The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-04

seer tary
Blaine is anxious that his fellow country
| men shall know something about these
Latin people so newly recogni ed as use
| full neighbors. 1t is largely with view to
this end that the exhibit of the depart
ment of state at the Worlds fair in Chi
cago will be organized, and no little atten-
ton will be paid incidentally to the wo-
men OF the neither continent-their lives,
their ways, their dress. their amusements,
their religion, their beauty, and every
thing concerning them that is worth learn
ing.
The lives OF women in South American
countries are about as different from those
of their sex in the United States as can
well be imagined. To begin with, girl
has no liberty at all until she is married.
She cannot go out unless accompanied by
q responsible relative or by an attendant.
Ii she goes shopping in the family carriage
the goods are brought out by clerks to the
sidewalk and exhibited to her for choosing
Every morning she goes to church, followed
by female servant who carries a small
prayer rug. The latter is very necessary,
inasmuch as she must kneel for worship
on stone floor, which is usually damp as
well as cold. Even after she has become a
wife, her movements are hardly less
watched and restricted, the theory among
these people being that woman is under no
circumstances 10 be trusted alone. 1t
must be said, however, that in the Argen-
tine, which IS progressive nation, things
are very different in this regard. There
ladies, single or otherwise, have much
more freedom. Whereas, in the
other republics they grow up in
Ignorance, save for a few accom-
plishments, such as music and embroid-
cry, IN Buenos Ayres and the country of
which 1t is the capital they are well edu-
Gated, being taught by governesses up to
the age OF III or IL, when they are sent to
Europe to be finished" Thousands of
them are dispatched every year for this
purpose to Paris, Bordeaux, Marseilles
and other cities in France where there are
great boarding schools.
Those who have visited South America
assert that women of Buenos Ayres, Mon
tevideo and Santiago are incomparably the
most beautiful in the world. The we'll
educated among them speak French and
English as well as Spanish, and are fine
musicians. They follow the latest Paris
ian fashions, and the gowns of those who
are well-to- do are all brought over from
France. There are no better dressed
women anywhere than are TO be found all
over South America. All their outfttino
is imported from abroad, even to the silk
stockings which are considered among the
necessaries of the toilet. No such market
exists elsewhere for elaborate and COSTLY
understanding. Although the women
have very small feet, they wear the high
est-heeled French shoes to make them
seem more tiny. They lace, also.
and the use of paints for the
complexion is unfortunately prevalent.
Their beauty is touched with the darkness
OF the Moor, and alas it fades easilv. Ar
10 years they are of manageable age. and
before they are 80 they have lost their good
looks nearly always. From that time on
they grow fat in motherly way. Jewelrv
and plenty of 1t is always a passion with
them. A yoluptuous style of lowell
ness is most in demand, and blondes
are greatly admired on account
OF their rarity. For some reason unex-
planned, the Yankee schoolmistresses who
VINO nave charge of most Of the schools in
the Argentine are as rule of light hair
and complexion, and it is said that thu
number OF offers OF marriage they have il
We.l-nlgh fabulous. Strange to saw a
majority OF them exhibit no inclination To
wed the Spanish Dons, apparently prefer
ring their Independence and the $50
which their labor commands montblv
Love-naking in South America mnst all
De done In the presence of the girls fam.
lly. AT all events, In the absence of an
immediate relative, duenna or attendant
must always be on hand to do the proner
Ii young woman were left alone with a
man for as much as two minutes her rem
utation would be gone. When a man ooes
TO call, he never asks for the lady. il wonl5
be considered mortal insult, suggestine,
an assignation. So what he does is to send
his card TO papa, and. if the latter is No,
at nome, he leaves his compliments for
the lady and retires. Papa. if at home
invites the visitor TO take a glass of vine
and calls IN his. wife or daughter. A few
years ago the United States minister ~
SeheZueia was an eccentric old gentleman
from South Carolina, odd in his wavS ond
even grotesque in his manners. a yonn1
loaler ABOUT the legation wrote a Letter 10
newspaper ridiculing his nom.
posity, upon which the old fellow
ISSUED ukase to the American
colony, commanding that none of is
Iileiiieers should any more receive socially
tne OFFENDING youth. Nevertheless, a Iady
Oh 1anAee birth, whose husband was a
seneZueian, invited the young man to
dinner. The minister at once went to see
ner, Tor the purpose OF protesting. She
got angry. but the wrath Of her spouse at
tnls ATTRACTION OF etiquette knew no bounds
he sought the minister with a SHOTGUN
and would have killed him on sight had
had It not been for the interference of a
good-natured Irish-American named Pat
rex McGarry, who called himself Senior
fatrlclo Magarrie. The offending diplomat
was Obliged 70 make the most elaborate
apologies. which the Spaniard printed in
iuli, together with all the correspondence
on the subject, not only in the newspapers
put on large posters, pasted up on every
dead wall In the city, adding some very
pointed comments on the liberties of he
havlor permitted in the United States.
All the iove-making must be carried IN
through q third person. If a youth de-
sires TO marry, he does not sneak of II ~
the girl whom he wishes for a wife bnt ~
ms own father. The latter, if he aDnroves
goes TO the father of the young lady and
me two discuss the matter together
Eaeh tells the other what ne will do for
the young folks and between them a con.
tract Is drawn up respecting settle
nents and all such things The
1haendlng bridegroom is not per-
united TO see his fiancee alone
Lor moment before the wedding.
As soon as that event has taken place
there IS wedding breakfast, and, usually