The Indianapolis journal., 1892-05-08
DOING NOTHING In BRAZIL
ItKeeps the Natives Very Busy, and, as
Rule, They Appear Well Satisfied.
Curiosity the Ruling Passion and Abundant
Facilities for Gratifying 1t Are Provided
-ROughing 1t in the Mountains.
Special Correspondence of the sunday Journal.

Special Correspondence of the sunday Journal
PETRoPoLIs. March 21.-If you lived in
Brazil you would soon comprehend what is
meant by "a life of busy idleness"-i. Q.
beng increasingly employed In doing moth
ing, even hurried at the bootless ocoupa-
tion, with no moments of absolute leisure
except when asleep, yet with never that
comfortable feeling experienced by Long
fellows blacksmith - t'something at
tempted, something done has earned
nights reposel;" for here you never at
tempt anything of account. and if you did
it would not be accomplished. In this
refuge among the summer hills. as in
crowded Rio Janeiro. the citizens and citi-
zenesses spend most of their butterfly
lives on the streets-nOt by any means for
the sake of exercise and fresh air.
but in strOlllng aimlessly about.
OF eossiping for hours standing in
groups or couples. as at perpetual
garden party or reception. There is ex-
cuse for that sort of thing at the capital,
where the streets, aboundinG in striking
sights and sounds. present an ever-chang-
ing always exciting panorama, but hardly
any in PetropOlis, where fashion never
wanders beyond the only commonplace
square in town, with the railway depot
for its ultima thule. while some of the
Rrandest scenery IN the world lies all un-
needed within easy walking or riding dis
tance and o hundred delightful excursions
might be made. if only the people, were not
too lazy to make them.
Next to Incidence the most impressive
m N Tn nhQrQrtpr a Il
osity. and it is that which keeps him con-
tinually ont of doors, preambulatlng reg
ular beat, like q policeman. which sends
him to the station every morning when the
train departs for Rio. and every evening
when it returns. Walk along any street
In Brazil, at any time of day, and you Will
observe that nearly every window Is deco
rated with female heads and shoulders
hanging over the sills. while their owners
chatter with one another and minutely in
spect all passers-by-evldentiv quite as
willing to be seen as to see.
HOW THE WOMEN SPEND THEIR TIME.
Not only do women of the lower classes
spend most Of their waking hours in this
way. but tbs habit 10 universal-probably
| tho natural outcome of the national char
| acteristic of morbid curiosity. enhanced by
| the Latin notion that for females "a little
| learning is dangerous thing" that read
Is not good for them. and that work of
every kind should be left entirely to the
| servants. Thus ladies of upper-tendom
| have not even the care of their own chill
| dren to occupy their thoughts, and society
| ordalns that they must not walk abroad
| unioss accompanied by some male relative.
| Therefore,. without resources In themselves
| or cultivated tastes TO gratify-nOthing in
the world TO do but to eat, sleep and look as
| pretty as nature will allOw-the poor things
| are driven TO pass much OF their useless
| lives lounging in balconies and hanging
| out of windows. The only alternative is
| religion and nlrsie, and i'm both distrac-
| tons they indulge TO excess. without going
| very deeply into why's and wherefores.
| Day after day, year In ana out, one may
| hear them strnmming over and over again
| the same hghtest of French. Spanish and
| Portuguese or eras. until the wonder grows
| that III crowded cOmnunities-thew windows
| and doors being always open the neigh
| bors arc not driven stark. staring mad; as
| perhaps they would be were not the noise
partially drowned by that they are making
themselves-the samo airs being cOntlnu-
| ally ratified ON every piano all up and down
| the street.
| pleasant occupation one may find it In New
| York. Every where in this country you
| will find the merchants blocking their own
| dOorways. even during the busiest hours of
! tho day, by standing In them. gazing into
| the street. not because they expect any
| thing to happen, hut merely from an over
| weening desire to see what other people
are doing; the same instinct which lmpeis
them at the theater to turn their backs up::
| on the high-priced performance and spend
| the time staring at each other. If you in
/ slet upon buying something. and sue
| ceed In pinnlng the unwilling shop
| keeper behind his counter. Won cannot in
| fuse into him any apparent interest; either
| in your business or his. He treats you
| with an air that plainly says your patron
age is nothing to him. In reply to your IN
| quiry for some desired article he is quite
as likely to say he has it not. though it
may be in plain sight, and should you
! point il out he will smile and elevate his
eyebrows. az If TO say, what persistent
| bOres these foreigners are." Or perhaps If
| you ask for a particular thing he will di-
rect you to the case or drawer where 1t
! ought to be aud leave you 10 search for
| yourself. while he hurries back to his
street gazing and gossiping No matter how
muoh or how frequently you buy,
| IL you object to an extortion-
ate price, the nero hant smiles politely.
] shrugs his shoulders and turns his entire
sttention . to the ciaarette ne nas az the
| on any terms. And then 1t is so exasperat-
ing to take q long walk in the broiling sun
| 70 find the shops all closed as they are
about two-thirds of the time always ex-
| cepting Sundaysl, because 1t happens to be
some saints day or patriotic anniversary,
| or because the alleged business hours have
| not begun, or may be they are over for
that day. though the streets are yet
| thronged with possible customers.
| TO CRAFTY CURIOSITY.
One observes with surprise that. no mat
| ter how ample a Brszllian's city lot may
| be. he builds his house so that it's front
| walls are flush with the hot. dusty. reek.
| ing pavements-for no other reason than
to the more easily crafty his irresistible
| impulse of inauisitiveness. The finest man.
sion In Rio is fair example of this lido
| syncrasy. 1t is an immense three.story
palace. and though backed by many ncres
OF land. extending down to the beautiful
bay and covered with splendid old trees,
| fruits, flowers. fountains and statuary. the
| grounds are entirely neglected, because it's
| front windows, unshaded by tree OF screen.
open directly upon the most noisy street in
Rio; and there the family congregate.
forever looking ont with curiosity
undated. Every house not provided
with balconies for observation has Its win
DOW sill carefully cushioned. SO that the
occupants may hang over them with great
or comfort, and the Doctor of our party
facetiously suggests that probably they
are fitted with rings inside, in which the
ladies may hitch their toes to prevent them
from tumbling out when more than half
their bodies arc protruded! If by rare
chance mansion is situated little dis
tance from tho street, an ornamental bor