Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-28

for dark, tender, sad beauty, are unexam-
pied. The magnificent hair, always clean,
always combed, always marvelously dressed
with the inevitable flower in ii, is alike the
distinguishing mark of the poorest, as well
as the richest, Spanish woman. In this re-
spect, the Spanish woman is unlike any
other. Even Italy, the sister peninsula, so
closely connected with Spain in the past
Italy has no such distinction. The Italian
peasant does not take such care of her hair,
nor does the Italian lady manifest the pride,
the neatness, the coquetry of fresh flowers,
as does the Spaniard. The beautiful undu-
lating hair, so blue-black, with a rose hid
den in its tresses-it is the joy of Spanish
travel to look at these heads.
In going into small shops, and humble
quarters, one often sees the business of hair
dressing in progress. One sister is dressing
the hair of another, or the mother is arrang-
ing the coiffeur, etc. They have little heated
irons, with which they friz the one side, and
the other is allowed to go smooth. 1t is al
ways becoming to the face beneath it. They
wear it much over the face, avoiding the
Chinese style. Little curls around the ears
or pushing forward on the temples show
that the Spanish woman values the purpose
of hair, which is to shade tine eye and con-
trast with the complexion.
AT the back of the head the nuque is al
DuQue
gives that character to the back OF the head
which is SO essentially Spanish 1t is a
remnant of the high-comb days and the man
tilla. The high comb is now seldom worn,
but the hair is always dressed high on the
head, natural crown which any Queen
might envy.
The Spanish eve, large, humid, tender.
grand, languishing, furnished with lashes
SO long, so curling. and so beautiful, that
the pencil of the artist falls in despair; the
black pupil. the white sea, in which this
lustrous orb sails-all is indescriba5le
Spanish eyes are sad. Spanish women,
when they are not coquetting and laughing,
have a sad expression. Is there a little of
the Orient left in their expression? Is it
Moorish, and does it speak of the harem and
the inevitable heart-break
Next to the beauty of hair and eve comes
the beauty of the flashing teeth. These are
so universally per ect that the student of
dentistry should go to Spain to find out
how they manage it. There is very little
good eating in Spain. Perhaps these fault
less teeth are not spoiled by cakes and
pastry and sweets in childhood. But the
careless traveller expects to be rewarded
when the Spanish woman smiles with row
of pearls, and he is almost never disap.
pointed.
THE FEMININE MUsTACHE.
Alasl here comes in the one note of dis
appointment. Just above the teeth is lit
tie mustache, sometimes a very big mus
tache. Nature in being so generous of her
gift of hair, in a moment of forgetfulness
added one dash of her brush too many on
some of these beautiful faces. 1t is not
universal, it is not inevitable, but it is COM
mon. The Portuguese women accept the
mustache and cultivate it, as young men
do, curling the ends. On a very delicate
face the little feminine mustaehe is not al
ways disagreeeble; but to one who has
passed the blossoming hour this heavy dark
masculine belonging becomes an almost
offensive feature, to foreign eyes at least.
But it is said to be agreeable to native eyes.
Next comes the pretty little Andalusian
foot, which, in the grand dame, is always
shod in the most perfect of Shoes with
silk stocking, which defines a very big
ankle and adjacent beauties. In the lower
classes the foot is, ofcourse, mot SO we'll clad,
but il is always small and alert. The Span
ish woman rs born dancing, SO she walks
like q housekeeping horse, spurning the
ground, and "Ohl she dances such q way"
At Seville it is the poetry of motion, as
everything is poetic at Seville.
Seville at night is full of mystery and
beauty; it is a pleasure TO peep through the
jealous iron gates and see the beautiful Sc
willie woman at home. In the Patio by
moonlight, or in the splendid palaces illum-
mated brilliantly, one sees them, beautifully
dressed in brilliant colors, laughing lightly.
One hears the sound of music and of that
tinkling of guitars SO significant in Spaini