A LITTLE SPANISH CUSTOM

Evening Star, Issue 22573, 15 February 1937, Page 12

A LITTLE SPANISH CUSTOM

BRIBING MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS I.—THE PRESIDENT’S PICTURE. Almeria is a pretty little Spanish town with narrow, winding lanes, rustling fountains, and fragrant orange groves. It gives the impression of a little paradise, a haven of peace, and Mr John Smith from Milwaukee decided that it was well worth the blessing of a real American shoerepair shop. He rented, a shop, imported all kinds of costly machines and had everything ready for the opening, when it occurred to him that he needed a license to exercise his. trade, and he duly applied for one to the city fathers. But the license would not and did not come. Every day he called personally at the city hall to he fed with promises. Every day He was assured that he would have the license to-mor-row. Tired of these procrastinations, John Smith decided to bestow the blessing of his repair shop upon a more hospitable community, and informed his landlord accordingly. This honourable gentleman was greatly surprised. “ But have you congratulated the mayor upon his birthday?” he finally asked the American. “ What the d has that to do with my license?” burst' out John Smith. “ How am Ito know that the fellow has a birthday?” The Spaniard began to explain that it was a time-honoured custom in the town of Almeria to congratulate the mayor upon his birthday and present him with a souvenir when. . . . The man from Milwaukee listened and marvelled. . . . “ When,” the Spaniard completed his explanation, “we want something from him.” The American understood. The next day he had his license with a polite little letter from the mayor, begging him to excuse the carelessness of the town hall clerk. It was a reply to his own letter, wishing the mayor many happy returns and enclosing a picture of the President of the United States. When his landlord heard about it he expressed doubts about the mayor having been satisfied with a picture, hut the American assured him that he had never yet known this particular picture to fail in obtaining the desired effect. “ This is very interesting,” said the Spaniard. “ Will you not explain to me in what the mysterious influence of the picture consists?” But Mr John Smith only laughed at him. “Mysterious influence, indeed! Have you ever heard that a hundred dollar note did not have the desired effect?” 11.—THE LITTLE HOUSE IN FRONT OF NUMBER ONE. Senor Juan Guerray Hiberna, municipal secretary of the charming little Spanish town of Medina, had a brilliant idea. He jumped up from the beautifully carved old chair in his office and began to pace the room with long steps. Then he called the clerk and told him;— “ Miguel, I have some urgent work for you. Sit down at once and prepare a plan for a little house ... let us call it private washrooms—to bo erected in the Calle Monterone in front of No. 1.” Miguel went to work at onoe and had the plan ready in two hours. It

met with the chief’s approval. For regularity’s sake, the owner of the villa No. 1 in Calle Monterone had to be advised of the plan, and Miguel wrote him a courteous message, which brought Don Primo. Huelva in person to the town hall, in less than one hour. Why, for God’s sake, he wanted to know, must that objectionable little house rise just in front of his villa? The suave Senor Juan was genuinely sorry and sympathetic, but it was not in his power to change the decisions of the municipality. Don Primo appealed to his better feelings, to his proverbial kindness, and finally took leave with a cordial handshake. Senor Juan examined the contents of his hand and found it to consist of a few hundredpeseta notes. Ho summoned Miguel and told him to prepare a similar plan for a “ little house ” to rise before Medina. After the last of them had called on Senor Juan and Miguel had prepared 24 plans, he finally ventured the question as to where the house would finally be built. “ Built?” laughed the secretary. “ My dear fellow, you are a young fool. Who speaks of building?” To make a long story short, Calle Monterone has 24 beautiful private residences, each the property of well-to-do and respected citizens of No. 2 Calie Monterone.