The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-10-11


Rome TO regain its lost grip, allied in its
desperation with few English capitalists,
whose interests IS not in in CHILEAN patriot
Ism or religion, but in Gillian nitrate and
other articles Of commerce. And it is
amusing to note how some excited journals
call upon the president of the United
States and his cabinet to tremble in their
shoes because of the hostile attitude as
sumed toward them by this puny and I'M
stable republic. Uncle Samuel is still
abundantly able to take care Of his own in
any part of the world, and in time even
this arrogant "Junta" may come to under
stand that its favor or disfavor is matter
of profound Indifference to the citizens of
Goods country" In spite of his conceit
there is something refreshing in the pa
triotism of the typical Chilian-though it
consists in killing everybody who disa-
grees with him, if he can. While we, as
nation, have grown somewhat ashamed OF
OLD FASHIONED FOURTH OF JULY,
and the Declaration Of Independence, to
which we are indebted for existence, is re-
membered for little more than the butt Of
professional jokers, the true Chileno will
cut the throat of any man who refuses to
celebrate with him the 18th of September.
There is a law in the land requiring every
house to have flagstaff, and every flag
staff to hang out the national banner by
d
saries OF the republic. Gillian vanity goes
still further, and insists that all the schools
must use text books by native authors; all
the bands must play the music of native
composers, and visiting opera or concert
singers must introduce the songs of the
country into all their performances. Al
though there is nowhere more dlscordant
and unruly people-nowhere so much muir
der and other serious crimes-yet the cruel
soldier and the hunted bandit, the naughty
don and the patient peon are one in their
! love OF country and their firm conviction
that it is the mightiest on the face Of the
earth. In the Spanish language Diez y
ocho (ten and eight, means eighteen, and
among the Chilenos the words have special
reference to their national independence
which was declared on September Is, in the
year 1878. The finest residence street
in proud old Santiago, the city of
palaces, is named the Gale street,
of Diezyocho. All over the lard acre are
Diezyocho plazas; Diezyocho salons, manu-
facturies and estates; and many children,
male and female, who were so unfortunate
as TO be born near that patriotic date are
burdened with the three cabaistic words
for front name. At this festive time Of
year the law compels people to paint
their houses, to clean the streets, and to
Turkish up things generally, both inside
and out. Every woman in Chile must have
a new gown for the Diezyocho, and in the
matter of bonnets, it is to the creme de Ia
creme Of Santiago what Easter Sunday is
TO society bellies In the north. Flags stream
ing over every door way and transform the
streets into long vistas of bunting-the
beautiful Chlllan banner, with its single
white star on blue ground, and two
stripes, one white and one red-lnter-
spersed by The colors of foreign officials
Even the COOK in our house has felt the
90, forv Of r
| found her lndustriously pushing the dirt
from the middle of the kitchen floor into
the corners. why are you doing that,
Dolores.' 1 asked. For the Diezyocho,
Senorita,n she replied. Though
THE PEOPLE ARE POORER THAN EVER
this year, it will be great day, or rather
great week. The lower classes are al
ways ready for frolicing, whether the oc-
caslon be wedding or funeral; and for
a wealthy family to refrain from celebrat-
ing, whether their hearts are in 1t or not,
would be dangerous at this luncture, for
the "Junta' might construe it into an
evidence of sympathy for the <1ost cause"
of Balmaceda. The municipalities usually
recognize three days as the legal time for
feasting and rejoicing, during which no
body can be compelled to labor-the 18th
instant for the assembling of the people
from the country; the 18th for horse back
riding and general jollihcation the 18th
for sham battles between chosen divisions
Of soldiers, the tournament, racing,
etc. Most of the people, however,
day in one interrupted round of
festivities, in preparing for which many of
the poor sell everything they possess in
order to secure pocket money for the &C
casion and in some circles the merry max
ing is kept up far into October.
BY the way, here is a hint for travellers.
In most foreign countries, and especially in
Spanish America, it is quite the correct
thing to visit pawn shops, wherein may be
picked up many choice and curious souven-
irs, such, for example, as diamonds in an
tiaue settings, golden spoons, silver can
die sticks, spendidly embroidered shawls,
silver plated spurs, prayer books bound in
mother Of pearl etc. A few weeks after
Diez V ocho, when the short time has
elapsed during which these may be re-
deemed by their owners, land they seldom
are remeemed), is the best time for pawn J.
shop purchasing.
THE FUNNIEST PART
Of this patriotic season is the preliminary
spree which always precedes the regular
celebration by just two weeks and is sup
posed to appropriately lead up to it. This
extra iollifcation is known as Dezy ochc
chico ("Little Eighteenth and is continued
from one to three days. Though partici-
pated in by all classes, from the President
, down to the humbiest peon, it ls not con
+ sidered quite SO swell as the latter celebra-
ton. | spent last Dizzy ocho chico in San.
tiago-oniy one little year ago, and wha
changes have taken place Then the here
t of the hour, surrounded by his happy fam.
q lily, was the now dispised Balmaceda. The
! troubles that eliminated in his melanchol,
suicide were already begun, but nobod
dreamed that they would end in war A
: the races last year, and the subsequen
= dress parade on the fashionable drive, th.
Bamaceda coach. containing the President
his handsome wife and two young daugh
| ters, were the observed of all observers
4 and the rabDle who1ately shouted with 10,
s at his death, were as ready then to rend thu
t air with vivas in mis- honor. With that ir
: responsible element it is lie roy est mort
y vive lie oy." Their allegiance is given t.
8 the star that happens to be in the ascen
dent, and they will be just as ready to wei
come another oyerturning. One year ag
2 the latePresident was not only popular an,
= happy man, but very rich one, and tina
: poverty could ever overtake him or hi
Q seemed entirely out Of the question, vet b
= died 30 poor that all the money hs DOS
= sessed had been given to him by his wifi
: from her private fortune to assist his fiigh,
@ The widow and her children are left no
: only penniless but homeless, for the victor
, wantonly
BURNED AND SACKED THEIR HOUSE.
- as we'll as that of Balma ceda's age
s mother.
r In this third city of the republic tn
n patriotism Of Diez ocho chico has bee
# rampant for twenty-four hours and sti
# cannons are booming and bands playin
g viva Chilli aud carriages dashing to an
o fro carrying gaily dressed people with ela
d faces. Hundreds of young cabellero,
n mounted on prancing steeds, with wonder