Evening star., 1922-07-03
PRINCESS RESCUE
SWHvDLE HALTED
Americans Less credaIous
Over Stories Of In
prisoned Girls. S

GRANADA. Spain, June ts.--sAmeri-
cans have, quit coming to Spain In
search of the beautiful aud wealthy
princess Imprisoned in q dark. damp
tower by a greedy uncle who is arx-
ious to annex her fortune. =
The. historic. old Spanish swindie
apparently has gone out Of fashion In
the United States. but It Is stM IN
vogue In other parts OF the world.
Germany has recently supplied quite
a crop Of kind-hearted gentlemen who
advanced money for the release OF
the dark-eyed Spanish beauty who
and slowly dying Of a diet OF dry
bread and water while the bats
hovered about her head and added to
the terrors Of her solitary, conhne-
ment
Granada has always been a popu-
tributed to the relief Of imprisoned
beauties. Washington Irving and
scores of lesser writer's have ctedited
Granada with having more beautiful
women than any other city In the
world. The legend of the Rose Of the
Alhambra and the stories Of the three
beautiful princesses, Zayda. Zorayda
and Zorahayda, hover about the Al
hambra and make 1t the natural ref
uge for disappointed investors In dis
tressed beauty.
Moor Names Popular.
Vaudeville stars always have found
the names Of Moorish princesses prof.
table on playbills. They carry with
them the atmosphere Of the harem. OF
They suggest the Alhambra and mil
lions Of gold and the priceless Moorish
Jewels which Boabdil and his court
| are reported in legend to have secret
! ed In their beautiful palace before 1t
was surrendered to Ferdinand and
Isabella. Boabdil and his queen are
supposed to be hiding in a cavern In
the neighboring mountains waiting
for magic call from Mohammed
which will restore them to their old
every turret, every miraret and every
dungeon In the old Alhambra has its
legend.
So 1T is not strange that searchers
for princesses should come to Granada
after having sought vainly for myth
Most Of the modern Spanish prin-
cesses are being held captives in cas-
ties by the sea. Castles by the sea
are so much damper. and then it is
much more romantic for rescue parties
to approach the rocky coast in ships
| and wave to the imprisoned princess.
who will promptly tear her clothing
to bits and make 4 rope with which
sne VIII lower herseif from the
gloomy tower.
Borrow Queens NaMes.
Many OF the impostors who are
marketing adventure to credulous in
vestors give their princesses the
names of famous women who have
been dead for centuries. Moraymah
! and Aishah. queens OF the Moorish
regime who have been dead for over
400 years. and many other celebrities
of history and legend have lent their
| names to princesses supposed to be in
distress.
Hotel keepers in Granada have be-
come skilled in detecting visitors
who are searching for Imprisoned
beauties. They usually make very
guarded inquiries and seldom admit
they have been duped. Frequently
they inquire for gypsy fortune teliers.
or hstrologers, who probably charge
| we'll for their services. Letters con-
cerning the distressed princesses are
| usually marked strictly confidential,
and Instructions are given that moth
ing must be said to any one lest the
| life Of the princess be endangered
Most of the dupes are too much
ashamed of their plight to confess
openly that they have been gulled.
but an occasional victim approaches
some OF the foreign consuls or seeks
the aid of the Spanish police in try
i ing to recover money advanced to the
swindlers.