The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-04-07
ALAND OF FAIR WOMEN.
Paraguay as Paradise and Lotus-Land.

Paraguay as Paradise and Lotus Land.
Nothing astonishes the visitor to
Paraguay to-day so much as the
vast preponderance of the female
over the male population. The
proportion is something like nine
to one. This is the result of long
and very fierce war, in which the
patient Guaranians, faithful even
to death, followed and supported a
perfectly remorseless, cruel and
ambitious ruler, through indescri-
bable hardships and suferings.
This most hopeless and unwarrant-
able of wars ended only with the
death of the modern Nero who
waged it, and has reduced the whole
population to about one-sixth of
what it was twenty years ago, leav-
ing only women and boys.
These women are as beautiful
and fair to look upon as can be
found in any part of the world.
Though they belong to the Indian
race, they are not of the swarthy,
coarse and beastly Indian type.
Some of them are very dark, but
many are as light and fair as the
purest Anglo-Saxon, with clear
complexions; flowing, dark hair !;
large, deep, lustrous eyes, and del
icate features of a very voluptuous
cast. They are of medium height,
rather slight and 1.-THE, with finely
nodded limbs; small, pretty hands
and feet, and figures of matchless
grace and beauty, that would serve
for models of the sculptor's art.
Their carriage is SO easy and natural
as to be almost the poetry of mo-
ton, for the freedom from high
heeled boots and tight clothing has
left their step light, supple and
strong. Their dress is of the sim
plest form Il short tunic, or robe
not unlike a skirt, falling below the
knees, and a shoulder covering not
unlike shawl; both of pure white
and adorned with pretty, native
lace. They are as gracefully worn
as were the flowing Greek robes of
old, and as bewitchingly serve to
half-reveal and half-conceal the
form beneath. The language spoken
among themselves is the native
Guarani, soft, liquid, gentle tongue
that falls more mu5ically upen the
ear than even the boasted Spanish,
and seems so fitting for nothing
else as for words and tales Of love.
Indeed, these fair women them
selves seem made only to
"Sing and love all day, then under wing
Fold head till morn bids sing and love
again"
In the mid day siesta they are
fond Of lying languidly in their
graceful hammocks, slipping their
mate (tea made from the leaves of
the Brazilian holly and singing in
their low, sweet voices, yet sad and
with a touch Of melancholy, the
"narancaros" orsongs of the orange
gatherers, or those other strange,
wierd songs of theirs whose words
are all of love. Indeed, what need
to do aught else in land SO blessed
as theirs? Living entirely upon
fruits and vegetables, that are Sc
cured with but little effort unmoyed
by the ambitious schemes Of the
moncy-making Europeans, upon
whom they look with questioning
wonder, and possessed of languid,
voluptuous nature, that are fostered
by the climate, what else should
they do save love and dance and
sing? Byron has faithfully por-
trayed the girls in his savage hero
ines. Strong and faithful in their
attachment, and gentle as doves,
they are, nevertheless, fiery and
passionate when they have cause
for jealousy, for they have touch
of the tigress in them when moved
by love and hate.
Yet they are the best-natured
people in the world. Always gay,
always laughing, always happy,
their kindness and good nature to-
ward each other is one of the chief
characteristics of this amiable and
innocent race. And another of their
chief characteristics is cleanliness.
Their persons, their clothing, their
houses( however scantily furnished)
and even their children, SO far as
possible, are always irreproachably
clean and neat.
Tobacco is one Of the chief pro-
ductions of the country and the
manufacture of cigars one Of the
chief industries, the work OF the
women's hands. Large quantities
of these cigars are exported to va
rious parts of the world, but stiA
larger quantities are consumed at
home. For the use of the narcotic
weed is almost universal in this
dreamy land, and it's influence no
doubt tends toward making the in
AOIn