St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-08-18
WOMEN OF YUCATA%.
The Simple Pleasures Afforded by Their
Lords and Masters.

Lords and Masters.
1t is said that the female population
of Yucatan stands as two to one. Every
thing, however, seems to have been es-
pecially designed for the benefit and en-
loyment of the masculine third of that
community, oblivious of that of the
majority. The piazas, the paseos, the
all for the amusement of the men, while
the women are supposed to find their
highest pleasure in religious perfor-
mances and the seclusion of home. They
are looked upon by the lords of crea-
ton in much the same light that the
Turk regards the inmates of his harem
objects to be petted or abused, treas
ured or neglected, according as they
minister to his enjoyment or fail to
please; but at all events, to be kept
]ealously out of sight of other men,
and supposed to have no wishes, tastes
or preferences of their own.
AS rule the women take kindly to
their chains, having never known or
heard Of any other mode of living; and
when, as in rare cases, she rebels it
only does her infinite harm by increas-
ing the harshness of her master
Though instinctively virtuous, so far as
talthfulness up to death to one man is
concerned, the standard of morality is
not very high, and the amigos (''friend'')
Of married men are considered to be as
good as any body. The nature of
1ucatecan women is not intense; it is
only warm, weak and indolent. Though
as children, especially among the lower
classes, they go about absolutely I'M
clothed until nearly half grown, as
adults they are fully as modest in APP
pearance as their Northern sisters.
Whatever their inward thoughts may
be, | can not say. A young American
writer, lately here, who, doubtless, OBJ
served the girls more intelligently than
your correspondent could do, says Of
them: They can no more help showing
the pleasure young mans presence
causes them than flowers can help
showing that they like the sunshine;
but they look demure as kittens, and
when gazed at drop their liquid eyes
like vestal nuns"
Because of their hampered and Sc
Guided lives they enter with double zest
into such simple pleasures as are af-
forded them. 1t is said that ali engage
ments in Iucatecan high life are made
during some religious fiesta, in the ball
room or at the gaming table. Most
zealously do they improve those fleet
ing hours when they can have the rare
pleasure of dancing with their lovers,
or even of looking at them over the
heads of others. They yield themselves
to the sweet abandon of the occasion,
and float through the slow measures of
1.-The marcy in the arms of their cav
alters listening eagerly to honeyed
words that may be whispered in their
ears, despite the pressure of lynx-eyed
mammas and duennas. No people in
the world possesses more charming
manners, both in public and private,
than the high-class Yucatecan, but, as
in other parts of the world, no doubt,
the suaye politeness of calm return
may cover depths of passion and de-
spair, heart-throbs and heart-aches,
high hopes and bitter disappointments,
even in the midst of mirth and music.
Among the women a favorite saint is
Santa Lucia, who is one of the hottest
in the calendar, celebrated for her
power of working miracles in favor of
lovers. If any young man prays to her
for a wife, or any young woman for a
husband, it is believed that he or she is
sure to receive the object of such sup
plication. More than once it has been
limited to me that doubts on
this subject are sinful and case after
case is cited of marriages made in which
one had fallen in love with the other,
who was perhaps ignorant of it, or even
1isliked the other person, yet was
finally brought to terms through the
powers of Santa Lucia
Frank B. Ward, in Philadelphia Re
,0rd.