Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-16

the aboriginal Bra
lillian, mixed with Spanish and Portuguese. has
been more frequently stained by that Of the
African than mottled with Anglo-Saxou. Here
''the Swallowed livery of the FURNISHED sun" is
no disgrace however intensified. and one often
sees in q single family many shades of COM
plexion as there are numbers in it. Among the
creme de In creme of the aristOcracy there are
negro and mulattO families who have been free
and rich from away back to the Senegambian
Congo Of their ancestors. You need not be
surprised to meet on the fashionable Rua do
Ouyidor blonde beauties of BrGzilian-German
or Brazilian-English parentage promenading
with negroes whose conspicuously displayed
diamonds seem to light up the square, or over
dressed Senoras with fattened noses and hair
of natural crimp riding III emblaZoned car
riages. Haunting their finery in opera boxes
and monopolizing the choicest at hotel tables.
One Of the finest houses in Rio is occupied by
q viscount of fabulous wealth, the complexion
of whose kinky-haired spouse it would be a
stretch Of politeness to cell cafe au lait. The
other dey there a fashionable wedding at
the Imperial CGpilla da Gloria attended by the
elite Of the capital, and the bride was the lovely
young daughter of a Spanish planter. the groom
Q burly negro. black as the ace of spades.
NOT PARTICULAR AS TO AMALGANArIoS.
Even in slavery days Brazilians were not very
particular about the au,algamation Of colors. so
worldly goods. dinhero (money) being the
standard rather than blood. The Brazilian
constitution never had anything TO say about
color a basis of civil rights: hence a negro,
though born in bondage. once free could rise
to any social or political position by luck. pluck
and energy. And now. having abolished slav-
cry. Brazil has no difficulties To overcome in
settling the social questions growing out Of il.
such as have puzzled the United States. because
here the general fusion WAS already far ad
vaneed and race prejudices do not exist. Some
OF the most intelligent rnen of the country who
were educated in Paris or At the Portuguese
College of Coimbra. are the descendants of
African slaves. In the medical. law and theo-
logical schools Of the country no race distinc-
tons are made. and some of the closest students
are lately emancipated slaves. In the quiet
rooms Of the National Library one notices that
the books and tables are almost exclusively
occupied BY woody headed aspirants after learn
ing, and it must be confessed that so far as am
bition and successful mental effort go it would
seem that the greater the admixture OF negro
blood with the Latin the more satisfactory the
result
I THE GREATEST CIVIL ENGINEER A NCLATro.
The story Of the mulatto Andre Reboucas.
the best civil engineer Brazil has ever known.
illustrates The entire absence of race prejudice
in this part Of the world The profession of
engineering ranks among the highest in Brazil.
and while Vet a young man Reboucas had filed
numerous positions OF trust abroad and respon-
sibihty ut home. and was on terms of intimacy
with al the dignitaries of the late empire in
whose houses he Was an honored guest. 1t hap
pened one time that he was present at a ball
where, among the guests. were several members
Of the imperial family and a party of tourists
from the Cnited States Among the latter was
10 young lady from Baltimore and the mula.to
was at once charmed by her blue eyes and