The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-12-16
FoR TIE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
LETTER FROM REV. JOHN BOYLE.


PERNA1lBUco, BRAZIL, Oct. "A, 1874.
But would you ike to see how the people
live in their houses Well, enter the par
lour it contains plenty of furniture, and
even in the poorest dwellings must be of the
best quality Of wood, which is a dark kind
called jacaranda. There is the center table
and two or four side-tables against the wall,
and a sofa, two arm-chairs, two rocking
chairs, one dozen plain chairs, and as much
else as can be put in without crowding too
much. There is one invariable plan for the
arrangement Of the chairs; the sofa sits
against the wall from the ends of this, two
rows Of chairs extend out into the room, the
big rocking. chairs at the ends of the sofa,
and others beyond It is said the young
ladies sit on the sofa, the sold folks" occupy
the arm.chairs, while the young gentlemen
sit beyond the parents. can say from OBJ
servation that this custom is not invariable
nor universal.
Another plan is to have large square of
carpet under the center table, and the chairs
placed around the edge of this, while the
siis-iables and arm-ehsirs are set back
against the vail. Pianos are very popular.
1 never cease being astonished at the amount
lavished on furnishing the parlOur, even by
the poorest. Among the more respectable
they are kept rather clean, but those of the
lower class are sights to be seen, but not by
one Of your southern house-keepers. And
then to 90 into the "quarters s'-the family
rOOms-whew, what filth and confusion inde-
scribable. How the very wealthy live, l
cannot say; but have been through the
houses, up stairs and down, of several men
Of respeetability and standing. The women
were slatterns. The furniture helter-skelter,
the walls, windows, doors, floors, every thing
within reach Of hands or spittle were gummy
and greasy. When l rented this house, l
had four negro men busy two days scrubbing
with brushes, using water with potash in it,
and then they could not get it perfectly
clean. TIE children wear their birth day
clothes" a great deal; the men love their
"freseOs, that is, they love to keep cool by
having on nothing but a pair of slippers and
dressing gown, which reaches to the feet.
The women keep out of sight as much as
possible. And yet, when these people make
their appearance on the street, or with COM
pany in the parlour, they look like models
of neatness aud cleanliness. The children
have on their white dresses all rufAed and
futed with their blue scsrfs, white stockings,
and gsy-oolored high shoes, and flowers on
their heads in lieu of hats. They are little
chips Of the old blocks, the mothers, who
are usually very portly, and. on occasions,
get themselves Op in becoming style. The
gentlemen appear with their sleek, silk-hats,
broadcloth coats, white pants and vests beau
tifully done up. To see a cavslcade Of a
large family, or perhaps two together, march
iog out, the children in front, the ladies be-
hind them, and the gentlemen bringing up
the rear always causes the involuntary
thought, "HOw can so much whiteness come
out Of such filth? Men dress up thus neat
" and 20 to their business, leaving their
families in their dirt Is it any wonder that
there is no word in this language which
means "home ?" And that they speak Of
home as "there, or "my house p
One Of the first things that struck me,
when came, was the tropical appearance Of
every thing, even in the houses and furniture.
have already shown how open the houses
are; besides that, you see no stoves and ac
IRE places. There is only one in the cityi
and that was made in a wealthy English
mans house to give it a home-hke aspect
The chairs, sofas and beds are all cane bot
toned. Mating is almost universally used
instead Of carpet The tall vases on the
tables, the flowers and long slender leaves il
them, every thing is tropical; and there wa
a tropical odor, at first, about the hOus,
where We boarded The water tasted tepiC
after drinking ice water on the ship, and
thought We never could get used to it, bu
we have. They have, however, manufaC
tory of ice, and it is sold at ten cents
pound, but We never indulge. The water
kept in large earthern jars, holding goo