Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-05-02
WOMEN OF THE TROPICS,
The Beauty of the Ladies of Porto Rico
How They Disfirure Themselves

: y correspondent of the Chicago Inter
Ocean, who is spending some time III Porte
RICO, has discovered that the rapturous
praises OF the beauty of the women of the
West Indies have but very slight founda-
~, y III fact. The ladies of the upper
cIsszo> says he, dress in the most gorgeous
fashioY, ~, go great way toward making
up the deActe,. IN those OF lesser caste
Like the birds az l. tropics me SehoE,'as
are OF gaudy pEtffaiss> a'lH wear what
would be considered SGtrrs. ei! iouc' among
the bellies OF the temperate zone. oe"e..WS
| OF the most absurd and bafbaric des> ilptlon
| are loaded on their persons, and only l. ose
| who have been in the United States or Il,
Parls show any degree of refinement in
taste They wear the most extraordinary
combinations of colorS, and when dressed
Tor q bali The tropical belle looks as if she
had rugged herself out to represent q rain
bow at masquerade.
They still cling TO the fashion of loading
their heads with masses of false hair. and
the chign0ns which were worn in North
America fifteen or twenty years ago still
are found on sale in the shops here, in
closed IN paper boxes with glass covers,
ike the lid OF coffin, and are seen on the
heads of the ladies whenever you happen
TO ind one without the lace scarf which !
they all wear instead of bonnet II looks !
IKE Old times to see these waterfalls" !!
which III the States are supposed to lie OBJ |
solete.
The bellies of the upper classes, those
whose ianguishing eyes and rich bloom |
have been the topics OF 50 much literature
III prose and verse, may be beautiful az
naturet but with what they choose TO con-
slider artificial adornment they are not
Their eyes are wondrous black and be-
wltching, and to be able 10 use them effec-
lively is matter of education. 1t is said
that Cuban wonderland by that | mean |
the whole West Indies--can throw more
expression into glance of the eye than
any i'll existence, but the people who say il
have probably flirted with them or seen the
glowing of heart in love. To me their
eyes all look alike, beautifully black.
consciously languishing and generally in
dicatiye OF bad temper, but otherwise ex-
pressionless. They haven't half the ex-
preston of the eyes of thoroughbred
horse or dog, and are simply evidences of
passion. not of intelligence
And with the eyes ends the Cuban
beauty. She would spoil them if
she could, bat as she can't she daubs the
plaster on her face ali the thicker. The
chemists here sell sort of paste made of -,
powdered eggshells, with which the
women paint their faces until they have
/
take the stuff with them in the cars. to s
church and to the opera, and when they
think nobody is looking give their faces {
daub. There can not exist in the mind of
any one of them a supposition that this 4
complexion dcceives peo- :
Pile, but why they think chalk is beautiful
S mystery. The neck and ears of 4 West !
India belle are about ten shades darker
han her nose and cheeks c
Their mouths are usually large, their I
lips thicker than is consistent with classic
Jules, but their teeth are usually white. G
even, pretty and we'll preserved. Although | L
hey make sweetmeats or dulces" great c
1art of their diet for breakfast Is well as G
Inner, you seldom see woman OF man
without good teeth. .
But the most disagreeable thing about p
luban woman is her yoice-that low, S
weet, musical tone which is told about as n
me of the attractions of Turkish beauties o
5 not heard here nor is the bold accent of =
he English girl noticed anywhere in the g.
Vest Indies. The voice of the most re- :
med lady is usually as harsh and raspng b
S the cry OF parrot, and She always talks b
cry loud and in high key. They mature y
arly and fade early, these tropical women
hey either dry up and wither, or else be-
ONE very obese. There are no beautiful | -
Id ladies to be seen, as in all parts of The y
Inited States When they reach forty
ears of age they are either gaunt and sour.
Ike crab-apple, or else fat and greasy
heir compilations are ruined by the use of
ne plaster | have described. and their lack
exercise shows in their awkwarkness as
ell as their physique. The only exercise
West India woman ever takes is in 7,
+