22 WILD SPAIN. 



and so tlie evening passes : perhaps a few glasses of 

 af/uardiente are handed round — certainly much tobacco is 

 smoked — the older folks keep time to the music with hand- 

 clapi^ing, and all is good nature and merriment. 



What is it that makes the recollection of such evenings 

 so pleasant '? Is it merely the fascinating simplicity of the 

 music and freedom of the dance ; is it the spectacle of 

 those weird, picturesque groups, bronze-visaged men and 

 dark-eyed maidens, all lit up by the blaze of the great 

 wood-lire on the hearth and low-burning oil-lamp 

 suspended from the rafters ? Perhaps it is only the re- 

 membrance of many happy evenings spent among these 

 same people since our boyhood. This we can truly say, 

 that when at last you turn in to sleep you feel happy 

 and secure among a peasantry with whom politeness and 

 sympathy are the only passports required to secure to 

 you both friendship and protection if required. Nor is 

 there a pleasanter means of forming some acquaintance 

 with Spanish country life and customs than a few evenings 

 spent thus at farm-house or village-inn in any retired 

 district of laughter-loving Andalucia. 



