The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-01-11

hollow ground wooden razor, length
three feet. After a shave, the face must
be washed, so the victim was grabbed
by the collar and made to turn back
sumnersault into tank Of water, where
he was cordially received and ducked by
the nymphs. After the ducking the vic
tim was released, and later received
diploma certifying that he had crossed
the line, and warning all whales, sharks,
pollywogs, etc., against maltreating his
body. Officers pay fine. was brought
before p. Duffy, Neptune's lawyer, by a
policeman and fined one dozen bottles
of beer. The whole affair was very
amusing.
We kept on to the southwark and west
ward; the weather was fair, and the
wind mostly favorable. After a quiet
and pleasant (excepting the heat) pass
age of twenty six days we arrived safely
in Montevideo, Uruguay. Uruguay, like
most of the South American republics,
is Spanish settlement, and Spanish is
their language. The houses are built on
the Spanish style; they are square with
q square court in the center, either open
to the air or covered with glass roof.
The one story house is the most numer-
Gus, then the two and three-none ex-
coed three. This would be almost i'm
possible, since they build their houses
Of clay, and brick laid in mud. The
North American bay window is dispens-
ed with. The roofs are fiat and covered
with thing, then long brick; and in
summer the roofs are very popular. The
whole family makes its appearance
there in the evening. The principal
streets are wide, and all are kept very
clean. All the nations are represented
here, but the Italian more particularly.
The girls on the whole equal our girls in
beauty; there are some exceedingly
pretty ones. Montevideo, like all Span
ish American towns, has its "plazas" or
squares. These squares are large open
squares in the heart of the city. There
are number of these in every city. In
the evening band usually plays there,
and the young ladies, usually in groups
of three Tor the young lady accompanied
by her motheI) come out Tor a prone
made around the square. By posting
yourself in front Of u well-lighted store
you can zee them all. The ladies pow
der a great deal here, old and young
alike.
Callao lies close to the water, and is a
dirty, filthy place. The houses are
mostly one story high, and are built OF
mud and bamboos, low on account OF
frequent earthquakes, built of mud be-
cause wood is expensive, and because 1t
answers the purpose as well, for it new
er rains here. These houses will stand
for many years unless destroyed by
earthquakes. There are houses and
churches in Lima which have stood for
300 years and over. The cathedral built
bv Pizarro is still standing, and is to-day
the most imposing structure in Lima.
PiZarro's bones are resting in tomb I'M
der the church. Lima is cleaner and
larger city than Callao. Most of the
houses here are two-story structures.
Pretty girls abound. / am acquainted
with three or four families (Peruvian),
and / must say that every time call
they do their very best to make my stay
a pleasant one. When you call, the gen.
tleman of the house places the house at
your disposal. The families l am &C
quainted with have been in the United
States, and can speak English. Every
one can play on the piano, SO that when
calling in the evening some one will play
a pretty waltz, and you can take your
pick out of half dozen or so pretty girls
and enjoy dance. All of the young Ia
dies dance well.
A railroad, known as the Arroya road,
runs so miles inland through the noun
tains. It's highest point is 1900 feet
above the sea. The construction of this
road is said to be the most wonderful
piece of engineering IN the world.
Your friend,
ROBERT SToCKER.