, 1888-09-07
A LAND OF ROMANCE.
Lururies of Life in Paraeuav-Bevie q,
Beautiful Women.

LuIuries of Life in -Bevies of
beautiful Women.
Paraguay is surely one of the most
favored lands on earth. There no insane
love of gold compels the heart to cues
tionable deeds. No political situation
harnesses the mind. The very atmosphere
breathes peace. The air is soft and
balmy, inviting to repose, and prolific
nature, throwing about everything her
garment of rich vegetation, supplies man
with all he needs and beauties all that
his eyes rest upon. Paraguay is, indeed.
almost a fairy land of romance, SO beauti,
full are its manifold attractions.
The native portion of the population is
a remnant of the tribe of Guarani Indians.
one OF the loftiest tribes in the grade of
civilization of all the American race. But
nothing astonishes the visitor to Paraguay
30 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 a long and very fierce
war, in which the Guaranians followed
and supported a cruel and ambitious
ruler through indescribable hardships and
s~utferings. This wal ended only with the
death of the man who waged It, and has
reduced the whole population to about
one-sixth of what it was twenty wears
ago, leaving only women and boys. These
women (this writer continues) are as
beautiful and fair to look upon as can be
found In any part of the world.
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 motion, for the
freedom from high heeled boots and tight
clothing has left their step light, supple
and strong. Their dress is of the simplest
form; a short tunic or robe not unlike a
skirt falling to below the knees and a
shoulder covering not unlike a shawl
both of pure white and adorned with
pretty native lace. They are gracefully
worn, and bewitchingly serve to half
reveal and half conceal the form beneath.
In the midday siesta they are fond of
lying languidly in their hammocks, sip
ping their mate and singing in their low,
sweet voices, yet sad and with q touch of
melancholy, the "narancaros," or songs
of the orange gatherers, or those other
strange, weird songs of theirs whose
words are all of love. Indeed, what need
to do ought else in a land so blessed as
theirs2
Living entirely upon fruits and vege.
tables that are secured with but little
effort, unmoved by the ambitious schemes
OF the money making Europeans, upon
whom they look with questioning wonder.
and possessed of languid, voluptuous
natures that are fostered by the climate,
what else should they do save love. and
dance, and sing? Dancing is their only
pastime, and into that they throw the
whole spirit of their joyous nature. The
slightest Reuse is all that is necessary
for getting up a ball, at which the whole
neighborhood at once assemblies.
The nirls and woman ara dracsad o,1r
in the robes described. The men wear
white linen trousers and red ponchos.
The dances are in quaint, original figures,
but nearly always very graceful. Some
times the festivities will be kept up
through the entire night, after which the
participants will gayly return to their
occupations, of whatsoever nature, always
c~ontented, always happy. Sometimes
there will be a grand contribution picnic
at some distant point, where the dancing
will be kept up the round of a whole
twenty-four hours. For truly these
people live but to be happy through the
livelong day.
After reading this one is not surprised
to hear that many visiting Europeans,
Englishmen among the rest, have settled
down in the country. WHO would not
rather become a lotus eater among the
lotus eaters, and settle down upon the
sunny hillside or shady river banks, amid
fragrant and fruitful orange to
forget a regretted past and live only in
the happy present, waited upon by the
simple white robed Indian woman-de-
voted, nffectionate and surprisingly fairf'
Boston Transcript.