Rambles in sunny Spain . s consigned to themails in this land of Cervantes and Quixote. In the first place, youhave no direct communication at all with those most concerned inthe transportation of the mails. You have no disputes with the post-master, as, for instance, who shall lick the stamps, or who shall paythe postage, for you dont see that official. The government guardsagainst possible defalcation by depriving the officials of the privilegeof selling the stamps. When you wish to buy stamps, you must goto the tobacco-shop. Government not only manufactures and sellscigars and cigarettes, —
Rambles in sunny Spain . s consigned to themails in this land of Cervantes and Quixote. In the first place, youhave no direct communication at all with those most concerned inthe transportation of the mails. You have no disputes with the post-master, as, for instance, who shall lick the stamps, or who shall paythe postage, for you dont see that official. The government guardsagainst possible defalcation by depriving the officials of the privilegeof selling the stamps. When you wish to buy stamps, you must goto the tobacco-shop. Government not only manufactures and sellscigars and cigarettes, — probably the vilest in the world, — but allowsthe tobacconist to sell postage-stamps, the authorized depositoriesfor both being under the same roof. The tobacconist is generally a lady, — at least she is a female,—and as you enter the shop with bucnas tardcs or bucnos dias, sheresponds with elegance, and when you leave tells you to Go withGod, that being the literal rendering of Vaya con Dios. caballcro* .^ur ~-. GRANADA. — THE ALHAMBRA. 249 After your letter is weighed, you affix the stamps and seek the letter-box. There is only one in the city, and that is supposed to lurksomewhere behind or beneath the yawning mouth of a lion, carvedin stone or cast in iron, in the wall of the Correo. Having thrustyour letter between the lions jaws, and having heard it drop witha thud somewhere behind the wall, you then consider your duty done,and the subsequent responsibility rests with somebody you never sawand never heard of. Of tobacco, a government monopoly, there are divers kinds, but nokind so poor, so wretchedly prepared, so altogether villanous, as thatsold in Spain. As to whether or no we speak from experience, weare not going to commit ourselves ; but enough is it to watch itseffect upon the consumers of the weed. A certain acquaintance ofours who affects a great sympathy for the departed Moors because,we suspect, they are departed, and who hates the Spaniards for per-h
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