The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-20
SPANISH HOSPITALITY.
Spanish Entertaining keeps the
Guests Busy Until Late at Night

eaihinBly III lne OClODer century Oh
her husbands experiences and her
own of Spanish hospitality:
| think most Americans go to for
eign countries too we'll prepared for
what they are to see and to do. Their
first impressions lack zest and fresh
ness. and they waste time and en-
joyment In trying to identify types
and adjusting the facts as they see
them to the latest book they have
read.
We had been unconsciously seeing
the Spain of De Amicis and WASH
ington Irving, who both blur ones
vision by spreading over the whole
country haze of poetry and ro-
nance. In Andalusia the glamour
fingered quite satisfactorily, but In
restless, commercial Barcelona II
faded into the light OF common day,
and we felt the compelling spirit of
the twentieth century.
In the houses we knew in Anda-
lusia the men obliterated themselves
all day. the ladies went to mass in
the morning and spent the rest OF
the time sitting in hower-decked
balconies, tanning softly and talking
to csnaries and cockatoos
After weeks of travel, the prospect
OF rest in such an environment was
not unattractive. and | contemplated
adapting myself to the ways of the
household and the balcony with much
pleasure. With some good novels
bought in Madrid, Fate could not
harm me FOR few days. at any rate.
But while dressing In my cushioned
and scented boudoir. Il was borne in
upon me that the atmosphere OF this
palacio was not SO serenely dull as
the houses Of Andalusia. The smart
freshness OF the house was too OBJ
vious, and certainly the dona did not
look like a woman who found canar-
les intellectually satisfying.
Waiting for us in the drawing
room with the don and dona was a
young man introduced simply as
Mariana the nephew Of somebody;
nor do I know TO this day what was
Mariano's other name. That was a
trivial detail, but his ancestors were
very serious. He represented one of
the old Moorish families who for rea-
sons of love or money had remained
in Spain after the fall of Granada,
and his solemn eyes and blue black
hair and beard made him rare ex.
ample of the persistence of race type,
Paquita, a pretty young girl, was a
semi-detached member OF the fam
lily, the dona's goddaughter, living on
another floor of the palacio. who had
come in ito see lis eat breakfast"
On the don's arm | went the length
of the house 10 the dining room,
where the table was prettily laid
with a few flowers. picturesque wine
bottles and primly arranged fruit
baskets. IL was appalling to find
ourselves placed at the head and foot
of ii, but they proved to be literally
seats OF honor, with no duties at
tached Everything was served by
two little maids as pretty as their
names, Serafna and Lljandra. In
peasant costume. and the dona wore
throughout the meal look of rest
ful uneoncern.
We were hardly seated before visi-
tors began TO arrive. Each shook
hands with every one present, includ-
ing a superanuated housekeeper on
diyan in far corner, then joined
US at the table, taking cigarettes and
sherry. Nothing else was offered
them, while we enjoyed course after
course. AT first we rose when intro
duced. but they always protested We
hemently, and seeing that the family
remained seated, we did likewise, and
found 1t the only reasonable plan, as
during the meal we had half dozen
callers, and each one shook hands
all around twice. We were still at
the table when the tartana was an
nounced at 4 o'clock.
The fine arts exhibition was the
center of social interest, and we we're
plunged without warning into the
midst of 1t, spending the afternoon
ia Suaob vi lulIOuuCllOUS. music,
pictures and light refreshments.
Dinner at 8, except for few more
sweets and visitors, was like the pre-
vious meal. At 10 we hurried TO the
theatre. and l was Imply thankful
to leave at midnight, though the play
was not over, and a gay party pro-
tested against our going SO early.
Arriving at the palacio, the don
clapped his little gloved hands. and
a voice from the distant darkness
called, 'Voy corriendo" ("I come
running'O, though the steps were
slow and shuffling. In my impa-
thence II seemed as IL the don might
have carried his own latchkey. until
the vigilante produced II from a
bunch containing the keys of all the
houses In the block. each Weighing
about half pound.
He also provided a long wax taper
to light us upstairs, and after firmly
refusing anything more TO eat or
drink, we made our elaborate good
night speeches, shook hands with