The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1886-03-04
GREAT SMELLS IN BRAZIL.
How the Mobiles of Dom PedrO's Court
Enjoy Their Dignity.

The Emperor and court have gone to
Petropolis, and with them have gone
the Barons, and Counts, and gentlemen
of fortune whose palaces stand so thick
in Botofogo. Every summer, and by
this l mean the Brazilian summer OF
December, January and February, this
exodus of the fashionable world takes
place; and everybody who is lin the
swim goes to Petropolis, which is
summer city built up in the mountains,
and is like Newport transported into
the heart of the Adirondacks. The
Brazilian nobility is a peculiar institu-
ton. The Emperor can create noble
men of all grades, but is extremely eau
tious in exercising that power. He con-
tents himself at present with making an
occasional Count or Baron, never
Duke or q Marquis. When he was
young and strong he used occasionally
to make somebody Marquis or Duke.
but in his old age he seems to think the
titles of Count and Baron are good
enough for every day use, and has per-
manently retired from the 'higher no
bility' business.
Brazilian titles are not hereditary, but
for three generations the descendants OF
noblemen are entitled to the appellation
Of "mosa fidalgo," or ''young gentle
men," and enjoy the rights and privi-
leges of their noble progenitors. These
privileges consist mainly of being al
lowed by law to put on more style"
than ordinary individuals. II ''moSa
| fidalgo" wants to enter the army he can
do so as a cadet, and is entitled to wear
star on his cOat-sleeve. When he goes
to the palace he can wear his hat until
he comes into the presence of the En-
perOr, and while ordinary officers have
| to hitch up their swords before entering
the imperial portals. he can go in with
his weapon jangling and humping
| along the marble floors. This privilege
/ of wearing a hat in the house and
making a racket in the Emperor's pres
ence is highly priced by the youth Of
Brazil. Then, too, a 'mosa fidalgo"
cannot be arrested except by special
warrant from some high official-1 have
| forgotten which one-and when he
| goes on racket and breaks street
| lamps and windows the police cannot
| arrest him and the Police Justice does
not give him a lecture with his fine the
next morning. Instead of that he is
| arrested with solemn pomp and long
| warrant, and is confined in the ''place
| of honor" IN the prison. When '.mosa
| fidalgo" leaves the country he goes to
the palace and says ''good-by" to the
| Emperor, and that monarch, awfully
bored, graciously permits him to pur-
chase ticket by the first steamer. But
| in order to enjoy all these great privi-
| leges one must not only be a ''mosa
fidalgo." but must take out a patent as
| such. Then he can have the title
| printed on his visiting cards and is q
recognized "swell."
The '.mosa fidalgos" of Brazil are, as
a rule, excellent young fellows, but
/ most of them have been to Paris and
| most OF them have met the Due de
| Morny. The influence of that Young
| idiot on the Brazilian youth is very per-
ceptible. They talk about him and
found themselves on him in a most
ridiculous manner. 1t is only necessary
to know that Morny does thing or
wears thing to make it popular with
the young gentlemen of Brazil. In the
winter season the Princess Isabella
gives most magnificent balls in her
palace in Botofogo. All the world
that is, the fashionable world-goes,
and the middle-aged Princess opens the
dance. When a man has led the cotil-
| Ion at one of the Princess balls his posi-
ton as leader of fashion is assured.
Botofogo is that quarter of Rio in
/ which are the palaces of the great and
wealthy. And they are veritable pal
aces. There are galleries of paintings,
/ immense salons, and elaborate banquet
halls in these palaces, and a large re-
tinue of slaves and servants to keep
them in perfect order. But it is on his
| plantation or Hacienda" that the
wealthy Brazilian lives in the most
baronial style. There he is an absolute
autocrat, and over all the broad acres
white with coffee blossoms he is the
lord and seigneur. His hundreds Of
slaves regard the will Of their master as
paramount to everything, and when
later on the Barons and Counts leave
PetropOlis to pay q visit to their estates
in the country their retainers will vel.
come them with fireworks and feasting.s
Altogether the life of Brazilian gentle.
man runs in pleasant channslsssSsSt1l..1-s41tl
he is not in debt to the coffee brokers az
Rio or harassed by wondering what he
shall do for labor on his plantation
when slavery is finally ended, be is
about as happy as it is possible for
mortal to be.-Rjo de sIonesro Letter 70
Metz York Tribune