Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-01-11
S1.so psr Aanum.

l
government weapon factory, but those
Of modern production do not compare
| with The ancient work. 1t seems to
be lost art The genuine Toledo
blades made by the Moors. were 30
elastic and tough that they could be
| curled up like watch spring. You
can see them In the armory at Mad
| rid. but only ordinary swords and bay
| onets for the Spanish army are made
here today, The secret seems to have
been forgotten The steel came from
| England. II Is the same as Is used
for ordinary purposes. and as in Ja-
pan. where the art reached an equal
degree OF superiority The difference
In the product lay In the skin of the
armorer and the processes he used.
In the secondhand shops at Toledo
and of the bric.a-brac dealers you can
bny old swords for reasonable prices,
but genuine ones. made before the six-
teenth century when the best were
produced and the art began to decline,
are very rare and are promptly picked
up by connolsseurs wherever they are
offered, The names of the old max
ers are as well known as those of the
painters of great pictures, and a
eword made by Nicolas or Duno. or
Dion lsio or Correnties In the four
teenth century Is worth several times
It's weight In gold. Each nrmorer CT
Toledo In ancient times, as In Japan.
had his cipher which IL TO be found
upon his blades. and there was us
much rivalry among them as there
is today among opera singers. Julien
del Rel the most famous of the Moor
lsh sword makers. always cut the fig-
ure of a dog on the blades OF mis-
swords. near the hilt. and Morrlllo.
who was also famous, used wolf for
his coat OF arms. The swordmakers
of Toledo had guild. for mutual pro-
lection, but they worked separately.
Each had his own secrets for refining
and tempeiing steel which he conceal
ed from his rivals but transmitted to
his children. who Inherited the busi-
ness. The decay of this industry as
well as every other In Toledo seems
TO date from the occupation OF the city
by Ferdinand and Isabella. and the
Introduction OF their religious re-
forms. You can buy knives. scissors.
cigar cases, card cases. paper knives.
daggers. umbrella handles and other
souvenirs in The shops in Toledo which
are said to be made OF old Toledo
steel and are ornamented with the
beautiful gold lnlaid work which was
invented by the Moors. and In which
they have never been surpassed
Many old Moorish houses still re-
main In Toledo. The best OF them
were built by Moorish architects for
rich Jews. and are decorated with
great richness and magnihcence.
They add especial interest TO the city,
becausc they cannot be found any
where else. and can be Identified by
the immense nail heads, knockers, and
other metals. with which the outer
doors are ornamented All of them
are built upon the same plan. You
enter from the street under an arch
way, which Is strongly guarded against
rogbers, into patio in which there Is
one and sometimes two wells with ex-
quisite iron work. The courts are
surrounded by arcades whose walls
and pillars are covered with tiles. The
rooms of the houses are wainscoted
with the same material. and the re-
mainder Of the walls Is covered with
plaster work of the most delicate
tracery. The ceilings are Of wood.
with beams exposed. and they are us
ually covered with carvings. Eacn
window Is protected with an iron grill
wrought In artistic patterns and H.
iustrating the taste and skill Of the
Moorish vulcans. Artists say that
fhe ancient iron work OF Toledo has
never been exceilcd and seldom equal
ed
OF course Cervantes lived In Toledo.
and. of course. he wrote Don Quixote
here, as In every other city He
seems to have been veritable nomad
and to have changed his residence AS
often as Methodist minister. In al
most every city Of Spain they point
out his residence. and 1t Ia always q
picturesque and interesting building.
Here in Toledo 1t happens to be an
ancient inn. and II Is said to have been
the same In his day. 1t is bit dllap-
idated, but you must remember that
1t is more than four hundred years old,
and nothing else could be expected.
The rooms all open upon large,
square court. paved with irregular
cobblestones, and there Is big foun-
tain in the center. which is laundry.
cistern and drinking fountain COM
bined The ground floor is occupied
by a stable, kitchen. storeroom and
drinking room in which teamsterS.
who seem 10 be the chief patrons OF
4, the place. sit around smah tables and
drink long glasses OF crimson wine.
A fine Old marble staircase leads to q
| gallery upon which the living rooms
open. and the tiles OF the roof can be
| seen between the heavy oaken beams.
black with age and covered with ex-
| pulsite carving.
Adjoining the house OF Cervantes Is
hospital for foundlings. established
by Isabella the Catholic In 1904, for
such an Institution was needed in To-
ledo then as much as now. 1t was
afterward a convent. then a seminary
and Is now school in which boys
| are Drpnared for tho military sradasuv