The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-03-25
VENEZUELAN GIRLS.
They Ripen at Seventeen Into Cap
tivating Creatures,
Picturesque Cavaliers Court Them
Through Grated Windows.

At about the age of seventeen the
girls of Venezuela ripen into the most
astonishing beauty. Their eyes are
of tho most lustrous darkness, their
hair abundant, wavy,a and as brilliantly
dark as their eyes. As rule, their
teeth are white and perfect. Their
compilations as delicate and trans
parently lovely as the petals of the
tropical night flower, and their figures
as supple and slender as lizards. They
are especially noted for their we'll
made feet and hands. IL is not I'M
common to find them well-dressed,
with great gift of tongues, speaking
ensily French, English and German,
besides their native Spanish fluently.
Daughters of wealthier families are
usually sent to Paris for few years
"finishng" in fashionable convent
school, and they quickly acquire in
the capital of fashion that grace and
chic which is eminently Partisan.
Taken altogether, Que of these Ven
ezuelan girls, just home from France,
is as captivating creature as one can
we'll imagine. Unfortunately for their
beauty and charm, the climate is abso-
lutely destructive. Only the most en-
ergetic can keep up any regular exer-
else, and without it in these tropical
countries this lovely bloom of their
first years is almost as evanescent rs
the life of the rnrest flower.
1t is entirely due to the climate that
this is so, because in very many cases
where the girl is able to bring n sub
stantial dover, the parents arrange for
her n marriage in Europe, aud some
of the most beautiful women OF the
continental capitals are Vegszuelens,
who retain their beauty well on into
middle age. If, however, their fate
is to return to Venezuela they have
only to resign themselves to an early
flight of all their physical attractions.
As a rule-and this rule is almost
without exception-they are married
before they attain the ago of twenty.
Indeed, the greater number of mar =
riages are contracted before the girl
has passed her eighteenth birthday.
The modes of courtship are very like
those of old Spain.
The Venezuelan houses are mostly
of two stories. The first door is upon
the level of the street and lea dis
straight into the central patio or
court yard. This story is given up to
the offices aud servants quarters and
is very low. The floor above contains
the reception and bed rooms aud looks
out upon the street only by means of
few grated windows, and here and
there is a tiny balcony. About sunset
it is customary for the young swells to
station themselves beneath there WIN
dows upon horse back. The first stor y
being so low they are thus almost on
level with the balconies.
The young men ride in the most
picturesque fashion. Their horses
/, are descendants of the original Span.
ish horses which were full OF Arab
blood and have the same arching necks
and abundant wavy names and tails.
They are usually cream color, and
their brides are OF elaborately braided
and colored horse hair with huge sill
yer bits.
: Their saddles are frequently linet
with velvet, have high Mexican pom
mels and are hung with leather tassel
and bits OF shining brass or silver. TIL,
: horses are extremely we'll trained ant
will stand AS still as statutes with arch
: ing neck and delicately poised feet
= while their riders pay calls and com.
pliments at the grated windows, from
which look forth dark and brillian
: eyes.
D Girls of the higher class are very
A strictly guarded There are few bali
s or amusements, so that this twiligh
o smiling through bars or balconies i
: about the most exciting social expe
r rience OF their day. A little OF thi
!, sort of thing gives them some idea o
f the desirable men of the place, an
q when one of the prancing cavalier
5, ofiers-through the medium OF hi
J. parents-his hand and heart to som
'. special pair of bright eyes, her i'm
D. preston of his attractions Is usual,
=. such as she has been able to forr
ls through the gratings of a window.
IN Love-even under these difficu