Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-09-13
ODD CUSTOMS IN RIO.
Brazilians Behind the Times--Some Po.
lite, Others Not.

Brazilians Behind the Times-Some Po.
lite, Others Not
1t strikes the northern observer very
forcibly, says a writer on Brazil in the
New York Times, to see house in course
of erection and progress on the walls
suspended while two men are ripping
from great logs with whipsaw the
joists for the second floor. And yet for
more than a month I have daily seen
from the horse cars this oldtime saving
going on, all construction on the build
ing being meantime arrested. In fitting
up an office for the Equitable Life AS
surance Society of the United States,
which is establishing a branch here, the
carpenter and cabinet work has all been
done without the aid of woodworking e
machinery, the rough boards being
ripped up by hand, and wrought with
tools of the last century. The wood is
exquisitely beautiful in grain, rosewood
being employed for mouldings, and the
workmanship is perfect, but the cost is
excessive.
Recently the street car companies have
put on baggage cars, which run at regu-
lar intervals, doing an express business
along their routes. Singularly enough,
this innovation has been appreciated, and
has largely increased the revenues of the
corporations. There is no system of de-
livering goods. If one buys anything
the buyer has the porterage Iron safes
are carried by the porters. They charge
SO much for bringing it to ones place,
and leave it at the door if one does not
pay additional for putting it in position.
The Flumeneuses, as the people of Rio
are called, are in some ways very polite
and well bred in others rude and vul-
gar The men have coarse habit of
rudely staring at every lady that passes
by, and crowd on street corner will
never give way to let ladies pass through.
If two or more Brazilians meet on the
sidewalk and stop to talk they coolly OBJ
struct the pavement and expect passers-
by to take the roadway. The tram cars
are not fit for lady to ride in-the men
all smoke, and usually very villiainous
tobacco.
The Brazilian women are not pretty,
and in the presence of gentlemen are
gentlemen gather in knots and talk pol
itics at the top of their voices, and the
ladies sit around and talk-I know not
what, for if a gentleman comes near they
instantly stop short.
The men of native birth, as rule, are
low of stature and slender. But there
are Brazilians of girth and commanding
presence. The Brazilian women are dark,
and not comparable to our northern
beauties. They make good mothers,
though rather indulgent but social
usage allows them no liberty, and their
days are monotonous and without ex-
element Their daughters are taught
French. Music is natural gift. They
can embroider little, but the world and
what goes on in it is a sealed book to
them. Until they are married they are
never left alone i'll ger tleman's COM
pany. A young man can not call often
and manifest any particular preference
for young lady without being asked if
his intensions are serious. The mother
has scarcely more liberty than the
daughter. Her place is at home, and, be
it said to the Brazilian's credit, the hus-
bands, As rule, are domestic in their
habits. Their evenings are spent at home
OF at places of amusement with their
wives and children.
And yet Rio de Janeiro has the repu-
tation of being awfully wicked. While
it is not Sodom or Gomorrah, it is like
Paris, London and New \ ork in more
ways than one. The young men are
libidinous and the lazar houses are filled
with recruits from Paris, Bordeaux,
Genoa, and Marseilles.