Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-06-07
Paraeuav Manners an d Customs.

things IN Paraguay.
NUDE TABLE WAIrRRs.-"Shortly after my
arrival at Ascuncion, was invited by Senor )
to dinner, and, having accepted the invitation,
went on the following day at the late ant
fashionable hour of 2 o'clock. Several friends
were assembled for the occasion; but at the table
I was placed between two of the Misses j., young
blooming, Qor most of the females of Ascunoior
are very fair,) and, without doubt, Very pretty
women. Guess, then, my confusion, to find
that we were waited on at the dinner table by 9
half dozen boys and girls, little slaves, al
perfectly nude. Their liveries had cost nothing
their shoes and stockings bad cost nothing, moi
one of them had dressed for dinner; they were
one and all in statu nature. At first fdgeted
in Inv chair, and threw turtive glances around
but seeing every one on either side of me, in
Guiding my fair companions, as composed as Il
the most rigid decorum had been studied,
gradually recovered my serenity, and learned
thenceforward to know that whatever has be-
come the custom Of the country, is never sup
posed by the people to have anything outre 10
it. How are we in truth, the creatures OF habit
got so accustomed to these unclothed atten-
dants during my sojourn in Paraguay and 90
rientes, that on my return to Busnos Ayres,
thought there was great atfectatlon IN dressing
out the same class of servants there from top to
toe.n
CONVERSATIONAL the body is left loose and
unrestrained by dress in Paraguay, so the con
versaton of all classes is the most unsophistica
ted in its construction that can be imagined
There is no circumspection, no subtilty, no mode
of speech by which one thing is made to stand
for another. At dinner, or any other occasion
right before their daughters, the parents some
times give dissertations on domestic medicines,
&C., which make strangers blood run cold,
but which they discourse about with all the
volubility of clever mothers, in their maturer
years, who have raised large family by dint Of
their constant application to the system Of the
doctor, and to which their daughters listen as
gravely through the detail as if they were hear
ing counsels on the Improvement of the mind
NIGHT HABITs.-In the principal streets OF
the city, long and continuous corridors are built
which run along on one side of it. The princl-
pal shopkeepers and merchants, who inhabit
this part of this town, on very warm nights OF
summer, convert these corridors into common
bed rooms. The portable beds of these citizens
are drawn out and ranged along the covered
way and it was curious to see them, as you
passed along toward ten o'clock at night, pre-,
pairing for bed, and some already enjoying their
repose. Some were to be seen sitting on the
side of their stretchers, yawniDg or smoking
their cigars; others undressing with the great
est sang f-oid; here one snoring, there one
conversing with his next neighbor-and every
one unconscious of the oddly of the scene in
the eyes of stranger. The same custom pre-.
vailed more or less through the city, beds and
strerchers obstructing the way in every direc'
ton. Very little police is exercised in Ascun-
con, but such thing as robbery or theft com.
mitted during the night is unbeard OF, and, in
fact, such security was felt and enjoyed that
people rest without any nocturnal fears.
HEATING QUALITIES OF DIFFERENT Woods
The heavy and dense woods give the greatest
heat, burn the longest, and have the denses
charcoal. To the dense woods belong the oak
beech, alder, hazel, birch, and elm; to the soft
the fir, the pine of different Sorts larch, Under
willow and poplar; these different woods giving
out heat in proportion to the relative quantities
of their carbon. For fuel the most valuable o.
the common kinds of wood are the varieties o.
the hickory; after that, in order, the oak, the
apple tree, the white ash, the dog wood, and tht
beech. The woods that give out the least hea
in burning are the white pine, the white birch
and the poplar. The remark is sometimes
made that it is economy to burn green wood
because it is more durable, and therefore, in the
end, more cheap; but this idea is erroneous
The consumption of green wood is less rapid
than dry, but to produce given amount OF hea
far greater amount of fuel must be consumed
The evaporation of liquids, or their conversion
into steam. consumes or renders latent great
amount OF caloric. When green wood is added
to the fire it abstracts from it by degrees sum
cient amount of heat to convert its own sap OF
moisture into steam before it is capable OF be-
ing burned. AS long as any considerable par
of this fluid remains incorporated the combus
tion goes on slowly, the fire is dull and the hea
Aebe.
NATURAL RIGHTS OF MEN, WOMEN AND CHn
DREN.-Punch gives the following excellent ad
vice:
Every man should endeavor to keep th'
volt from the door, and his mother in law, too
if he can. Every woman has right to be an!
age she pleases, for if she should state her rea
age no one would believe her. Every one has
right to wear q moustache who can. Every
woman who makes pudding, has perfect righ
to believe that she makes a better pudding thar
any other woman in the world. Every man
who carves has decided right to think OF him
eelf by putting few of the best bits aside. Ev
cry mother has right to think her child is tn
''prettiest little baby in the world and it woult
be the greatest folly to deny her this right, TO
she would be sure to take it. Every young lad!
has right to faint when she pleases if her love
ls by her side to catch her. Every fool has
right to be on the best terms with himself, ant
that man is greater fool who differs with hin
about those terms. Every child who makes
noise has a right to be turned out of the room
and supposing you have not the right, you ar
perfectly justified, If its parents are absent, II
usurpiDg it,"
A Two HEADED GIRL.-They have on ezhfbl
ton at Augusta, Georgia, two.headed GIRL
The Oonstitutionalist describes her as follows
Her color is that OF dark muatto, and she ap
pears to be two girls, so far as two heads, tou
a-ms and four legs and feet, would indicate per
sonal identities; and yet she has but one body
The spinal column branches off about the posi-
ton OF the lower portions of the shoulder blades
and connects with the necks and heads OF tht
girl. The abdominal portion seems the natural
ly formed body of one person.
The child. we understand, was born in NORTH
Carolina, and is about eight years old. 1t has
two synmetrcally formed heads, very handsome
faces, sparkling eyes; and very pleasing 10 man
ners, address and appearance. -,
The announcement bill states that "her menta
faculties are of a superior order and double
thereby enabling her to converse with two per
sons at one time, on one or different subjects; OF
one head may be engaged while the other re-
mains passive. No difference in the intellectua
faculties of either head is perceptible."
FRoa SToRY.-A short time ago, as two col
lers were working coal in apt in the neighoor-
hood of Bathgate, Linlithgowshire, they were
astonished, on breaking large piece OF coal, T. @
see a living frog skip nimbly from 1t. Inc
niche in which it had lived was perfectly
smooth, and of the exact shape OF the frog
The hind legs of the animal are at least Twice as
long as those OF an ordinary frog, tie tore legs
almost onna. II is of beautiful br0nZe coIour.