New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-06-03
BARRIos AT HOME.

BARR1OS AT HOME.
The Bearing, Personal Appearance, Man.
ners ana Family Of tho Guatemalan
Leader.
An American lady, who lived for some
time in Guatemala, writes the New York
Tribune the following sketch of the, home
life of President Barrios. She says:
In appearance he is of medium height,
stout and broad -shouldered, dark COM
plexioned, with black eyes, gray hair
and whiskers, combined with an ex-
ceedingly agreeable expression and
countenance as open as his heart. He
is Of firm character, constant, enter
prising and ambitious, is noble friend.
bestowing kindness on all, which not
unfrequently is repaid by treachery;
loving and affectionate in his family,
kind and generous to the poor and CON
;siderate to all prisoners. He leads a
very regular life, rises at 5 in the morn.
ing, takes his coffee or chocolate, pro-.
'ceeds to his Office and there remains but
a short time, when he goes to the ar
tillerv park, situated on the plains
OF Tocotenango, for the purpose
of reviewing his troops, which are
Kept in perfect drill, and in. case of
an emergency can be summoned at
moments notice. He returns precisely
at 10, when he takes his breakfast, after
which business occupies him until 4
O'Clock, when he rests, surrounded by
a loving and devoted family. He dimes
at g.. and then goes to his Office again,
where he remains until 8, at which hour
it is his custom to retire. So day sue
ceeds day with nothing to relieve the
monotony and constant strain of gov
ernmental duty, save an occasional
evening spent at the theatre, or drive
to his cositas, little country houses in
the suburbs of the city.
His wife is young and very hand
some woman, amiable, kind affection
ate and her manners are as charming as
her beauty. She is very agreeable in
society, which she occasionally enters
with her relatives, to the delight of her
husband. She is intelligent and &C
complished, as she speaks French, Eng
llsh and Spanish, draws and paints, and
plays the piano and harp excellently.
She is gentle and modest, and is beloved
10y all who know her. Her children,
seven in number, are bright and in
teresting, and are brought up to be
thoughtful of others and kind and gener-
GUS to those Of lower condition Of life
than they. One day the eldest daugb-
ter, s years old, and who greatly resem-
bles her mother in appearance and dis
position, said in English, while I was
driving with her in her little pony
phaton: ooh! see those people laugh
ing at that poor little Indian girl, be-
cause her dress is thin and worn L think
they ought to be ashamed to do such
thing. [ am going to ask mamma if I
can give her some of my clothes as soon
as go home" could not help think
ing how different were her sentiments
from those OF most American children
OF her age and position. The youngest
boy was born in this country on the 4th
of July 1882, to the great delight of his
father, who is particularly fond of the
United States, it's customs and it's peo-
pie.
The presidents palace is only one
story high, as ale the majority OF the
houses thereon account of the earth
quakes). It is airy and roomy, opening
into court in the centre OF which is a
fountain surrounded with choice flowers
and tropical plants. A lamp post is
placed in each corner of the yard, and
when these are lighted and the house
Illuminated by large glass candelabra,
holding hundreds Of candles, there is
presented scene of great brilliancy.
The palace is handsomely and comforta-
bly, but not extravagantly furnished.
Twice week a band, composed of
Guatemalan musicians, plays one hour,
from to s in the evening, in front of
the house. The street is then crowded
with people listening to the music,
which is really very fine. President
Barrios entertains but little, and when
he does it is generally in the form of
dinner parties, which he gives in mag
nifcent style, and he entertains his
guests by excellent powers of converse
ton, his eloquence being enriched with
thought and his pleasantly full of
grace. The Inhabitants all seem to
love their president, and many of them
have remarked to me that he tries to
90 all he can for the benefit and i'm
Of his people. I believe
that in making the present political
rpoye for the consolidation Of the Ce~~
tai American states his only objectf =
tor the welfare and advancement Of the
country; and should he be president of
the union, Judging from past manage
ment, none could be more fitted to fill
the position than he; for all of the five
states, Guatemala is the only one that
has made rapid steps forward in the
path of civilization.
The Lime Kiln Club.