Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-21

Europe and the United States can show,
They are nearly all kept by foreigners,
French predominating. Germans coming
next IN line, then a few Italians and En-
lishmen. Some of the finest fancy goods
stores are owned and managed by Chinese
merchants, who enjoy the monopoly of trade
in embroidered mantas and silk dresses.
There are three or four large establishments
conducted by merchants from the United
States and the house Of the Grace Brothers,
(of which Banker William r. Grace, of
New York city, is the head), practically
monopolizes North American trade in Peru.
THEATER AND BULL RING.
The quaint old theater, which nowadays
serves ior a swell Italian opera house, was
Dullt by another Viceroy, more than 100
years ago. Its alleged "boxes," which are
mere empty stalls, all open upon gallery
In the open air, and to get into one of them
you must climb long fight OF outside stairs
leading to this airv corridor. The splendid
Pantheon Cemetery, just outside the city
limits, was laid out Dy another Viceroy,
Abascal, in the year 1908. Its chapel con-
tains handsome altar, and there are many
costly monuments and well-kept flower beds.
The vaults are built up in the walls. like
rows of ovens, tier above tier, each num-
bered in order. Most of them are rented for
a stated number of years, payment of course
being in advance; and if the lease is not re-
newed at the end Of the term the coffin, with
whatever 1t may yet contain, is summarily
evieted.
Another victory laid out the beautiful
Alameda (''grove or elms. of public psseo),
and also built the bull ring. The latter is
well worth visit, though bull fights are
now of comparatively rare occurrence, say
half dozen in course of a year. 1t is an
immense circular enclosure of old-rose tinted
adobe, surrounded by seats rising tier above
tier, with "boxes'' above as in the theater,
the latter being entered from an outer cor
ridor, reached by flights of stairs running
up outside the circle. The fashionable en-
tertainment is what is known as ''bull bait
ing" and always takes place on SUNDAYS.
The bull is not always killed as in Spain,
Mexico and some other countries, but is
simply tormented for the sport of the popu-
lace.
AN ARIsToCRATIC SPORT.
Generally the young bloods of society do
the chatting" and it is looked upon as a
very high-toned athletic sort of pastime,
something like cricket matches in England,
or polo at Newport. The senoritas decorate
tin darts with lace and ribbon rosettes and
give them to their lovers to thrust into the
hide of the bull. The great !eat is to stick
these darts into the face or the fore-shoulder
of the enraged animal, and in order to do
so the thrower must stand in front of his
horns. No horses are disemboweled in these
performances, but it now and then happens
that e gentle maiden has the excitement Of
seeing her active young lover gored to
death. Many years ago an attempt was
made to suppress bull-fghting alto
gether; but though the press was opposed
to 1t aud many of the best people,
the "ruling passion" was yet too strong in
the minds of the populaee. So it was de-
termined to regulate the Sunday pastime by
law. The official code is about twice as
long as the Constitution of the Republic.
AS all the world knows, the ladies of
Lima are proverbial for their beauty. Such
large, liquid, Soulful" eyes; such rosebud
lips and pearly teeth; such dainty hands
and feet and rounded arms and graceful
figures, it would be hard to find so COMMONLY
anywhere else on earth. A comparatively
few of the more ultra-fashionable wear mod
ern hats and bonnets for state occasions, but
the vast majority still cover their glossy
black tresses with the lace mantilla or black
manta of silk or wool. Some of the embrold-
cred maDtas of black crepe are extremely
beautiful, and cost from 500 to $500, the
amount of silk embroidery upon it indicat-
ing the wealth of the wearer. Ordinary
mantas can be bought for from SIS to $50.
A common article of dyed cotton is i'm ported
from England, at cost of So or 81 a piece,
for the Indian and negro women.
THE SPANISH INoUIsITIoN.
It was not long after the conquest before
the inquisition was established in Peru
that fearful engine of Spain's despotic
power. 1t is mistake to suppose that il
was altogether a Popish institution; for
here it was essentially Spanish-at least IN
its worst form. The student Of history
knows that while the Spaniards were using
it as a cloak to cover the most hideous
enormities, popes we've found expostuIating
against the atrocities they perpetrated. Ger
tainly the inquisition of Spain and Peru
was not so much religious as a political
institution, employed by rulers to render
themselves absolute. In theory, the In
dians were exempted from its Jurisdiction,
but it is extremely doubtful whether those
prosecuted people always escaped its cruel
clutches.
The Peruvian Senate now occupies the
Council Chamber of the old Inauisition
building, whose famous ceiling was carved
by monks in the mother country and sent
over as gift to Pizarro's capital in the
year 1850. In the old days the Council
ChamDer was presided over by three InQuis-
itors; and many were the unfortunates
whom they condemned to be burned, near
the spot IN the suburbs of San Lazaro
where now stands the bull ring. Others
were torn upon the rack, or partially broiled
over live Goals, or subjected to other diabol-
ical torments, long after the inquisition had
ceased to exist in Europe. 1t was only At
the beginning of the present century and
shortly before the Peruvian war for indie
pendence Tin 1872, I believe), that the
fearful tribunal was abolished and an in
furiated populace destroyed all the instru.
ments OF torture. The room where the
latter were employed adjoins the Council
Chamber, and is now used as a retiring
room for the Senators, the dark pockets in
the walls, in which heretics were sealed up
and smothered, being utilized for closets
and wardrobes. FANNIE B. WARD.