The Coolidge examiner., 1933-04-14

ic border OF springtime, where the
blues of delphinium and lupine, the
yellow, of cystisus and the gold of
colchicum, the creamy white OF
arabs and the mauves of aubrietia,
blend into the fresh foliage OF the
overhanging trees and the azure OF
the new-washed skies"
The charm OF the story of the
origin of this porcelain garden al
most equals the beauty Of the ce-
ramic triumph itself. On Novem-
ber morning In 1919 vast crowd
had gathered In the Plaza de Armas,
for there was TO be public hang
ing. and these events were Roman
holidays for the populace.
The public crier had announced:
"The Warrantable and Royal Audi
encia OF this City of the Kings has
condemned to suffer a shameful
death on the gallows Alfonso Godin-
ez, native of Guadalajara. in Spain.
for the murder OF Marta Villoslada
without fear of judgment human or
divine. Let him who did so pay
the penalty This sentence Is to be
read in the presence OF all lest they
meet a like end Let justice be
done"
Came a Reprieve.
The condemned man had taken his
stand beneath the moose and the
hangman was nervously adjusting
the fatal knot. Suddenly a monk
pushed his way through the throng,
climbed the gallows platform, and
handed a parchment TO the captain
read 1t, the two engaged in a mo-
ment of animated conversation,
after which the padre led the con-
demned man away and into the
portals of the monastery of San
Francisco. The crowd, dlsappoint-
ed, hung about the Plazuela de San
Francisco discussing this strange
overthrow Of justice.
But later the reason for reprieve
became known. That morning the
condemned man had made what he
thought would be his last confes-
sion on earth, to the prior of the
monastery. He said that he was
a potter by trade and that he had
learned the art both Of making and
setting tiles.
Years before, Dona Catalina Hu-
anca had brought from Spain a mag
nificent collection of tiles for the
decoration of the new clolsters at
San Francisco; but neither plan
nor a tile setter had come with
them. and Lima had no tile settlers.
So for years the tiles had been piled
up In a corner of the monastery :;
many were stolen and more were
broken. Would Providence ever
open way for their setting?
Here seemed to be the answer
the prior saw an opportunity to let
the man who had murdered a won.
an In a drunken brawl repent his
sins In a lifelong task OF setting
these tiles. So he hastened to the
viceroy to implore the pardon of the
murderer. and the viceroy, de-
scendant of the Borglas, seeing po
etic justice in remitting the penalty
of the scaffold and imposing a task
OF service that would require life
time. granted the commutation of
sentence
One can see today the wisdom of
that act of mercy-tempered justice.
Alfonso Godinez was a true artist.
who loved his work and threw his
soul into 1t. Today "the walls bios
som with pictures which In their
mellowness. richness and seductive
beauty rival those of the Alhambra
itself; and 1t Is doubtful If outside
of Spain there Is TO be found a finer
example OF porcelain entablature In
the heyday of it's art than here"
Lima Is peculiarly a city of
churches. with some 10 In it's limits
and, with nearly four centuries OF
outstanding ecclesiastical tradition
behind them, the people are much
given to buying religious objects.
The Cathedral Is magnificent
structure. much larger than Pizarro
built. hut still not so grand as the
one erected during the early years
Of the viceregal regime and de-
stroyed by the great earthquake that
wiped out Callao.
The high altar is of massive sill
yer construction. In the chapel of
the Virgin is celebrated Image pre-
sented by the Emperor Charles V of
Spain. and in the Chapel Arcediano
an original painting attributed to
Murillo. representing Jesus and
Veronica.
Here rests glass-and-marble
casket which Is most interesting of
all. for il contains the half-mummy,
half-skeleton reputed to be the re-
mains of the great conqueror.
Fashionable Hats Taboo.
The attire for church occasions
is perhaps the most conservative in
the New world. Even those women
who dress in the latest Partisan