The Republican journal., 1892-08-25

versatlon to exchange this salutation. and
the children rise and kiss the hands of
then parents, saying bencoo neu pal
your blessing, father,n as in patriarchal
days. At sunrise the family was astir.
and Its female members tiocked into our
room en- masse, ostensbly to bring the
pefore-r rising cup of coffee and bid us good
morning, and also. it seemed, to curiously
inspect our belongings, even trying on our
shoes and experimenting with the toilet
articles. Country coffee, by the way, is
excellent, though made in a peculiar
manner. Some unbrowned berries and
sugar are stirred together and then roast
ed in IA covered pan, so that when the
sugar melts and cools, it is candied over
the coffee grains. a spoonful of this is
pounded i'll a mortar, put into bag of
coarse linen and boiling water is poured
over it, cups being held beneath to catch
the drippings- sand the beverage is ready
Coffee pots are not used but each cup is
thus made separately. Boiled milk is
generally added in the morning. but never
at any other time.
The usual breakfast hour in the rural
districts is ten % clock and the menu
does not vary much year in and year out.
There is always angu-a sort Of thin poI-
rige black beans stewed in lard; dried
meat cooked with garlics; and farinla, OF
mandioca meal, eaten raw on stirred into
the angu: and perhaps, 10y way Of extra
dishes for company, there may be a
a lump of bacon boiled with cabbage.
While the host and guests sit at the table,
the wife remains outside looking ON, or
eats at a separate table with the smaller
children: and later the house servants
take their turn. Immediately after break
fast the serious occupations of the day be
gin-at least SO far as the family is CON
celned, the servants having been at theirs
since daybreak. The master of the man
sion goes out Tor a stroll about his own
premises OF along the highway, OF to IA
game OF tdIuS, OF IL lILllt C1lSCIlul 1tSSll
with the neighbours for his ovelseers re-
lieve him from all responsibility concern
ING affairs of the estate. The wife goes
to her never ending embroidery OF mend
ing her own, her husband $ OF children's
clothing. The housework all falls upon the
servants and, as rule, she knows no
| ,1,., Ia II, ret
The children return to school. if there is
any in the vicinage. | say return, because
in Brazil school sessions are a perpetual
penance. beginning al six a, m. An hours,
intermssion is allowed for breakfast, but
no other recess until the school-day is
over at three OF four o clock.
Dinner is usually served at four q clock
like the breakfast to the guests and
male members of the family only, the
| wife and daughters. us before, waiting re-
| ,pectfuliv outside or eating at a separate
I table Everybody has two plates set before
him. both piled t. The outside rim, one
with tie neN liable stew of dried meat, the
ODittl W llil IltlIIR nv Itttbti - iI ttAlNtH
sort of pudding made by mixing mandioca
with the highly creased and gallIced broth
| in which the meat was boiled. These colt
Stitutc the main part Of the meal. Be
sides. the center Ut the table is perhaps
eraced with a dish OF lacalao, (codtsll, J
which has been baked on embel's or boil
| ed III OIL thanked on one Side by Il bowl OF
sauce for itsclf-of oil and vinegar, mixed
With Chiii-peppers and sliced garlic, and
on the other side by Il sauce for. the meat,
made of broth, lime Juice and bruised
Chili-peppers. Everybody helps himself
to the Goldfish. (Which is served in long,
shavine-lil1e strips and to the sauce,
with his own knife and fork, if he has
any: or it, as is often the case. those I'M
necessary implements are supplied only to
the foreign guests who are known to have
singular habits the rest assist themselves
with the apparatus supplied by nature.
1t is done with neatnesS and dispatch in
this way. Each selects with his fingers a
strip of goldfish. subtlivdes it by hand
into smaller shaYinos, then takes it bit 10y
bit. and rolls it in the central dish OF
sauce For the stewed meat, he scoops
out a lump of pairo the size of ii hen s
egg with the ends of his fingers. puts ii
in the palm of his hand with a chunk OF
meat tshed out of its broth. and with the
fingers of the same hand. working with {;
motion known only to BraZlians. incor
poIates both into an elongated bolus
which he conveys to his mouth and SWal
lows in a way which. to say the least o.
it. is astonishing to those who witness i
for the first time Dessert. ii there is any
consists OF bananas boiled OF fried in lard
or ii curd cheese with guava jelley, pre-
served potato or some other 'idulce.
After which black coffee and cigarettes az,
. handed around and small glasses OF run
and water Before rising from the table
each fills his mouth with water, and afte
going through various suggestive contor
lions Of checks and lips, squirts it broad
east over the floor.
Then comes Il siesta. or period OF rep"st
Re1Weeu six and seven o clock the iadie