Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-07-02
Tho Ladies Of Peru.

Ths Ladies Of Peru.
They nre called beautiful so they are, II
you admire black eyes and ebony tresses
not the dreamy black eyes of the har-
ems, 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 character.
Peruvian ladies have character, and are
not afraid to show it ; yet we hear moth
ing of equal rights and privileges among
them. For them to lay claim to right
is but to possess it, for they can easily
win over the priesthood, and thus have
the most powerful class of Peru on their
side They are generally occupied, but
do not work they look upon labor as de-
grading They rise early, take cup OF
tea and go to mass. Their toilet requires
but few moments. Their walking suits
are neat and pretty in this respect they
surpass u.s. The dress is black, and never
touches the ground there is no fussing
or fumbling with trains. white skirt Is
sometimes seen little below the dress,
with a deep hem and two tucks, and al
ways white and clean Prunella gaiters
are generally worn the hands are bare !;
the manta is thrown over the head, fall
ing gracefully down almost to the bottom
of the skirt. The nadnta, not being worn
with us, needs some description.
| BY way of illustration, let us take one
of the large silk shawls, with deep
| fringes, that were worn IN the States
years ago dye it black then on one
side, about a yard from one corner, re-
move half yard of fringe. and put IN
its place piece of black lace about two
inches deep We now have manta. 1t
is the 0idnta that gives the charm to
Spanish ladies' in the eyes of foreign
men they always praise it /; they always
speak of the ndnta whenever they men-
/ ton the beauty of the women. 1t has
undoubtedly this advantage 1t may con-
ceal many defects of Il face that is not
handsome, and it sets off to advantage
the charms of beautiful face. To drape
ones self gracefully in manto is an art
that must be studied 1t is first thrown
over the forehead the lace is brought
down on the forehead, sometimes drop
ping over the eyes 1t is fastened so as
to draw around the neck the long end
is carried over the left shoulder, and PIN
ned So rs to fall down in a fold on the
left side. The left hand is concealed, but
the right hClds either PRAYER book and
rosary or parasol. A lady never goes
out alone; two or three go out together,
and black woman servant walks behind.
Young girls are carefully escorted by
their friends wherever they go, and are
never permitted to see the persons of the
opposite sex alone. The matches are
made by the older people, and so effect
ually is this done that the ladies' all mar
ry, and none are divorced.
The subject of dress claims the most
of their time and attention their ball
dresses and opera and soiree suits are
magnificent Their boots, especially, are
beautiful No people have naturally as
small feet as the Peruvians. The Peru
Wan made boots are too small for for
eigners.
Peruvian ladies' are not very intelligent
as soon as they pass beyond the school
girl period. they care little for books or
literature. Many learn to play the piano
when young, but do not care to continue
when married. They are excessively
courteous in their manners. but we are
not to be- misled by appearances. Their
mode of salutatiOn IS more Of an embrace
than anything else, and they always say
My house aad all that have is entirely
at your disposal. and we arc TO be as one
family" They are always wealthy in
imagination-at least they never speak of
poverty They love to smoke. Although
handsome when young they scarcely turn
twenty when they begin to fade. One
thing always lasts with them, and that is
their gait. Their movements are gliding
and graceful the same is true of the
men.
Although the streets of Lima are mar
row and the sidewalks crmped, you are
iostled less by the passing throng in
three months in Linn than ,ou would be |
in three days in London. or Scw York, or |
San Francisco. Go into hc densest !
crowd i'll the market or on the plaza, and |
still the same Is true Conversation |
among the ladies' 5--,raliy turns upon |
domest.r % liars instead Of ASK ug a for |
ei.7...r BOAT her own countIS nd other |
c,.-tucs that she has visited, they ask
what her name is now (although they
have been properly introduced), what herr
name was before her marriage, how old |
she is, how long she has been married, if |
she has any children the names and ages |
of each, how long she has been speaking |
Spanish, what she thinks of Lima, etc. |
1t is esteemed fortunate among them to |
have a family, for here comesin one prom
inent feature in their domestic life.
When child is christened, sponsors
officiate called the compare godfather), |
and comadre (godmotherJ. They bind
themselves to support, educate and pro
tect the child, the same as one Of their
own, If the parents die or are unable to
take care OF it. In its essential features
the system is an excellent one it pro-
vides for children, and brings many fami-
lies into close friendship and sympathy,
enlarging the circle of their acquaintance,
and Strengthening their influence 1t is
SO common for everybody to have child
ren, either Of their own or those of some
one else, that even the priesthood is not
exempt nephew or niece may be the
object Of a padre's special protection.
The system is too complicated to he
thoroughly explained in this letter
The ladies' are good at shopping and
making bargains they never tire, or find
a thing too trivial TO occupy their time
they are never IN haste there is always n
0anaad tomorrow and then another.
Call a laundress, and she promises to re-
turn your clothes i'll eight DAYS, never
sooner, except at the steam laundrics,
where the price is about one-third the
value of an ordinary garment Eight |
days pass-the laundress does not appear
She must then he looked after. The |
things are not ready, she says, but come
tomorrow tomorrow means another
week BY the time that she fully under
stands that you are in hurry for your
clothes she says you can have them sure
este nDchc (this evening", but she raises
her price about threefold Take Your
clothes, and pay the price agreed npon,
no more. The same delays may be ex-
pectcd in all business transactions with |
the Peruvials In making any purchase |
everything must either he bargamed for,
or two OF three times the value will be |
lcuanlpl