National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-09-15
MISCELLANEOUS
MEXICAN WOMEN.
Their Good Health and Their Good Sense--
Something About Their Life.

Something About Their Life.
Correspondence Of the Woman's Journal
If we are 10 believe that "the first requisite
of man is to be a good ANIMAL" our Mexican
sisters are vastly our superiors Instead of
perfect health being the exception, rs fear is
too often the case with us, fcobleness and all
ings are rare. The women, as a rule, live to a
hale and hearty old age without even having
heard Of the thousand and ono ailments that
aillict their sex elsewhere. The young arc
vigorous, and bear an almost unlimited mum.
Der Of children without apparent decrease Of
strength. This physical superiority does not
seem traccablo TO any one cause. Perhaps 1t is
the Survival of tho fttest." Children are
cared for in what would seem TO us q most
reckless manner. Ihavo seen newborn babes,
for example, in biting cold weather wrapped
In asmall cotton sheet, without other garment
than cambrc shirt, aud this is the universal
custom in the best regulated housolo lds.
Til ere are no statistics at hand TO support the
assc rtion, but Judge the average number OF
births in u family TO he from ton to twelve. A
large percentage Of these never reach maturity,
and IL is allowable to presume that those who
have the most power ofcndurancc survive.
On the other hand corsets are but little
known, aud tho old fashion Of high-heeled
shoes has never reached here. There are no
reform waists to supply the place of the corset,
but the skirts are usually made light and worn
with sacques, so that the outrages to tho hu.
man form are less glaring than in more civil
lied (2) communities. Steels, whnlobones and
tight-waistcd dresses are for gala days only,
and then for the privileged fow. Tho home
garments are invariably loose and com Portable
This, though not the perfection of dress FORM
Is M Improvement ON the dress Of the average
American women.
Again, these women are not overworked
They perform their labor In slow. easy-guing
manner, whether in the kitchen or bedroom,
or in the pAror at their sewing or fancy work.
Unlike us, who know no moderation in the use
of characteristic valuable in itself, but tho
abuse of which is sapping our very life us u
people, they do not exhaust their nervous
forces in hurried races with time. If to-day
is not sufficiently long, tomorrow stretches out
invitingly before them in delightful indefinite.
ness. Time is absolutely no object
1t would be curious TO investigate the
reason why, in this land where "womcn's
rights" are almost unheard of, where In many
respects the women are helplessly dependent,
anu where there Is SO little general enighten.
ment married women are independent hnan-
clally-that is to say, they are treasurers of
the partnership, aud are not subject to the
humiliation of asking their husbands for every
cent they need for their own expenses and
those of the household. The husband consid-
crs that his wife is as much entitled to his
earnings rs he is, and leaves their disburse-
ment TO her judgment. | am glad to say that
she does not abuse this confidence She is
prudent and economical aud often shows more
sagacity than he in the USE OF the money.