El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-07-31
ADRID, Spain, July 31.-An es- I
I~ pecial charm is given to !
= - social

social life in Spain by
the fact that snobbishness has
no part in it. No man is prouder
of his nationality than a Spaniard. and
no one is prouder of his pedigree than
a Spaniard of aristocratic breeding but
1t is said that there is no equivalent
| for the English word "snob" in the
Spanish tongue. Pride exists without
! q desire to make others feel their lack
/ of distinction. Spanish society is agree
ably informal in the larger cities. In
! the country. society" in the sense that
the term is commonly used does not ex
| ist. There is no counterpart of the
smart country life of England, France
or other European countries. Everyone
! who has wealth enough to belong to
! smart life in Madrid. the national cap
| ital. or even in one of the old regal
/ capitals, lives in town. The really
! wealthy go to Paris and London IN
| the season.
Court the Exemplar.
The court, once much more brilliant
| than Ii is now, is of course the ex-
! emplar in social life. During the brief
| reign of Alfonso XII ii was a scene
| of continual gayety. but his early
death plunged it into mourning and
left queen Maria Cristina. as regent,
the social arbiter at the royal palace
She was not inclined to revive the gay
cites of the court after the period OF
mourning and it was not until Alfonso
XIII. brought an English princess to
Madrid as his queen that the court
resumed even the appearance Of livel1-
ness Even since the young queens
advent ii has not been up to Its for
mer standard of gayety. but queen Ena
has striven to popularize herself with
the Spaniards by showing an assumed
interest in the bull ring and the ball
room and king Alfonsos democratic
ideas and personal popularity have done
much to make the palace the Mecca OF
the socially ambitious.
The etiquette of the Spanish court
used TO be extremely formal King
Alfonso XII. was somewhat OF an 1coh-
oclast and smashed a few precedents-
He allowed audiences at the theater 10
applaud the pctors in his presence
His predecessors had never allowed so
much interest in other than their royal
selves to be shown during the perform
ances they. attended. He also dispensed
with some of the more annoying reo
tape within the palace. but the court
still retains a peculiar dignity anu
abounds in lackeys and lad1es-ln-"aiI-
ing whose numerical strength and FOR
NAL dress correspond with their I'M
portance as factors in the maintenance
of the degree of stateliness that Is
deemed necessary
Old Style "Hand Kissing
Formerly palace receptions were
called 'shand kissings-" Nowadays
there is a little less heavy forma n.y.
but it is when one secures the hohoi
of an audience with king Alfonso When
no court function Is in progress that
he meets a genial and democratic young
man who likes to talk about horses
and dogs and hunting and can do so
fluently in several languages Inc
fullest dignity Of the Spanish court Is
seen when the royal carriage appears
in a gala procession. 1t is drawn Oy
four pairs of horses whose heads are |
adorned by huge ostrich plumes IN
the royal colors- Gorgeous hanSlhss
of velvet trimmed in gold reach almost
RI the ground and the harness is richly
ornamened Grooms magnnicentIy clao
In garments of velvet richly emorolo-
cred In gold lead the horses. Military
guards. eouerries and outriders sur
round the carriage. Such cavalcaoe
is seen nowhere else save in the orient
In curious contrast with the formall-
ty of the court IS the informally OF So
cial life in the aristocratic circles me
entertaining at the foreign ministries !
and legations in Madrid brings Spanish !
and foreigners together under circum-
stances that do not reveal much OF (
Spanish life 1t is when one IS admit
ted to the set OF some we'll estao-
lfshed family in one Of the provincial
towns that a good idea Of the native
customs is gained.
One Step to Court.
From the drawing room or a Maoriu
lady of social prominence 10 court So
ciety is but a STEP The step may De
direct or through some Of the great
L. fn homes
the noblemen Of high rank. Usually an
introduction to any good family means
an early invitation to one or THESE
homes and the climb TO the top rung OF
the ladder is then almost accomplished
by the visitor who is ambitious Tor
prominence, or a glimpse at spanish
high life" They now call 1t eel hlSh
life" by the way. The term hign
life" has been borrowed by the French
from America and has found its way
to Madrid to be Incorporated into the
native tongue untranslated- 1t Is offen
zig leaf as If to rhJ ne
with Zig leaf"
The forms Of social advertisement in
Snain are not greatly different from
those in England or America The wo-
men meet chiefly at receptions one
distinct advantage that Spanish So
ciety presents to those who are not
~O0N
pense than an equal amount OF social
activity In equally select circles In most
other countries. There is no bridge
playing and women do not find gam
bling funds a necessity. Refreshments
are usually simple and simply served
and large caterers bills are not con-
cofnitant Of entertaining. The refresh
nents served by a Spanish matron to
her friends duplicate those served at
he cafes in Madrid that are frequented
by women of smart society. Chocolate,
almost as thick as marmalade. Is served
in tiny cups and eaten with spoon or
by dipping bits of cake In the cup. A
sort of meringue that dissolves in
glass of water and flavors it with va
nilla is a favorite. and there are 9TH
er inexpensive CONNECTIONS or soft
drinks" Punch with a stick in it"
cocktails and other intoxicating bev-
erages are ractically unknown as
refreshments in Spain, even among
men.
Chocolate and Cake.
At a cafe after the theater a cup of |
chocolate and piece of cake constitute
the routine order and no one thinks of
an alcoholic beverage. Light !
wines are drunk at meals instead of |
hu sttrnulaOtS not taken 10 :