The Story of SevilleGallichan, Walter M. (Walter Matthew)
History
The Story of Seville
Gallichan, Walter M. (Walter Matthew)
Seville (Spain)
To see Sevillian society out of doors, go to the Parque Maria Luisa and
the adjoining Paseo de las Delicias about five in the afternoon. This is
the fashionable promenade, and here the _élite_ of the city drive in
open carriages daily. The costumes of the _señoras_ are varied and
stylish. Some of the ladies wear English gowns and hats, and one sees a
few of the latest Paris fashions in dresses. But the majority have not
discarded the _mantilla_ of black or white lace, and the fan is in every
hand. A 'smart turn-out' is a sort of four-wheeled dogcart, drawn by
four mules, with bells, and gay worsted ear-caps and worked bridles.
The servants are dressed in London livery, the landaus are of French or
English make, and many fine horses may be seen. _Caballeros_ ride upon
prancing nags. Under the palms and orange trees there are seats filled
with loungers, the women fanning themselves, the men smoking cigars or
cigarettes. None but foreigners smoke a pipe in the streets of Seville.
A _majo_ would not be guilty of such vulgarity.
Beneath the odorous orange trees, where innumerable nightingales warble,
one may watch the afternoon procession of carriages and pedestrians. A
breeze blows from the wide Guadalquivir. It is cool by the ornamental
water, where roses and camellias are rife. The blue uniform of an
officer, the white duck trousers of a dandy, the sunshades of the ladies
show amidst the greenery of the avenues. From the cavalry barracks comes
the blare of bugles. In the Parque there are peacocks and a den of wild
boars.
In April, during the _feria_ week, there is horse-racing on the broad
meadows beyond the Paseo de las Delicias. English horses, ridden by
English jockeys, sometimes compete in the races. The grand stand is a
large one, with a long enclosure. It is well filled on race days with
the rank and fashion of Andalusia. One is struck with the gravity of the
spectators as contrasted with the animation of a British crowd upon a
racecourse. The people are thoroughly enjoying the spectacle; but they
do not shout, and there is no ring of bellowing bookmakers. Backers of
horses purchase a ticket at a little office in the enclosure. There is
only one of these offices, and there are no betting men behind the ropes
of the course.
An element of pageant is introduced by the company of cavalry drawn up
near the grand stand. When officers of the State arrive upon the course,
they are saluted with a flourish of trumpets. A number of mounted men
of the Civil Guard keep the course clear of pedestrians. The resplendent
dresses of the ladies, the bright uniforms of the soldiers and the
costumes of the jockeys make a brilliant scene in the dazzling southern
sunshine.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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