New-York daily tribune., 1854-08-31
u,le, his ,ppearance. invites ron 70 be ,s.,ed snd

a
sEd ven tsik-ef tte coffee cr0n the disappointment
81 tie sst and the homes OF the fgtgre oGe. VERY
rarely 90 the women show theugelyes, ani their ab
. sorce, tkeir retiring vixen you enter. Is apt g
Ike you feel tat your presence : gawe.ccme; bat
il is on their Isrt merely cGstom and wsn Of socis
biity-pefbsps bashfulness.
Tie only socshihty VII ch does exist in Costa Rica
lie TO he found around the 6nner-;a5e-nos tse family
6iIEeT-table hut the "dsacrs de saTeors" 20 which
tie men very rartal-Or arDurd The gaming table.
Ihese dinners, where the bottle circuates freely and
all distinction of rank disappears; where the PTesi-
cent of the Republic is iamiarly addressed BY any
one Of his acquaintance a. - jean nay evea -
"Juauto;" where the Prime Minister Jokes with the
Government clerk aud challenges him to 9riBk fss:
and deep; where the priest orgets his sacred charsc
ter, and would be greatly tempted 10 embrace bis
reichbor were Lis neicLbor only in petcosts. These
dIues are becoming far more frequent than hitherto
end Il ke place generally al the National Hotel. After
dinner tie guests adourn 10 the club room TO gsmble
aId here large sums are won ana iost TO the detr-
nent of the wives and daughters who are Tiiety Gu
sconced st their homes snd s0lace themselves with
BIT Of scandal and cigarette.
| was much amused one day after dinner OF tns
kiLa. We had passed into the clubr0oia aud as usual
vss quietly seated watching everybody spectator
Of what psssed. Suddenly the Minister of Finance
who s great gsmester .Aela med across the room to
the Brtsh Vice. Consul, who standing in cOGyer-
,atior with the Dutch Consul, "Mr COGsu will you
"plsy lansqaeHt, with me- >" The Brtishcr put on
dubious face, shook bis head and said No." "Whyf'
inquired the Minister. ''Whyi" replied the other.
WHY, because your laws forbid it," Everybody
lausl ed ard the Minister looking rather foolish turned
10 ttose pear him and repeated d:-f'Who will plsyw
Many joined him. the President among others, aud the
game began.
The families which compose the higher class in Cos
ia Rca are nearly all connected with each other either
ty ties of cousanguuity OF affinity There results
from this tapgle OF interests and tempers which gives
lirfh m cip IN dpsdly hat Wnal hal
the occasion be inheritance family quarrel, or
q commercial wrong or hopes disappointed 10y some
fiscal measure proposed and carried by relative,
whom, as a relative they expected should be more
careful OF not opposing their interest.
The lower class il Costa kica quiet inodens,ye,
kind-hoartoo people, when their cup.dity is not
strC ngly aroused. heard of a where the father
aud mother OF poor GIRL who had been sedaced and
refused to reveal to them the of her lover from
whom tLey wished 10 extort money to compensate for
the wtatressayery pEei sess Weakness ~ Costa Riea
-ef their daughter; tied her to post snd lighted tire
under her-but let draw val on the TEND sh
scene. They are civil, but extremely obsrusiye in
their curiosity. They VIII crowd before yoar open
window and stare at you tor hours, unless by ges-
tuIe Of impationce and Of menace !ou irisAten them
away, which is essi.y done, Tor they are easily
fTigLtCned.
They are lazy race passi.g twothrds OF the day
talking instead OF working and nevertheless they ex
act high wages which considering the amount OF work
they get through can bo fairly stated at double the
rate Of wages in the United States. Their soth is
not wholly caused by the natural incidence which Is
produced by q warm climate; they arg slothiul be-
cause they actually do grudge giving Leir labor TO the
master who employs them, ard consider as fair and
almost meritorious TO get as much a. posslele from
their employers and do little for them AS possible in
returo. Nothing will keep them to the journey work
If the ster the cultivation ot tneir own ground,
or ind, Cd their private interest OF any sort draws them
away And why should they work reason they, but
al their own prise and cCnveniencchaye they not al!
of them vLether mechanic or laborer, small patch
of land, the cultivation OF which gives them the MAJOR
part of the fuCd necessary to their subsistence
As an Illustration Of tie Costa Rcs wOrhlngmen,
will relate what occurred With friend OF mine mer-
chant and planter residing in the country lie was
having extensive Vineyard made in front Of his cot
fee-mi to be used for the drying OF the berry. These
Yards are formed Of thick lime-layers Of yard IN
width, laid across ana over the ground on bed OF
gravel The workmen employed were paid AZ the
ksLet rate of wages, and nevertheless, did not pro-
grcss. lie therefore offered them three days wage.
Tor every two days work. provided they finished each
day two layers Of tbe yard IN lieu OF the enc which
had been hitherto the only work accomplished by them
in that space Of time. They consented, and did easily
the amount Of work newly assigned TO them.
The abol;ng man in Costa Rca is so completely
master If the eld from the scarcity Ut hands and his
independent position that when you require his
vices in the winter season. during which days worh
is reduced by the afternoon rains to half adays work,
you nevertheless compelled to pay hun the same
ful wages be receives during summer, lest no
81 ould consent to work Tor YOU
The peculiar characteristics OF the Costa Rican OF
the lower class Is al anxious desire to obtain the pos
session q small piece OF land, aid II he has one of
enlsrging Il. lie boards I'M money for that OBJECT,
(wheg he does not lose in the cockpit and will sell
beforehand nc considerable disadvantage his crop Of
coffee Of the next year, to procure money TO effect the
purchase OF neghbOrDg patch OF ground, II there be
,nch for sale. Many large fortunes have been made
from THE cause by native merchants who have lent
their money by anticipated purchases and In the ol
lowing manner a coun'ryman comes TO the mer-
chant lie wants, ior instance, SiOO TO purchase his
Heiplbors field; he has no money but he spropretor
of small plantation that gives him one hundred qun-
tails coffee. He appeals to the merchant, who gives
lin the coveted $40, against an agreement that b.
will deliver to him one hundred quintas OF coffee on
the following year, which at ~ covers the sum tent;
moreover the borrower gives 10 the lender le-
cal mortgage on his property. II is furthermore
aareed that if be cannot deliver in due time the hun
dred quintSs VI coffee, he 1ill be indebted TO their
equivalent in money, viz: SEQ or $500 Or course
If ke cannot deliver the coffee when 1t becomes due,
be caunot pay the dollars; he therefore again agrees
that the following year he will pay the $500 in coffee
ct the rate Of s4 per quinta The one hundred gum
tails have now become two hundred. Aud so il goes
On sccumulsting until the merchant, TO whom both
fields sre hypotheeated brings an execution against
his debtor and has tue property I'D.
Commercial punctuslty is pretty much Unknown In
Gotta klca AID from the less close degree Of
relation .hp which exists amUng all the merchants they
have bec,n very careless in the payment Of their
pr,missory notes. And it is almost impossible to suc
then for the amount Of their Indebtedness from va.
ri. us causes which shall explain hereafter. will
give one fact a. an example shortly before quilted
The country, merchant called at tue shop Of native
fellow hant who holds high position in the coun-
try and presented to him for payment several OF hi.
pIomiFsory rotes The debtor looked surprised and
t1cls imed - had compiee ely forgotten this; what
ust lent all my resdy money to such one at two
per c, nt per menth you see therefore, that can
a. not rsy ,ou row." And when DO you think you