Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-11

backs, Nora admitted, but Dolores has
been quite fortunate in the selection that
has been made for her. Her intended is
young, handsome, rich and cultured to a
high degree. He has furnished a beautiful
nest for his bride, too. Sonora Chages told
me about It,"
A Mans House.
There is another good idea of this coun-
try" remarked Elaine practically. when
young man gets ready to marry he is
obliged to furnish a home for his bride.
1t may be a mean one, but it is q home,
and it Is fully equipped for housekeeping.
l cardidly believe that there should be
some such law in the States"
Yes, but just think of having to live In
house planned and built by a man. OBJ
jected Dorothy. They never can see the
utility or closets, and are simply blind to all
decorative effects, and take anything that
Is suggested without rejecting whether 1t
VIII be in harmony with the furnishings
or not, or whether either will be effective
as "a setting for his wife's style of beauty.
And as for living forever in a house fur
nished by a mail beg to be excused
Sonora Chaves was announced just then,
ana L went to put on my bonnet, as l had
been invited to go with her 10 inspect the
house planned, built and furnished by
man 1t was a mark of distinguished
favor, which 1 appreciated greatly. She
Old not invite the girls for that would have
of late years that Sonora Chaves herseif
would have gone to the house of her
daughters intended husband before the re-
ligious ceremony was performed. but Amer
lean ideas are slowly percolating the old
world theories and prejudices.
ThlS land of POGO tempo is a delight
ful one to dream in. Its people are never
Ill a hurry, they never fret worry. If
they have enough 10 eat, it is well; If they
have not it is just well; if they have
an abundance, they believe in using 1t.
The women are gentle hammered, lansuor-
Gus, generally pretty. with sleepy kind of
charm in their slow movements, musical of
voice, coquettish in manner, but with o
wealth of love and tenderness, and ardentIy
devoted to husband or lover. The men are
dark and full of passionate ardor, jea lous to
4 dangerous limit ana quick with knife or
Suletto; they are desperately in earnest at
all times, yet both sexes are light hearted
and take care easily ard sorrow like stoics
OF course, | am Speaking of the dark-skin-
ned dc scenlants Of the Spanish conquerors
OF TINS country; there are other. people here
VINO nave not kept the Castilian blood
pure and have intermarriei with other
races and are known as "NeXicans" They
me quite separate and distinct from the
Oh Spanish gf2ndJes. very few Of whom are
lett but Wa still clE = to the old aris-
tocracy ana do not care to mingle With
new oonirFs on u ai0pt their manners or
customs. OF course. New Mexico has now
"A very large population Of American peo-
PIE ana they carry on the business OF the
territory but there are spots where the
American idea is rigidly excluded, and it
was to sucn place that sonora Chayes
was Carrying ne" Our way lag for short
distance along the mesa. over which We
were drawn in pony carriage driven 10y
4 "peon' who had heea born into virtual
'ervitude in the Chaves family. sonora
Chaves chattei in broken English Of hcr
dainty dausntcr Dolores, and the very ex-
"oH"nt match she Vss making. until we
mad passed from the pincn shade inside
Of high Cltr-apisl IL M
last at Casa Cochiti'' which would in q
lew Gays more cage pretty a bride as
ever d0nned white ami were orange bios
rou.s.
Picturesque Old House.
One of these MrNicgn ranch houses Is
i!iiicrlt of description. 1t is so altogether
InprerC ssessilg on the exterior and 50 fun
If pleasant SURPRISE inside Casa Ccchiu
vas built over 10) years ago. when every
mans hose was his castle and a fortress
as well. The grounds Immediately sur
rounding the house comprised some five
acres, and were wallet and filed with fine
lruit trees. streams Of running water that
were bridget in rustic fashion for gravelel
walks to cross. while the driveway wound
around and up to the bare, hlank-looking
walls Of the Casa ITSELF which stood of at
cne side. 1t looked though IL might be a
Stable--though an immense one-but the in
slant we Glghtei the heavy barred gate of
the oatrance swung back as 10y magic-the
maE.c, 1 learned later. Is a pron, griZZled
md grim, who has watched the gate. boy
ana man, for nearly sixty years, He Un-
serst0nds his busn ess, am in his time
-hree brides have gone through to their
home under the ancient roof trees and
have been carried away again. but no
tragedies have ever passed over the
threshold.
''Paulo iss old now" Observed the gentle
sonora, as We passed over the tesseilatcd
pavement into the patio. ."bu; he viii make
yer good What you call 'guardesn' for my
Dolores. ae ISIS never foolish. and he ISIS
oh so vcr, Yer safe at all times. The young
men, they have cCnle sometimes, but Paulo
he have been there at the gate, and no
tragedy have over come inside" And then
she laughed as Though some of the TRACE lies
that hal been halted On the outside might
have been of n rather humorous nature.
~ slice cut OF medieval romance WAS
what the girls felt disposed &c call the old
tumble-down hotel we We're stopping in IN
Santa Fe, ana l couldn't help wondering
what they would call the Casa Cochiti when
they came TO make their deVCirs t. the
bride. The house Itself was two stories
high, quite an unusual thing for an adobe
house Of the age that il boasts. Just enc
rocm deep, it extended around the patio or
inner court, which WAS Itself almost an
acre in extent Excepting The bunting
which was. of course. lacking in the es-
Enlistment Of the Casa, | WAS reminded OF
the pension building as it was decorated
for the Inaugural bail. The wide, two
storied balconies extended clear around the
patio. which is Cpea to the sky, of course
and the columns were wreathed with glossy
viz es and palms, and blooming flowers were
placed at regular intervals along the railing.
which was of wood. and handsomely carved
b. hands that have been a century dust.
\ Rich IEtcrior.
In the center Of the patio a fountain was
sending up gratefully cooling sprays OF
water, which come from a snow stream in
the mountains. The mst-iike drops fell
back into the basin over a statue of Venus
at her bath. eXquisitely carved marble
The patio was filed with plants Of tropical
growth and overpCweripg fragrance. Every
room in the house opened on this patio
All such rooms. They actually dwarfed
the east room 1t the White House. The
ball room, al the right of the entrance. was
done UP in rel nd gold and ebony. regal
looking apartment. but hardly TO be COM
pared to the corresponding room en- the left
which was divided by yellow damask cur
tains, heavy with gold embroidery, into two
parlors. Geld and ebony were the colors
there, and as We passed from room to room
| found that The oSt exquisite taste had
been exercised in selecting the draperies
and hangngS ard the few pieces of new
furniture. The Casa was a regular mu-
scum Of rare old books, fine bits of scup-
ture, paintings and bric-a-brac from every
corner Of the world. Evidently the Alarids
have been, collectors from the first but |
have found many rare and curious articles