The Washington herald., 1909-03-21
IN OLD MADRID.
Not Proper Place for n Rest Cure.
but Full OF Interest.

From what we saw and from what
( happened 10 us in Madrid I made up
Z page Of Spanish etiquette. writes an
/ American girl in Outing. II IS probably
I not correct, bat I offer it as the result
4 OF our experiences. other people may
have had different impressions.
II you are Of the female sex. never
wear a short skirt. sailor or English
walking hat, unless you are willing 10
have people stare az you. and sometimes
cali after YOU.
II you have red hair. dye IL. or be pre-
pared 90 be salVted as -Rubia" Never
/ bow 10 "a man unless he lifts his hat first.
I II you are man you may dress as an
I Englishman an operate. tenor. or a ch0-
rus singer from Carmen" without eX-
citing remark
Never wear glasses, II you are blind
I take a dog on "a string. When YOU sit
down al the table or arise. always bow
and say "Buenas." this is imperative
You may jcstle people without apology.
but never speak 10 any one without say
I ing your grace, be he noble, friend. or
beggaT.
WIN your grace DO me the favor to
bring me my coffee At 9 O'Clock to-mOr-
row. would strike an American belI50y
with dismay. but it Is the literal trans
latiOn Of the Spanish request.
Never tell beggar % clear out. but
say that you have left your purse at
home and that YOU win remember him to-
morrow. or. gently murmUr that God
VIII reward him, Whereat he win smile.
thank you. and depart
These same beggars, which spring I'D
on every side, seem 90 have "a code OF
etiquette we could not fathom. After
two or three days there were a few who
begged only from me, TWO OF three others
who besoughJ Jean.
Evidently We were understood 10 De the
patrons Of certain beggars. who. out of
crowd Of mendiCants. were the only
ones to approach us. VINO would take their
dole with thanks. or If we said "tO-m0r-
row. would smilingly back away AT once
The poorest people go bareheaded. but
Of whatever class the hair IS beautifully
dressed. A Spanish lady rarely goes into
the street alone, Either her duenna or
some relative Is constantly with her, as
she goes often 10 mass. rarely 10 shop or
walk.
Those who drive wear Partisan hats.
but no one wears a hat 70 3 bull night. al
ways the mantilla: and 70 the gala bull
fights, a white mantilla- once year. on
Good Friday. every woman, even the
Queen, wears the mantria as she walks
20 church They told US that no carriage
was driven on that day
The Spanish train averages possibly
| twenty miles an hour-tO allow one 20
make time exposures Of the scenery. per
haps- It makes frequent and long waits
At every station the guards run up and
down shouting the name OF the town and
the number Of minutes for each stop.
At every station also the TWO military
guards who accompany each train de-
scend and walk around the cars. looking
10 see that no robbers are concealed.
As there is at least one stop an hour
these guards get some exercise before the
day is over. They say this custom was
adopted 20 drive away any brigands who
might be concealed in or under the train
and has been successful
Madrid carries no latch key. The con-
cierge holds it by day. the street watch
man by night. Consequently the hours
Of sleep were constantly broken by the
sound Of handclapping, followed by the
quick. heavy step of the watchman in re-
spOnse TO this medieval summons
Altogether, 1 Unhesitaungly pronounce
against Madrid as a rest cure.
Some one has divided the inhabitants
into two classes: those who 20 to bed
after 8 a. m, and those who get up be-
fore l.
Il is true that the streets are never
quiet The stonecutters. who were mend
ing the sidewalks. begin chipping at day
/ break. Next we heard the electric cars
with their loud gongS. and the mule
carts Gathering over the noisy cObble-
stones.
BY breakfast time the sound Of the
hurdy gurdy echoed in our ears. Street
takers shouted their wares. and sing
ing beggars. with their wierd yodel.
roamed up and down all day. Just before
dinner. the women who cry lottery tick
cts and evening papers took their stand
at the corner, and their stentorian voices
never stopped until after midnight