The Empire County argus., 1856-03-01
Society In Peru.

The people are as ignorant almost as when the
Spaniards found them, like the Indians in our own
country The boys, very many of them, 20 naked
until they are eight or ten years old. And among
the Indian women there is far less modests in re-
| gard to the person than we are accustomed to se6
at home. Although the habit of wearing dresses
has generally obtained in this Province, yet they
usually content themselves with fastening the skirt
around the waist and letting the body fall around
their hips, exposing their arms and splendid busts
OF course | speak of the natives of the lower
classes Spanish and Indian Mixed who cor1poss
by far the majority; the very few educated nhabi-
tants dress precisely as we do at home The girls
are fond of wearing pink, blue and white silk
shoes, but as they never wear stockings, the con-
trast between these delicate coors and their brown
coarse ankles and legs is any thing but fine. Theft
hair is generally black, coarse and straight and
they exhibit taste whatever in arranging it, or
indeed any thing else.
AS for society in Bayta it does not exist, in tho
proper sense OF the word.
AS regards creature comforts, have been here
four months, and the highest degree of physical
enjoyment (wrter must be very green is to pass q
whole day unannoyed by feas; the next pleasure is
this, which has a smack of vengeance in it, to kilf
and burn up in the candle flea which has been
annoying you.
There are living here two persons who were in
timately connected with the history of Gen. Boli-
var, the Liberator' One Gen. Guerra, was an of-
fcer under Bolivar, and served with him in the
wars of South American independence, and now
by some revolution in Ecuador he is expatriated
lie had scarcely days notice, and he was not
able to make any preparation. His wifes Jewels,
valued at about S25000, comprised all the proper
ty he could take ava and he expected to return
soon, he lived carelessly until now some ten OF
twelve years have passed and he has spent it all
Meanwhile, his magnificent estate is shut up and
he is not permitted to enjoy the fruits He has
some fifteen or sixteen children. | sometimes 90
in and smoke cigar with his wife, who is still :
handsome woman and smokes pure Havana with
great gusto.
The other person is Donna Manuela Sacns, who
was formerly married to very respectable ply
sician. She very beautiful, and attracted Boil
ivar's attention. Witty and well educated, she en-
crossed and retained his affections. She left her
husband and attached herself to Bolivar, whose
splendid genius and noble qualities deserved bet
ter love than she ought to have had, and she was
his mistress faithful till death. And now she is
esteemed as his widow. She is poor, but is expect
ed to receive an annuity left by his WILL though
not yet realized by her. She is still faithful to his
memory, and is respected. The wealthy merchants
hereabous contribute to maintain her in comforta.
BILE style, under pretense of loans until she realizes
the annuity.
The ideas of morality here are rather lax, and
the woman who takes the responsibility of q wife
without the sanction of the Church. does not lose
caste so decidedly with U.S. though there is diff.
ference between married and unmarried wives:
They do not visit. But the married wife will often
send presents to the unmarried wife or to the chill.
dren of her male friend, as a mark of attention to
him.