Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-01-08
HOW THE cHILEANs LIVE.
msEniacercc c: .."Los Rscos." sauaIer 81
the People.

tho People.
Conception letter in the Pittsburgh
Dispatch. The stranger to this remote
corner Of creation is ap5 to imagine
that the Chiieans are asGmi-barbarous
nation, wretchedly clad, if clad at
all, with little refinement and less
education, superstitious, cruel, and
bloodthirsty. When first arrived here
-astonished by the magnificence Of
'Los Ricos" (the wealthy class who,
though numerically few, yet rule both
church and State,) their splendid,
casas and numerous schools and
places Of amusement, their costly liv-
ing, the stylish dressing and dazzlingl
display OF jewels, and their GRACEFUL
and generous hospitality-he jumps
at the conclusion that his previous
impressions were absurdly and en-
tirely erroneous.
But as time goes on, and he learns
how the ''common people, +" who make
up the bulk Of the population, live
and move and have their being, he
reluctantly comes back to his first
opinion as concerning large majority
Of the Chileans. There are so many.
conditions of existence in the land,
and consequently such variety of
character, that one may say of these
people with equal truth-they arc
both highly civilized and sunk into
barharism; profoundly educated and
dense,y ignorant; rich as Croesus and
poor as Jobs aforementioned turkeys
that fhey live in palaces furnished
witHevery modern luxury, and in;
mud novels With nothing but beans
and raw CLANS for '.daily brea1;" that
they are the most warm-hearted,
genial, hpspitable, and thoroughly de-
iightful pespie in the world, as Welt
as the most treacherous, revengeful,
and never to be depended upon.
Certain natural characteristics may
be clearly traced through all classes
of society-such as the quick, sensa-
tional and emotional eature, which
makes the Chilean solAier a terrible
foe; the Chilean either ready to lay
down his life at any moment for a
point of honor OF the cherished in
stitutions of his beloved country; the
Chilean lady or gentleman most
generous and devoted friend; the
Chilean lover male CT female, ardent
to an extravagant degree hardly cons
ceiyable by an Gngie-Ssxois .aind;
and inclined to jealousy as sparks fly
upward.
In Chile the typical Rico (rich man, ]
young or old, dresses every day in
figuratiye purple and fine linen. For
him there is no 'second-best" attire IN
the way of a rough-and-ready morn
ing costume or business suit, for he
has no need of such, being like the
lilies in that he tolls not, neither
does he spin. His clothes are always
fine, dainty and fashionable as ar
artist tailor can 'create" them; his
polished hair carefully parted in the
middle or trained to stand straight up
a la pompadour; his immaculate shirt
cuffs, with conspicouously jeweled
buttons, extending toward his
knuckles just so far by a hairs
breadth; his very small, sharp-toed,i
high-heeled shoes rejecting his beauty
as in twin mirrors; his monogram
embroidered handkerchief delicately
scented, and in his eyes a handsome
diamond ring and scarf-pin are no
less essential than shirt or trousers.
He has been Taught department from
his cradle, and mastered that science
to perfection at an early age. As
often as he meets you, be it dozen
times day, he holds his slender cane
dainty in one well-gloyed hand while
tipping his faultless tile with the
other, bows gracefully and low, and
shakes you by the hand--with never
the slightest perceptible variation in
the death of the obeisance or the
warmth of the shake; unless you hap
pee to be man and an intimate
friend, in which case he may em-
brace and kiss You.
1t being only casual acquaintance,
you can upon him on an errand of
business or pleasure, he will hasten to
inform you that everything he pos
sesses is unreseryedly yours-his house.
himself, his family, his servants are
all a So disposition de asted-sat your
disposal" His wife, who is generally
beautiful and always well dressed. will
smile on you benignly through drift
Of face powder with a touch of rouge
on either side of the nose, and assure
you in soft-yoweled Spanish of the
pleasure she feels in thus forming
your acouaiatance---and make you be-
s'-i~