The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-05-13
PRICE 8 CENTS.
Fair Yucatecos.
Charming Senoritas and Lynx-Eyed Du-
ennas at Central American Ball.
[Corr. n. Y. Tribune.1

lCOAi. ~. l. lTlDuu6.l
The higher circles of society at night took
their enjoyment in dancing, and there were
two grand balls in progress at once. For these
balls tickets were necessary, and these could
be Obtained by applying to the committee. The
entrance from the street was at once into
spacious court, where great bananas and plan.
tains lifted their broad leaves, and these were
hung with Chinese lanterns. About this court
were broad corridors with doors opening into
the main ballroom. The orchestra was at one
end, under the high stone arches conveniently
near to the bar. AS the ladies entered, they
were escorted to seats in the main saloon,
long and high, though narrow room, where
they sat ranged on both sides. They wore ev-
cry variety of dress, from silk to calico, and
while some of the costumes were gorgeous the
majority were neat, fresh and tasteful. The
faces OF the young ladies were sweet, pensive
and very pretty, but the effect was marred by
the appearance, every few feet OF hideous
old dame, the mother of the blooming beauty,
suggesting by her presence, that her daughters
bloc n is only for a short season, aud that her
skin. SO soft and mellow-tinted, will in few
years become, like hers, of the color of an old
shoe.
The prevailing characteristics, glancing
down the line of beauties, are large, black,
liquid eyes, bright brunette skins and abun-
dant black hair. Notwithstanding prevailing
belief to the contrary, L think the girls Of
tropical climates more modest in their appear
ance than their northern sisters. Their train :
ing in seclusion has not counted for nothing.
Whatever their inmost desires may be, out
wardly they are as pure as the firmest Quaker.
They look at the young men demurely, but if
gazed at in return, they drop their eyes, yet
without showing the delicious sensation a
young mans presence gives them. 1t Is in
tense pleasure to them, for, alas! they have
very few opportunities to enjoy young mems
society Yet their nature is not intense, but
warm and indolent with morbid desire for
that which is denied them. Hedged about by
rules, guarded by their parents with a watch
fulness never remitted night or day, one can
not but pity them their secluded lives and won-
der. that they do not commit greater ex-
cesses when let loose. Everything here is for
the enjoyment OF the men-the parks, the
promenades, the drives, cafes, the social life.
Poor woman is looked upon merely as the
Turk regards his mstress-as an object to be
kept jealously out of sight Of the stranger; as a
toy for the moments enjoyment.
That they rebel and repine at their harsh
heartily do they enjoy the exquisite pleasure
OF the carnival. Here they can meet their
lovers, and most zealously do they improve
the f1eeting hours in the ballroom. 1t is true
that all the engagements are made at this sea-
son, and the poor lovers have little chance for
meeting again before another carnival, with
out the watchful presence of the lady's moth
er. They yield themselves to the sweet aban-
donment of the hour and float through the
dances, but they quake inwardly at the scold-
ings they will get from the lynx-eyed duennas
who now they are old and ugy-,ngiously
begrudge their daughters these little pleasures.
The whole thing may be summed up in the re-
marks by two different young ladies of the same
temperament but with mothers of different de-
grees of watchfulness. One complained that
her partner danced badly, and her female
friend whispered in his ear "Hold her tighter
talk more nonsense to her," He did so, and
she was charmed. Another, tasting the brief
bliss of the carnival, whispered to her partner
that he mustn't hold her so tight. "Are you
offended at me?" he asked.
'Oh, no." replied the frank young damsel,
"but my mother doesn't like it.'
Among the men there could not be a greater
variety of costume, from the native, with his
starched and frilled shirt, outside his neither
habiliments, to the "swell'' with coat of latest
cut, white kids and patent leather boots. A
most ludicrous style of trousers, also worn in
Cuba, is that with spreading leg, so that the
bottom reaches beyond the toe OF the shoe.
The extreme in shirts is with low fronts and
open collars, exposing half the length of the
breast bone.
The Yucatan dance is slow and measured,
simply walk around, and so no one gets warm
and perspiring. Dance follows dance until IL
o'clock, when the ladies commence to lessen
in number, and by the hall is empty. Five
nights they kept the ball moving, improving
every precious hour Of the carnival; and at its
ending there were doubtless many souls made
happy with the thought that they twain should
sometime be one; while great many more
were disappointed, and were relegated to an
other years Imprisonment.
The last night was costume ball, and the
elegance and beauty of attire was remarkable.
Most noticeable was the wife of the American
consul, who appeared as the Goddess of Liber-
ty, displaying the stars and stripes in satin and
gold, for the first time in any ball room in Mer-
ida. No people in the world are pleasanter or
with milder manners than the Yucatecos, and
the men might be taken as models to be stud
led with advantage.
To the great regret Of the people, the carni-
val finally ended, the noise of revelry ceased,
all the fair senoritas were safely housed in
their respective prisons the lights of the ball
room extinguished, and we walked home to
our hammocks beneath the glimmer of the Sc
renest of stars, and through an atmosphere de-
licious in its GOODNESS.