Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-20

children return to school, IL there IL any in the
vicinsge. cay return, because in Brazil school
sessions are perpetual penance, beginning at 6
A. m. An hour's intermission Is allowed for
breakfast, but no other recess until the school
day Is over at or 4 O'Clock.
Dinner In usually served at O'Clock. like the
breakfast, to the guests and male members Of
the family only. the wife and daughters. as be-
fore, waiting respectfully outside or eating at q
separate table. Everybody has two plates set
with the inevitable stew of dried meat, the
other with pairo. The latter. is an unctuous
sort OF Pudding made by mixing mandivea with
the highly CREASED and earhced broth in which
the meat was boiled. These constitute the
main part of the meal Besides. the center OF
the table is perhaps graced with dish Of
bacalao (codfsh), which has been baked on en-
bers or boiled in oil, aauked on one side By q
bowl Of sauce for itself Of oil and vinegar,
mixed with Chile peppers and sliced garlic, and
Of broth, lime Juice and bruised Chile pep
pers.
EVERYBODY HELPS RrNsKLr.
Everybody helps himself 10 the Goldfish (Which
is served in long. shaving-iike strps) and TO the
sauce, with his own knife and fork, il he has
any; or il, as 10 often the case, those unnec-
essary implements are supplied only to the
foreign guests who are known to have singular
habits-the rest assist themselves with the ap-
paratus supplied by nature. Il Il done with
neatness and dispatch in this way. Each selects
with his fingers q strip Of Goldfish, subdivides il
by hand into smaller shavings, then takes il bit
by bit, and rolls it in the central dish Of sauce
For the stewed meat, be scoops out lump Of
pirao, the size Of hens egg, with the ends Of
his fingers, puts il in the palm of his hand with
o chunk of meat fshed out Of its broth. and
with the fingers of the same hand, working with
q motor known only to Brazilians, Incorporates
both into an elongated bolus, which he conveys
to his mouth and swallows in q way which. to
say the least Of II. Ia astonishing TO those who
witness it for the first time.
Dessert, If there is any. consists Of bananas
boiled or fried in lard or a curd cheese with
guava jelly, preserved potato OF some other
"duice." After which black coffee and cigar
cites are handed around anc small glasses of
rum and water. Before rising from the table
each fills his mouth with water and after going
through various suggestive contortions of
cheeks and lips, squirt 1t broadcast over the
floor.
THE PERIOD OF EEPosE.
Then comes a siesta, or period of repose
Between and O'Clock the ladies 90 GU. to
pay visits, If the neighbors are near enough.
and the husband goes for another promenade
or game of cards or gentle gossip, and later
everybody walks in the plaza, il there is one.
till late at night. In some families a third meal
is served, between and . o'clock. but in rural
districts that is the exception rather than the
rule.
The negroes who swarm about the estate
ex-slaves, now hired at a small rate of compen-
sation for working days. or given their keep
ana scanty clothes in return-live chiefly on
mllho Indian corn, prepared in various WAYS.
Ihey are excessively fond Of il in the form OF
pipokas, and this is the way to make it: Par
tally I'LL q clay pot with sand and heat it very
hot Then throw sheled corn into the heated
sand and stir it around with a long stick until
the grains swell and burst the skin. becoming
what we call popped" corn. The grains are
eaten with raw cocoanut. bananas, farinha or
onions. In this country. when you desire 10
remind meddlesome person that he would
better mind his own business Won are more
polite about it than in Gankeedom and merely
request him to Val plantas pipokas-"go plant
roasted milho.''
Mr.. Bigg Wither. an English engineer who
was employed some years in railroad surveying
In Brazil. tells some interesting experiences
among the landed proprietors in his interesting
book. Being man he had better oppor-
tunity than / to know how women deport
themselves in the presence of the other sex.
GIRLS UNDER LOCK AND KEY.
Let me quote few paragraphs pertaining to
visit he made in the valley Of Ivahy. '.Senor
Andeade was an old man and allowed his wife
to do most Of the talking for him when she was
in the room. One Of her first questions was to
know whether | was married, and on hearing
that am still in the full enjoyment of freedom.
she proceeded to enlarge upon the delights of
married life. at the same time informing me
that she had five unmarried daughters. After
this pretty broad hint Of what was expected
of course, l expressed a wish to make the &C.
quaintance Of these fair members of the family.
Her face became suddenly grave. she looked
hesitatingly at her husband, who had remained
silently putting his cigarette during the CONVEX
sation. and he said something which did not
understand. but which at once dispelled her
momentary gravity. The old man got up. went
across to locked door, turned the
KEY key opened ps it and disappeared into a
ately he returned, saving The girls are
not accustomed to zee strangers and are
afraid Meanwhile the senhora, who was
evidently now determined that her daugh-
tiers should show themselves. had also dis
appeared into the secret chamber. from which
now proceeded sounds of whispering and sup
pressed Cycling. Presently the senhora re-
appeared leading q very understanding dam
sci OF about nineteen years, closely followed by
three others, apparently somewhat Younger
All were overwhelmed with intense shyness and
a historical desire to laugh. After the formal
and separate introduction of each, be it noted
that the lady is here introduced to the gentle
man, they all scampered back into the secret
chamber and their papa turned the kew upon
them. At this time l was ignorant Of the Gus
tom which is 30 general in these out-of-the- way
parts OF keeping the women, or rather the
daughters Of the family. locked up like wild
beasts, consequently did not hesitate to ex-
press my wonder and to ask why it was done in
this case. In reply Senior Andrade said that it
was the custom of the country and he
had never thought Of bringing up his
daughters in any other way. '.Do they
ever 60 out?' l asked. NO never
he replied. mot now that they are grown. They
had all learned horseback riding when children,
but since then they had been shut up in the
house, according to the custom for respectable
girls. where they must remain until husbands
can be obtained for them" Poor things 1t is
to be hoped that there are few old maids among
the lasses of Brazil FANNIE B. WARD.
Moss-Covored Trees.
From the st. Louis Globe Democrat
Few things possess greater interest to north