The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-04
SPAIN

mans and the entire peninsula became
Romanized save in Basque, where the
ancient speech may still be heard. Arabs
are to be found there and some 10000
Moors, readily recognized by their speech
and other characteristics.
The Spaniard generally is temperate
and has few wants, which are easily
satisfied. He requires a daily nap or
siesta, is rather lazy, loves music and
dancing and the bull-hght and is not
averse to intrigue and to the use of
weapons. native dignity that never
forsalSes them even In dire poverty and
squalor is one of the most striking char
acteristics of the race.
The Spanish Inquistion was introduced
into Spain I'm 1477 by the pious Queen
Isabella who befriended Columbus Its
powers were enlarged under the reign of
her grandson Charles v. who tortured
his own unhappy mother to make her re-
nounce her new views of religion With
the accession of Philip III fierce per-
secution began in old CASTLE and Andula-
STA against all persons suspected of har-
boring opinions contrary to the doctrines
of the church of Rome. On Trinity Sun
day, 1853, an auto da feh was held at
Valladolid in honor of Don Carlos, Prince
of Asturia, who with his aunt, who was
the Kings own sister. the grandees and
ladies' of their suites occupied the great
square which was fitted up like an am
phltheatre, and witnessed the condemna-
ton of fourteen persons, men and women,
to death by fire, and sixteen othres to
perpetual Imprisonment and infamy. After
the doom was pronounced a sermon was
read to the unhappy victims and those
condemned to the stake were burned
without the city. The last OF these exc
cutions by fire for heresy took place at
Seville in 1888
Joseph Bopaparte. who was forced on
/ the Spanish throne by the ambitious
Napoleon resided in the United States
near Bordentown, N. j., for sixteen years.
lie built and furnished beautiful home
which was burned down in 1920 In 1882
he was at last enabled to take up his
residence in Italy where the other mem
bers of his family had found a home,
where he died in 1874. In letter to his
brother Louis, just before the close of his
troubled life. he said: II have a good
Wife but I have not lived with her for
the last thirty years. Without ambition,
have been constantly engaged In fighting
against the enemies Of my country. Yet of
what that country exacted / could not
approve. The most loving man in the
world has passed his life always away
from his family"
Spaniards knew how to live under con-
stitutions In the very earliest days of
their history, and both CASTLE and Ara
gon had free constitutions before the
Magma Charta was ever dreamed of, and
1t was not until the reign of Charles "
and Philip II that this patriotic spirit
was crushed.
Queen Isbella ii of Spain, whose lapses
from the straight and narrow path OF
virtue were proverbial and whose whole
course of life was a public scandal. was
for years SPANS popular idol. Year by
year when Holy Week came round she
lnelt In the church and with loud sobs
and groans proclaimed her repentance
and her resolution to make atonement.
She washed the feet of beggars with such
zeal and spoke to them with such kind
ness tnat the populace were ready to
fall down again and adore their sover-
eign During these ceremonies she al
ways wore full court dress and once
while she was serving a mendcant a
diamond fell from her head dress to
the plate Of one OF the beggars. A dozen
hands reached out to restire the jewel
to her, but the Queen motioned to the
man TO keep IT, saying: 1T has fallen to
thee by lot" Narvaez, who was minister
In power during her reign. said OF her:
1.-The wonder was. not that she should
have inherited the vices of her ances-
tors. but rather that she should have in
herlted so many good qualities which
were all her own
"Old Madrid" solves the problem of
rapid transit by tram-cars drawn by
mules. but they are ahead of the United
States in that they have . two-csnt
fare. ~