Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-01-14
Guatemala Girls.

Guatemala Girls.
The prettiest and most picturesque
of the native costumes to be found in
Spanish-America is worn by the wO-
men of Guatemala, who are of dark
complexion, nearly that of the mulat-
to type, but are famous for their beau
ty OF form. A Guatemala girl in her
native dress, says The New York Sun,
makes as pretty picture as one can
find anywhere, Her face is bright
and pretty, her figure as perfect as
nature.unaided by art can be, and her
movements show a supple grace and
elasticity that can not be initiated by
those who are encountered by modern
articles of feminine apparel. Her
head is usually bare indoors and out,
and her thick. black tresses hang in
| braids often reaching TO her heels.
Her garments are only two, a
"guipil" and ''sabana." The first is
a square piece of cotton, of coarse tex
ture, covered with embroidery of bril-
liant colors and simple but artistic de-
signs. In the center OF the "guilip"
is an aperture, like that in the ordin-
airy poncho, through which her head
goes, and it is usually wide enough to
constitute, when worn, low-neck
waist. The ends are tucked in her
skirt at the belt. Her bare arms come
through the open folds of her ''guipil"
and when she raises them her side is
exposed. Her skirt is straight piece
of plaid cotton Of brilliant colors, like
the Scotch plaids, and is wound tight
" around her limbs. 1t is secured at
the waist by a sash, usually of scarlet,
woven by her own hands OF the tbers
of the Ipita grass and executed in the
most skillful manner. These belts in
their texture resemble the Persian
camel's hair shawl, and often cost
months Of labor. Very often the
name of the owner, and sometimes
notices, are woven into the texture,
and they are brought away from the
country as curiousities by travellers
Every article the Guatemala girl
wears she makes with her own hands,
and the natives of that country are
the most ingenious, industrious, and
intelligent to be found in Spanish
America. Even her sandals are home
made, and ner little stockingless feet
look very pretty IN them. The small
size of the hands and feet of the men
and wonaen is always noticed by those
who visit Guatemala, and they are
usually very shapely and delicatly
formed. The sandals are made of
cowhide Ca single piece cut i'll the
shape of the foot and are held on by
thongs which pass between the toes
and from the heel over the lnstep and
around the ankle.
The natives of Guatemala carry
their burdens to and from market in
peculiar way. The women do the
TRANSPORTATION and the buying and
selling, while the men are employed
in the fields at home. each has bag,
made of the native Irvine closely wo-
ven, that will hold about a bushel.
These bags are carried upon the backs
of the women, and are held in place
by 8 broad band which passes around
the forehead. They will carry from
fifty to a hundIed pounds on their
shoulders IN this way and baoy IN
their arms at the same time. They
never walk, but always 60 at gentle
trot, no matter how great the distance
or the size of the load.
Lie COSLuIuS WAISLl Aoo DCCh N1SSIIO
ed is worn only by the peasants. The
upper classes dress just as tLey would
ir New York, and the fashions are
followed quite as closely. The women
are very pretty, but have the habit Of
plastering their face over with a paste
or rouge that makes them look as if
they had been poking their heads into
-four barrel. This cosmetic is made
of magnesia and the whites of eggs,
stirred into thick paste, and plaster
ed on without regard to quantity.
The natural beauty of the complexion
IS thus concealed, and in time totally
ruined. There is Swiss lady at the
head of large seminary IN Guatemala
city to which the daughters of the
aristocracy are sent. She has forbid
den the use Of this plaster by the
young ladies under her charge, and
prevents the boarding pupils from de-
stroying their fair skins, but over the
day scholars she has no control out OF
school hours. Every morning she
stands at the entrance with basin OF
water, a sponge, and towel, and puts
the girls through system of scrub
bing that arouses their indignation.