries, in Seville, Spain. The stu
dio was in a large room in the upper
part of the museum, which contains
a number of magnificent paintings by
MurilIo and other celebrated Spanish
painters Alas, the sight of these
old masterpieces did not appear TO
inspire any of the students, whose
work for the most part was very com
monplace. One disadvantage the stu
dents suffered was the frequent re-
currence of holy days, when the
school would be closed 1t was very
provoking on arriving in the morning
to find the door barred because 1t was
some saints day, and on these occa-
sions the students would generally
express their regard for that particu-
lar saint in scarcely f1attering terms.
But if the school were closed, there
was the broad, sunny campo" which
surrounded the city, and shouldering
our painting traps, we would gally
sally forth to pass the day in sketch
ing, perhaps an old boat drawn up on
the muddy banks of the Granddaughter,
or a group of date palms beside III
tie stream, or some old ruin with a
mass of prickly pear in the fore
ground resting for a while at midday
in a dingy country tavern, where we
would lunch on fish fried in oil and
afterward indulge in several copas OF
manzanilla light wine peculiar to
southern Spain and which will not
bear expectation; then at dusk re-
turn through the narrow, winding
streets of Seville, lined with quaint
open shops lighted with torches or
small bronze lamps, in form very like
the ancient ones found at Pompeii.
In the evening after dinner, appar-
emily every man in Seville goes to a
cafe, where he will sit for about an
hour over one small cup of coffee,
meanwhile consuming countless cigar
cites. The theaterS are always
crowded; the performance is divided
usually into three or four acts or
Ffunciones," and one may purchase a
ticket for a single act only or for as
many as one chooses. 1t is not an ex-
pen5iye form of amusement, for a
<'butaca," corresponding to an orches-
ira chair, costs but 10 cents for each
act. Many of the Spanish comedies
and light operas are very amusing,
ana the music lively though not eS-
pecially classical
Peaceful quiet is not to be found
in Seville at night. Every half hour
the t'serenos" might watchmen) bawl
out in stentorian tones the time and
the state of the weather. They al
ways begin their call with ave Ma
ria purissima," the final "a" being
prolonged to the extent of their lung
capacity. They carry lanterns and a
long pike and halberd, probably also,
concealed, a more effective modern
weapon, for they are much feared by
nocturnal evil doors. At daybreak
the street vendors of milk and veg
tables begin their piercing cries,
cheating your already tired brain
from a short morning nap.
OF course the greatest amusement
for Sevillano is a bull fight These
horrible butcheries take place almost
every Sunday from Easter until No
vember. During the cool winter
weather the bulls are not considered
sufficiently ''bravos" to put up good
fight Everyone goes who can possi-
bly, scrape up the money, little chill
dren and fair senoritas being as en-
are the men. l recall one especially
fine bull fight, the opening one of the
season. on an Easter Sunday after
noon, at which were present Prince
Henry of Prussia, with number Of
his naval officers and of course all
the high life of Seville. the ladies
wearing their best mantillas, for on
d