The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-31
THE WOMEN OF CHILE.
COURTSRIP CARRIED ON UNDER
DIFFICULTIES.

without the Presence of the Family.
Where the Easter Bonnet Is IN
known-Nobody Goes to Church to
See the Latest Etyles-The Ugly
Manta-Why Chilean Women Are
Religious-Not Distracted by Dis
play Of Mtllinery-Some Hizh Types
Of Feminine Beauty-They Have No
Word That Signifies Plainness of
Festure-Chilean Home Life-Mar-
riage Not Mercensry-The Lower
Classes-A Pretty Street Car Con-
ductor.
Copyright. 1892 by the United PressN
While the people of the United States are
discussing the question Of whether we shall
fight the men of Chile, sketch of the
women of Chile may not be untimely.
The rules that apply to the female sex In
other countries of Spanish America are
recognized alsain Chile. The social code of
the country would regard as scaudalous the
freedom which in North America and Eng
land is permitted TO the sexes.
The Chilean young lady never sees her
lover, except in the company of others.
The standard American jokes about the
-NAtNAA@e-A Al NhC AAoA nAuks bu6
father on the stairs, and dim light in the
parlor, would all be Greek to her, if she
ever read them. If the family of the
young lady are in favor of her admirer
they give the couple an occasional chance
to see each other and converse by inviting
him to enjoy the hospitality OF the house.
II they are opposed to the courtship. it can
be carried on only in defiance of difficulties
which American young men are happily
r. Id
such circumstances it is not only love at
sight IN the beginning, but all the time; for
there is no opportunity for any other COM
munication.
SO determined is Chilean custom to pre-
vent the senorita from attracting attention
when she goes abroad, even under the guar
dianship Of the family, that dressing for
church, IN the American sense, is unknown
In Chile. The eastern bonnet is a perplex-
ity as yet foreign to the Chilean pre de
JaniHe, WHILE however rich msy be ga
nfents laid away for the rare &C.
casions when custom permits a dis
play of feminine attire, hey would
be of no use in going to public worship.
Beauty of form and style are alike hidden
under the black nldIltG, a shawl worn in the
fashion of hood over the head, and long
| enough to conceal the dress. The mdntG is
most ugly garment, even more an enem Y
| of female attractions than the baggy veil
in which women Of the east are concealed
from lnquisitive gaze; while the Turkish
garb leaves much to Imagination, while the
nGntd spoils, with its ugly framework, the
prettlest face.
1t is not to be wondered at that Chilean
women are intensely religious. They are
not distracted from their dew tions by any
display OF millinery, and their very NORTH
| cation at the thought of the appearance
they present must naturally drive them to
| seek consolation in prayer. AS the men
rarely go to church, the spectacle Of the
rows OF black nldntGS in the Chilean house
| OF worship is about as depressing and
sombre as can be imagined. The gathering,
which in America, would be bright with
the latest achievements of the dressmaker,
is in Chile suggestive Of an assemblaGe of
| nuns.
That Chilean women grow UP to DO der
voted to the church goes without saying.
| They are the main support of the padres,
and that faith in religion is perpetuated is
| largely due to the deep religious spirit of
the mother, absorbed and fostered under
the folds of the ugly nlGntG. There are
protests against the mdntG now and then,
on the part Of the enlightened Christians,
| who know something of foreign habits. and
are not entirely bound up in adhesion &c
ancient ways; but there is no sign that the
nlGntG is losing its hold. A sonora or
senorita going to church without it would be
even more conspicuous than q lady who
should enter bareheaded, one of the fash
ionable churches in an American city.
Among the pure blooded families of the
upper class specimens of the highest type
Of female attractions can be met with. In
| conversation the Chilean lady is usually in
teresting. and, while they have their share
of liking for gossip and small talk. they
seldom indulge, even to each other, in Sc
we're remarks about their mutual friends
They have no word equivalent to ugly -
or even the American use of "homely,n but,
| il they cannot truthfully say tLat another
| girl is pretty, they speak OF her as nLlty
stmpGttcd, or very sympathetic. The same
term is sometimes applied to male acquaint-
ances for the same reason. Therefore, il an
| American visitor to Chile hears himself al
luded to in dulcet tones as very sympa-
| thetic, he may not take it IS a tribute to
| his goodness Of heart
| One circumstance that tends to favor
female charms in Chile.is that the climate
Is not 80 languid as In the tropical coun-
tries of Latin America. The life led, in the
house and out of it, Is more vigorous, and
tends to the development of hard and
| healthy physique. 1t may seem incredible
that in q country where the weather. in
the southern portion, is often as severe
| as that OF a North American winter, fire.
places, except for cooking, are almost
unknown. The Chileans, like the
| Chinese, add more clothing to meet the in
creasing cold, and families may be seen
sitting down to dinner in overcoats and
furs. This absence of the Fireplace is not
due to poverty; for in the most palatlal
| homes of Santiago 1t is the same as in the
poorest. AS matter of fact the cold
causes considerable suffering, notwithstand-
| ing wraps and furs, and yet it Is patiently
| endured because, the Chileans claim, fire.
| places are unwholesome.
| The spectacle may be witnessed of people
richly dressed, and belonging to the same
society, compelled by the GOODNESS of a draw
ing room or a ball room to keep moving
| about in order to keep warm. But it must
not be inferred that Chilean hospitality is
measured by the temperature. Once the
| door is thrown open to stranger or friend
the reception is as generous as it is mani
festly cordial.
| Notwithstanding the formal relations
between young people of opposite sexes In
| Chile, marriage is, as rule, matter of
| genuine choice and affection. While care
| fully guarding their daughter, Chilean
parents permit her, under restrictions, TO
see enough Of her lover to learn whether
| he is likely to be desirable as husband.
Interviews are freely permitted, with other
members of the family in the room, and
the rooms are often large, and the
others present politely blind and deaf
| to the courtship. There is little,
| if any, of the bargain and sale that charac.
terizes matrimony in the stilted circles of
| European continental society. Aud the
| rparriaOes that result are as n rula haDny