Smyrna times., 1880-03-03
Woman's Paradise.
SOME OF TIE PECULIARITIEs OF THE WOMEN OF
PERU AS DESCRIBED BY WOMAN.

SOME OF TIE PECCLIARITIEs OF THE WOMEN OF
PERU AS DESCRIBED BY WOMAN.
Lima is called the paradise of women.
They are called beautiful so they are, if
you admire their black eyes and ebony
tresses-not the dreamy black eyes of the
harems, nor the sparkling black eyes of
the Syrians, nor the liquid black eyes of
the Egyptians, but the black eyes that
easily reveal the different types of charac-
ter, and are not afraid to show it; yet we
hear nothing of equal rights and privi-
lsges among them. For them to lay claim
to right is but to possess it. They are
generally occupied but do not work they
look upon labor as degrading They rise
early, take cup Of tea and go to mass.
Their walking suits are neat and pretty;
in this respect they surpass us. The dress
is black and never touches the ground.
There is no fussiRg or fumbliRg with trains
A white skirt is sometimes seen below the
dress, with deep hem and tive tucks, and
always white and clean. Prunella CATERS
are generally worn tho hands are bare;
the manta is thrown over the head, falling
gracefully down almost to the bottom Of
the skirt. The manta, not being worn
with US, needs some description.
By way Of illustration let us take ono Of
the large silk shawls, with deep fringes,
that were worn in the states several wears
| ago; dye it black ; then on one side, about
| yard from one corner, remove half yard
OF fringe, and put in its place piece Of
black lace about two inches deep; we now
| have a mania. 1t is the manta that gives
| the charm to Spanish ladies in tho eyes of
foreign men; they always praise it; they
| always speak OF the manta whenever they
| mention the beauty Of the women. 1t has
undoubtedly this advantage 1t may con-
ceal m&ny defects of a face that is not
handsome, and it sets off to advantage the
| charms Of a beautiful face. To drape ono's
self gracefully in a manta is an art that
must be studied. 1t is first thrown over
the head the lace is brought down on the
forehead, sometimes dropping over the
eyes. 1t is fastened so as to draw around
the neck; the long end is carried over the
left shoulder, and pinned so as to fall down
in fold en- tho left side The left hand is
concealed, but the right holds either a
prayer-book and rosary or parasol. A
lady never goes out alone; two or three 60
together, and a black woman servant walks
behind. Young girls are carefully escorted
by their friends wherever they go, and are
never permitted to SEQ persons Of the op-
1
by the elder people and so effectualIy is
this done that tie ladies all marry, and
none are divorced.
The subject Of dress claims the NEST oi
their time and attention; their ball dresses
and opera and soree suits are magnificent
Their boots, especially, are beautiful. Nc
people have naturally as small feet as the
Peruvians. The Peruvian made boots are
too small for foreigners. They explain thG
fact of their feet beisg so small in a very
indefinite way. ave descend from tht
IncAs, and they had small feet" "Wha
was the cause Of the Incas' feet being SC
small?f because they descended from
the Chinese" "Were not your ancestor
SPANISH" ayes, they were Spanish :
and again the question Of the small fee
rsverts 10 the lncas and aborigines O
Peru.
= Peruvian ladies are not very intelligent
as soon as they pass beyond the school
girl period they care little for books o
literature. Many learn to play the pian
when young, but do not care to centinu
when married. They are excessively court
eous In their manners, but we are not t
be misled by appearances. Their mode Q
( salutatiOn is more of an embrace than any
Y thing else, and they always say an
house and all that have is entirely at you
disposal, and we are to be as one family.
They are wealthy in imagination-at lsas
they never speak of poverty. They Low
to smoke. Although handsome when youn
they scarcely turn twenty when they beg
to fade. One thing always lasts with thS biz
- and that's their gait. Their movements ar
= gliding and graceful, and the same is tru
Of the men. Although the streets of Linn
. are narrow, and the sidewalks crampsO
you are jostled Jess by the passing throng i
three moRths in Lima than you would b
: in three days in London, or New York, G
San Francisco Go into the densest crow
in the market or in the plaza, and still tn
same is true. Conversation among tn
ladies generally turns upon domestic affair
=. instead of asking n foreigner about he
ID own country and other countries that sh
~ has visited, they ask her what her name
now (although they have been properly il
trSduced,) what her name was before hC
marriage, how old she is, how long she h.
been married, If she has any children, til
m names and ages of each, how long she h,
: bssn speaking Spanish, what she thinks
Lima, etc.