Show Swai rits night watchmen I 1 relieve police on duty I 1 every visitor to spain writes the madrid correspondent of the london sunday observer notices the sereno or watchman who with his pouch ot of keys anil and small oil lamp dangl dangling I 1 ng f from rom his chest and with his metal shod staff in his hand forms one ot of the chief notes of city elty life after dark madriss Mad rids I serenos se renes conie come in largo large part from galicia Gall cla they form the butt tor for much good natured fan on the variety and musical comedy stages the fact that the madrilejos Madri lenos live almost exclusively in large blocks of lats flats usually at least five or six stories high makes the work of the watchman relatively simple the house bor porter unlike his unfortunate colleagues in france Is free of all responsibility for t he he comings and goings ot of the occupants of his house while the sereno Is on duty in iome some spanish towns the Se sereno rolie wears a typical uniform but la in madrid a flat topped hat bat Is his bis only official distinction ile he ranks however as belonging ion ing to the armed forces and two Y years ears imprisonment Is the minimum punishment for even the slightest assault on his person nis presence in the streets avoids the necessity for police patrols and madrid Is probably the only capital in europe whose streets are not hot regularly patrolled by policemen throughout the night |