Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-08-07
Brazilian Girls.
MARRIED WHILE CHILDREN. MOTHERS
AT TWELVE, FRIvoLENT, AND DENsELY
IGNORANT.

Girls are sometimes married so Young
in Brazil that they become mothers at Il
or Is years of age. A certain count was
married to his cousin when neither had
vet reached their teens, the little bride
being only seven years of age when this
ceremony was performed. This was done
by the parents, to insure their fortunes re.
naming in the family.
A girl is never permitted to go out, Lot
even to church, unless chaperoned by one
of the family, or some other lady, gener-
ally of mature age. Nothing could be
more colorless than the life OF a young
Brazilian woman she has no taste what
ever for reading; her education is of the
most meagre description, it not being
considered worth while to educate girls.
The necessity for educating boys is under
stood by parents, and those who are
able to, do so, but girl, what need has
she for an education? They would laugh
at such hightiown ideas, should any one
suggest that their daughters be given the
| benefits of an education as a resource at
hand for their own enjoyment, or that
they might be intelligent companions,
capable of stimulating the intellects of
their children and husbands, too. tor that
matter.
A very large majority of the Brazilian
girls could not tell who is the emperor
of Germany. or that President Garfield
and the Gar of Russia were assassi-
mated; the Soudan or General Gordon
are riddles to their minds. They are
even ignorant of some OF the most i'm
portant historical facts relating to their
own land, and of the thousand and one
other topics that the women of America
and other countries are generally CONVEX
SAINT with They embroider, crochet, and
study music, but usually lack the pa
thence and application necessary to excel
| in the latter.
! If they want drink of water, or their
shoes changed. they call slave to do it.
Many can sew and do their own dress
making. being very expert with the
needle. their natural antipathy to work
being overcome by their love OF dress.
Their conversation is utterly frivolous,
and when with famillars they talk very
| loud and in the most animated manner,
gesticulating and beating the air with
their hands and arms, all talking at once
with seldom anything worth saying.
/ If the Brazilian girl does not marry at
the age when she ought to be playing
with her dolls, she frequently continues
to play with her dolls until she does mar
rv The writer remembers seeing Young
woman apparently about Is years of age,
in street car, in the city of Bahia. with
a doll in her lap, which she cared for and
handled the same as 4 little girl would do,
and it is no unusual thing for young mar
ried women to own and play with these
and similar fixtures of the nursery. One
young woman named Marie had five or
six dolls, upon whose garments she spent
most of her time. When she married she
insisted upon taking them to her new
home. but when this home became in.
vaded by less tractable babies. she was
/ finally obliged to bury her inanimate
quoudam friends, with all their tinery, in
trunk. probably to be resurrected by
other little Maries, when they will again
be nursed and made contidants OF
Brooklyn Magasiae.