Evening journal., 1888-12-01
CENTRAL AMERICA.
SEVERAL PECULIAR CUSTOMS OF
THE PEOPLE OF GUATEMALA.

The One Sided Attendance at Church--A
Funeral Processiou-Drink and Cigar
ettes-Habits of Young Gentlemen OF
-spanish-American Woman.
That which strikes person on entering a
church in Guatemala is the total absence Of
well dressed men. They send their wives and
children, while they seek diversion in the
barrooms, billiard saloons and clubs, for
which Sundays and feast days are the busiest
times. The Guatemalteco regards the prac-
tice Of religion as good enough for women,
but he himself has use for it on four occa-
sions only-at birth and baptism, marriage
and death. When "a child has reached an age
when its parents believe it will not cry dur
ing baptism, all near relatives and dear
friends are invited 20 the ceremony. Tho
first act is a very decorous performance
Of his duties by the priest; the second
is "iamboree,n which is continued
all that day and up to the business hours OF
the next II the family be wealthy the very
finest brands Of wines are consumed; If il be
poor native whisky is set before the guests,
and not unfrequently many land in the Gala
boose before they arrive at their own homes.
Here, rather more than in their own country,
does it seem the custom TO celebrate every
unusual event with drunk "A ''mozon
regards it as n right TO demand and receive
from his employer a sufficient advance OF
money TO defray tho expenses Of his celebra-
tions, and the employer never refuses TO help
along baptisms, marriages and funerals.
Almost any day in the streets Of provincial
towns one may SEQ collins carried TO tho
cemeteries followed by crowds Of mourners,
who fairly seem to rock and stagger along
under their load Of grief, but if the stranger
will approach nearer no will get whiifs OF
alcoholic breaths that Will account for tho
unsteady gaits Of the friends Of the deceased.
i have seen old women so much overcome as TO
finally give up trying TO keep along with the
procession, stagger toward the curb, and,
with tears rolling down their cheeks,
fall asleep in the gutter, TO DO carried
of by a policeman or TO be taken home
by friends There seems 70 DO a rule
that the guardians OF the peace
will not interfere with an intoxicated citizen
while the latter is in the funeral cortegc,
They will not prevent him from showing his
sorrow 20 his hearts content while he is able
TO stumble along, but tho instant he falls
OUT on his way TO the burying ground, or,
when no is sneaking home through by streets
after tho interment, he finds himself grabbed
by the collar and hurried OF to prison.
DRINK AND CIGARETTES.
The "mozo' is quiet, unoffending person,
except when drunk, when no IS ct first funny
and noisy and then wicked The native
compound called 'aguardicnten or "guarron
makes men crazy. Sometimes drunkenness
may be pleaded in extenuation of crime in
civilized countries especially where it may
DO shown that no intention existed in the
mind OF tho guilty party before becoming
drunk; but here it may be pleaded in SO
strong a manner as to relieve the culprit
from punishment, if it be proved that he was
drunk at the time Of action.
Lato prosperity in coffee has enriched
many families here who before wero pretty
well run down at tho heel. but who now
scarcely notice their acquaintance who
were less favored. The grown SONS Of the
fortunate coffee planters threw up their
clerllships when the parental Golfers wero
filled for tho Central Americans idea Of
happiness is TO do nothing. Many Of these
would 10 swells have certain small allow
ances, but seldom larger than to allow them
70 lose more than ono game 81 billiards in a
night Take q seat IN any billiard room Of
Guatemala and watch tho growing genera
ton All are addicted 70 the cigarette
habit Sometimes, should d party Of six be
playing pool, tho leader or the loudest
talkcr viii call tho waiter and pompously
order him 20 tako the orders Of the other
gentlemen, but as tho waiter hurries to tho
bar he is requested to bring separate checks
Then again the luxury OF the drink is post
poned until paying up at the desk, when the
''bloodsn hang over tho bar talking of tho
different brands Of extra dry and Yquem
well knowing there is not enough money in
the party to pay for single glass Of either,
and finally conclude by calling for a modest
glass of beer, after which each produces his
own small piece Of silver for his own drink.
The habituo who lounges around to be
"treated" would 60 very thirsty in Guate-
mala.
GENTLEMEN OF GOOD STANDING.
onco noticed two young men seated alta
table talking and using up all the toothpicks,
having nothing especial TO do. l made up
my mind to sit them out People camo in
and got their drinks and went out, but my
young men mover moved nor took anything.
Finally, after two hours, and when / had fin
ished reading all Of the newspapers, one Of
them got up, babe good-by TO his companion,
and went out No sooner had be well gone
than tho one who was left took a solitary
/ drink and went out, but in less than five min
utes the other returned and also treated him
self. It seems TO be the aim Of every school
/ boy 10 join this privileged class, with its low
! derby hat, cutaway coat, vest of many col
ors, and pantalooms SO tight and tapering
that their patent leathered feet, already
large, look like hams. They regard work as
degrading and benegeh the dignity Of gentle
mon Of their standing, and have never yet
seen ono who did not know it ALL
Spanish-American women are much more
demonstrative than the French ana decidedly
less attractive in every way. They meet
each other on tho street, they Immediately
fall into each others arms, there are two Of
three little simultaneous pats on tho bacl
and movement Of the faces toward eacl
other which does not end in q kiss, but look
as if they wished to rub noses in Kalmucl
fashion. This invariably occurs when tw,
ladies meet What the pat on the bacl
means nobody seems 20 know When tw,
Indian women meet the older presents he
hand 70 tho younger, who respectfully take
il, and bends over while kissing it, The ladie
invariably complain of the rude staring O
the men in the street, but at the thcatr
they can sit in their low boxes and stand tn
intent gaze Of impudent funkies who ar
near enough 20 rest their chns on the railin
without being any moro phased than a mir
ror. They seem to like such attention, am
feel nattered that they arc worthy Of the al
tention Of such specimens of the other sex
In the evenings during band practice in ia
''plazasn crowds Of ladies walk around th
circle while the gallants stand two or thre
ltH