New-York tribune., 1910-11-05

Wv S'NA IN ilit pAiFis saw tiiC Sltttt-
ton, for he said as plainly as possible
Here is my money: I want my bowl !
asked. Why?' 1T is not possible that we
sell it: it was her mothers The duty
was plain. / gave him back the bowl
and let him keep the money and felt
had had a good day" There is no
other country in the world in which
poverty is SO little A matter for humli-
alton. Spain, the traveller SAYS. is 4
land of patches. ANY one may wear a
patch and suffer no social declension;
all the poor are patched, in infinite
shapes, sizes, and colors. In the towns
are patchshops containing piles OF pieces
of material Of all colors and the rule
is 20 make a, bargain as regards their
size and strength The result of the
inccngruous mixtures of colors and text
ures is sometimes positively fascinating
lin it's Enthusiastically.
| The Spaniards continue to be the most
abstemious of people a regards food and
drink They talk much of those good
things. but eat and drink little. Coffee
they will drink whenever they can get
it-fn that they are as intemperate as
scantily supplied pockets will permit
The general belief that Spain reeks of
garlic is contradicted by this writer.
who declares that he has travelled for
months without tasting or scenting this
generous vegetable, and he has often
been unable to obtain it in large towns.
Meat is SO dear that the common people
make little go long way amid q
stew of vegetables. The very poor find
substitutes in olive Oil and Goldfish; and
they have, we are told, a real faculty
for cooking, making the very best use
| possible of whatever materials are avail
able. The disciples of Fletcher will ap-
prove of the Spanish habit of eating
very slowly; but multitude of health
preachers will lament that other habit
of drinking quantities of water before
and during the meal. In the most dis
tinguished society, as in the Orient, it
is mark of attention to be fed from
the fingers of host or hostess. AS for
punctuality-alas! The Spanish cook
promises everything, and there an end.
| Il have often had my breakfast so late
as to think II an early dinner" says
Luffman, "and my dinner so far into the
night as TO regard it as an early break
fast The Spaniard endures this with
marvellous patience, absolutely without
ren1onstrance, in spite of the fact that
satisfied hunger.
The Spaniards are shockingly underfed,
and when they get enough in quantity It
-. 4f~r Of lhcfa aN1ry yal
is to this Shortness of fare that one must
look to their attitude toward eating and
drinking. Nationally there is never enough
and the greater number are perpetually
on short commons. And this is no new
situation; it has existed for centuries and
there is no evidence to encourage the hope
that there can be any lasting improvement.
| Out of all this long-lyed poverty has
arisen a sort of philosophic restraint and
even to feeling such an absurd thing as
hunger. To want food is a sign OF the
lowest Vulgarity; to boast of a Supcrf1uity
where there is none is a sign of good
breeding, and be sure the Spaniard would
be Well-bred. Thus one sees only the
poorest peasant and the tramp plead for
food or express the fact that he is hungry.
In the crowd all we'll off 1t would
be lowering to mint at poverty; it would be
a mistake not to mention that the excess
of good fare makes life a burdeni AS out
si0ers we discern and laugh at this boast,
bat only for time. for we come to see
justified by the calm and the simplicity it
gives to life Busy" people almost hate
the Spaniard for his sublime indifference,
whilst if he had steam he would hate them
for their mad concern. He will not have
any concern. lie says "Todas es Mismo"-
all is the same. He is nearer to China in
his thoughts and attitude toward life than
the Frenchman or Englishman who are at
his elbow.
! Feminine beauty. we gather from
these chapters. does not suffer from
! thocn cl1ort commons and * MT can
, fined TO any one class In some regions
the peasant girls are tho loveliest; in
fothers il is the daughter of the shop
Keeper. The harsh and uncuitivated
voice OF the Spanish woman is thing
which disturbs the unprejudiced OBJ
server. Quiet speech is not polite, and
good voices arc spoiled by strain which
ends in making them masculine in depth.
The Spanish woman, the average woman,
is far from intellectual: she is, in the
opinion of the author, striking example
Of what may be accomplished in the
way of securing regard without the ex-
ercisc of much brain. Housekeeping in
Spain is an easy thing. There are no
fires and no carpets and no ornaments,
and the furniture is scanty. The floors
| OF stone, brick, marble or tiles are well
swept but never scrubbed. The women
have a passion for whitewashing. The
few small windows arc seldom cleaned.
THE only house" says Mr.. Luffman, "in
which thought there was enough light
was at a blind asylum at Tividavo.'
There arc various quaint sketches in
this volume of women. acquaintance or
| Iandladies who took a friendly or GU
rious interest I'm the foreigner and none
! Is more amusing than that Of old Maria,
who kept house for him on the Vega of
Malaga She was an incredible mixture
of culinary skill, dirt. greed and pride
and had no more humor than a stone.
| There is a glimpse of the ancient dame
here which it would be hard to match.
/ had two knickerbocker suits of soft brown
| flannel and In an unguarded moment told
| Here was a dilemma, She did not want
/! me 20 90. and IL ! stayed long the gar
ment3 would be worn out So she schemed
| and appealed 10 my vanity. There were
ink stains and other spots which would not
| come out In the wash. Some parts We're
! becoming to a caballero Her appeals We're
so frequent that l gave her one suit. She
put il on at once and appeared before me.
Shades of Bonnie Scotandl had never seen
anything like this Maria evermore went
about the house and the mills outside,
when looking for her sweet herbs, as my
| double, Honestly, j grew almost to hate
| myself, for / was always wondering II the