The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-24
MAIDENS OF YUCATAN.
FAMOUS FOR THEIR BEAUTY o.
FORM AND FEATURES.

Their Lot Is Seldom q Happy One-MaliAg
Cigarettcs-visit to the Lace MaLen-A
TaIe Of woe-Refinement and Amiabii-
fly.
/ The mextiza women of that most inter
esting country are famed for their beauty
OF form and features, abundant silky
black tresses, large dark eyes and easy,
graceful manners. Generally they are
as good as they are pretty; but their lot
is seldom happy one; perhaps they are
too numerous to DO justly appreciated.
About one in eight enters the state OF
matrimony, and these appear to be the
least happy. Owing TO great excess OF
female population-the consequence of
many revolutions and war with hostile
Indians--a large number of women de-
pend entirely on their own exertions, and
their field Of labor is limited. They are
not employed in stores, such places being
monopolized by white handed youths
who think coarser toll beneath them.
Those individuals Of the sterner sex ex-
pect the gentler, under all circumstances,
TO remain at home, no matter how pain
full their position. Orphans must eat the
bread of dependence in the house Of re-
latiOns or friends, and on no account
shock public opinion by trying TO earn a
living away from their place of abode,
nor may they venture to dwell apart
from elders who shall control thcirovery
movement They may suffer everything
except actual starvation, yet must sub
NIT if they would be respected.
\ few are wonderfully clever az max
inc most beautiful fruits and flowers OF
sugar, but cannot earn living by it, the
/ time and care needed i'm the manufacture
entailing somuch expense that only the
weathiest give an order on very special
occasions. Nothing truer TO nature then
! these vegetables, fruits and flowers of
sugar can be imagined. A pineapple an
ear of corn. u golden kashew. with its
/ odd shaped appendage, spray of snow
white tuberoscs-all equally perfect in
form and color; while large, full blown
roses, crimson, pink, and yellow, appear
as if the frail leaves will fall from the
stem if breathcd upon. Only the taste
convinces US that they are not what they
seem; and the flavors given TO them by
| their skillful producers are as delicious as
| the work il admirable.
MAKING CIGARETTES.
The making of cigarettes affords en-
ployment to hundreds of girls, because
men, women and children there indulge
| i'm the use of tobacco. In city, town and
village pretty senoritas sit behind the
prison like window gratings deity wrap
ping up tobacco in small pieces of the
outer covering OF maize, which, when
toasted, imparts a delightful flavor to
| the cigarette. xwenty cents a day Is the
most that one pair of hands can earn.
nressmakcrS are numerous. Others
anxiously solicit orders to cmbroider in
silk, thread or worsted. Pillow lace was
/ formerly manufactured in Merida, but
/ being expensive, there was no demand
| for the article. Less costly laces are
/ largely usc1. No meztiza's holiday
/ dress is complete without ample fiounces
/ of it: this converts their simple white
/ linen garments into expensiye attire.
/ Cheap lace is imported. but all who can,
prefer q wear that made in the country,
+ il being handsome rs well as more dura-
/ bic. This is not sold i'm the stores but IN
/ the public market place, where II Is car
ried by servants; for, strange as it may
appear the most poverty stricken have
maids, who besides receiving 10 wages,
/ frequently help 10 support their Ials-
/ tressos. Generally they have been given
T. the family, when children, by their
parcnts-too poor TO provide fOf them.
/ They work hard for little food and scanty
+ clothing, are very faithful. and will bear
hardship and i'll treatment rather than
/ leave those 70 whom they have become
attached.
Being directed 10 a family Of girl who
supported themselves, we made our way
along broken narrow sidewalk 10 houee
+ No. in q row OF dwellings, each con-
ssting OF three rooms, and ~ clubhouse
+ that served as kitchen. Wcrappcd with
our knuckles. and sweet voice bado MS
como in" Pushing open the door, We
fOlnd ourselves i'm a room containing
small table and three low seats, occupied
+ by Young women, whose appearance IL
dicated that they seldom enjoyed hearty
meal.
TALE or WOE.
Tcc. they could make all the lace we
desired. ii we cou' advance money 10
bug net and threat; they had none, oven
/ to buy raedicinc for their sick mother.
r We asked them 10 resume the work that
our arrival had interrupted. This they
did, embroiderlng the net with long
/ fine needle and thread drawn from white
linen cloth. The designs, their own imi-
ta,i0n Of native flowers, are traced Oh
white paper that Is tackled to the net. 4
frame is used only for very wide lace.
After our order was given tale Of
woe was poured for,h. with or appeal for
money in advance. y few days later
I messenger came from our lace makers
with an earnest petition for another
small installment and SO on, every few
day., the full price being paid long be-
/ fore the lace was made. We engaged
one woman to make eight yards OF lace
eighteen inches wide. and having paid
the full sum in advance, never obtained
moro than four yards. These people earn
from twenty to thirty-fvc cents a day.
In spite OF their cherries homes. mo-
notonOus lives, and continued toll. there
is a winsome refinement and amiability