Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-01-08
HOW THE cHILEANS LIVE,
Magnificerce of Los Kicos," squalOr Of
the PeoDIe.

MAgnii iiiccnoe of ."Los Ricos," squalor ot
the People.
Conception letter in the Pittsburgh
Dispatch. The stranger to this remote
corner of creation is ap6 to imagine
that the Chileans are asGmi-barbarouS
nation, wretchedly clad, if clad at
all, with little refinement and less
education, superstitious, cruel, and
bloodthirstv. When first arrived here,
-aStonishcd by the magniflcence or
clos Ricosn dhe wealthy class who,'
though numerically few, yet rule bothi
church and State,) their splendid
casas and numerous schools and
places Of amusement their costly liv5
ing, the stylish dressing and daZzlingl
display OF jewels, and their graceful
and generous hosptality-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
reluctently 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
barbarism; profoundly educated and
densely ignorant; rich as Croesus and
ft
that they live in palaces furnished
with every modern luxury, and in
mud novels With nothing 5ut beans
and raw clans for ''daily bread;" that
they are the most warm hearted,
genial, hospitable, and thoroughly de-
lightful people in the world, as we'll
as the most treacherous, reyengeful, J
and never to be depefded upon.
Certain natural characteristics may
be clearly traced through all classes
of society-such as the quick, sensa-
ti0nal and emotional Nature, which
makes the Chilean sol4ier terrible
foe; the Chilean either ready to lay
down his life at any moment for a
point Of honor or the cherished in
stitutions Of his beloved country; the
Chilean lady or gentleman a most
generous and devoted friend; the
Chilean lover male or female, ardent
to an extrayagant degree hardly con4
ceiyable by an AnglO-Saxon mind,
and inclined to jealousy as sparks fly
upward.
In Chile the typical Rico Gich MAN,
young or old, dresses every day I'M
flguratiye purple and fine linen. Fon
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 Ia p0mpadour; his immaculate shirt
cuffs, with conspicouously jeweled
buttons, extending toward his
knuckles just so far by a hairs
breadth; his very small sharp-toed,,
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 a dozen
times a 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 a man and an intimate
friend, in which case he may em-
brace and kiss you.
1t being only casual acquaintance.
you cali upon him on an errand Of
business or pleasure, he will hasten to
inform you that everything he pos
sesses is unreseryedlyyo house..
himself, his family, his servants are
all su disposition dc 4Sted-''at your
disposal" His wife, who is generally
beautiful and always well dressed, will
smile on you benignly through drift
Of face powder with 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 acQuaiatance--and make you be-