Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-08-18

PERUVIAN WoMEN.-Lima is called the
paradise of women. They are called
beautiful; so they are. if you admire black
hair and ebony tresses-not the dreamy
black eyes of the harems, nor the sparkling
black eyes of the Syrians, but the black
eyes that easily reveal the different types
of character. Peruvian ladies have charac-
ter, and are not afraid to show it; yet we
hear nothing of equal rights and privileges
among them. For them to lay claim to a
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 degrading.
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 A white skirt is sometimes
seen little below the dress, with a deep
hem and two tucks, and always white and
clean. Prunella CATERS are generally
worn; the hands are bare, the mantilla is
thrown over the head, falling gracefully
down almost to the bottom of the skirt.
The subject of dress claims 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 Peruvian-made boots are
too small for foreigners.
| Peruvian ladies are not very intelligent;
as soon as they pass beyond the schoolgirl
period they care little for books or litera-
ture. 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 mis-
led by appearances. Their mode of salu-
tation is more of an embrace than anything
else, and they always, My house and all
that have is entirely at your disposal, and
we are 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.
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 man
ana (to-morrow) and then another. Call
laundress, and she promises to return
your clothes in eight days, never sooner,
except at the steam laundries, where the
price is about one-third the value of an
ordinary garment. Eight days pass-the
laundress does not appear. She must then
be looked after. The things are not ready,
she says; but come to. morrow-and to-
morrow means another week. By the
time she fully understands that you are in
a hurry for your clothes, she says you can
have them sure estes noche (this EVENING".
but she raises her price about three-fold.
Take your clothes and pay the price agreed
upon, no more. The same delays may be
expected in all business transactions with
the Peruvians. In making any purchase
everything must either be bargained for
or two or three times the value will be
demanded.