The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-12-05

thing which enters his erratic head tC
do. Now the Spaniard sits silent and
broods upon the wrongs he has suffered
during the whole of his aimless life, and
meditates revenge. Drunkenness devel-
opes his national instinct OF stealth. 1t,
under the influence Of aguadieute he can
accomplish an adroit stab in the back, or
a shot from behind Il wayside rock, he
will have accomplished the brightest OF
his drunken dreams.
In these things the woman is his oppO-
site. She ii is who furnishes the element
OF cheerfulness in a land where, but for
the sunshine. nature herself would wear a
perpetual frown. She is 1.-THE, graceful,
cheerful and kind hearted. She delights
in bright coors and gaudy scarfs. and
knows full well the charm there is in the
contrast between teeth that are white and
eyes that are very black. With her, smiles
and words are inseparably connected, and
| she makes no blunders in the distribution
of either. Every question is politely an
| swered, every salutation is gracefully re-
| turned The water from the spring and
the seat by the door are given, with the
same courtliness to all who ask, and, with
an utter contradiction of all the rules of
sensibility. her brown cheeks tinge with
blush which would become the modesty
of country bride America is the only
land which possesses that life which pro-
duces q class unique in the history Of
character. All the women of the border
partake largely of their surroundings,
and are ignorant. awkward and discount
cons in direct proportion to their isolation,
all except the Senorita Lacking totally
oil no 81
haired and blue. eyed sister, she lacks also
her awkwardness. 1t is in the race. The
sturdy conquerors OF the wilderness came
not from the south. They have need only
of strength.
In the Mexican woman there is Il curl
Gus suggestion of something oriental.
There is 4 sinuous grace of movement, a
lazy contentment with surroundings. a
perfect confidence in the apparent philo-
sophy of life, and an unwavering faith in
the perfection and completeness OF her re-
ligious belief. Her domestic surround
ings are such as she would have them,
and she knows OF no better. There is no
more complete domestic system than hers
and she is thoroughly proficient in all the
arts of home lite. In her house there are
no chairs, no closets, no stoves, no tin
utensils and no soap. Her feats of cook
ing are pertormedin porous earthen basins
and the triioleS steam and bubble in 4
corner OF the narrow hearth for two DAYS.
She makes bread, white and beautiful
without yeast OF the bicarbonate nuisance.
Her mattress is of wool, her RUG a sheep
skin her bed often a bank OF earth against
a wall and She ignorant of the use of that
babyish luxury, a rocking-chair. When
she smiles and says " slentise, Senor.'
she means that you should do that which
an Anglo-SaNOn never accomplished with
any satisfaction TO himself, namely. sit or
lie upon Il mat Her ideas in the matter
of dress are peculiar. So that her head,
and the greater part OF her face be con
cealed. it matters little for bust arms and
ankles. In two hundred years she mas not
forgotten the use of the scarf. 1t is her
Indispensable adornmen. Bonnet and
hat are not IN her vocabulary, of stays
she is utterly ignorant, and Il high-heeled
shoe she never saw; and vet this creature
is a civilized woman. She affects ribbons.
and in the matter of colorS is the original
Dolly Warden. She has a care for her
conn lexicon, and in the earlier hours of
the morning may sometimes be caught
with her face hideously encrusted with
white clay. The dance is her passion.
and her ear is ever alert 10 the thin strains
of the guitar The festive hall is splendid
with strips OF red calico, and brilliant with
tallow dips. The equipages which stop
the way are not especially magnificent, be-
ing only Il stupid assemblage of donkeys.
Three of the bellies of the ball can find
places upon the back of 4 single one, and
she is indeed aristocratic who has an ami
NAL to herself and some one to lead him
in state through the rambling street.
The Senorita lacks none of the essen
tials of common deceEcv, in the conduct
of her domestic affairs. Her hearth is
neat, her cookery savory. and her gar
ments AS white Us snow. She is a careful
housewife, as her husband is . careful
farmer, and her sole extravaganza is in
the way OF personal adornmcnt. To look
pretty is as much the constant endeavor of
this isolated woman. ;ls ii is that of the
frequenter OF the opera, or the wall-flower
at IL state reception. She is I'm arrant and
incurable coquette, and often combines
with all her feminine tlickery a beauty
which by no means suffers when cOmpar-
ed with that of those accustomed t. more
aristocratic masculine worship. Kansas
Monthly.