The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-05-01
VENEZUELAN GIRLS.
They Ripen at Seventeen Into Cap
tivating Creatures,
PicturesqueCa Cavaliers Court Them
Through Grated Windows

Of tho most lustrous darkness, their
hair abundant, mvy, and as bril- iantly |
dark as their oyea As rule, their |
teeth are white aud 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 1t is not un-
common to find them woll-dressed,
with a great gift OF tongues, speaking
easily French, English and German,
besides their native Spanish Auently.
Daughters Of wealthier families are
usually sent to Paris for a few years
finishing" in fashionable convent
school, and they quickly acquire in
the capital Of fashion that grace and
chic which is eminently Partisan.
Taken altogether, one Of these Ven
ezuelan girls, just home from France,
is as captivating a 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 as
the life Of the rarest flower
1t is entirely due to the climate that
this is so, because in very many cases
where the girl is able to bring sub
stantial dover, the parents arrange for
her a marriage in Europe, and some
of the most beautiful women of the
continental capitals are Yenezuelans,
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 ngo 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 and servants quarters and
is very low. The floor above contains
the reception and bed rooms and looks
out upon the street only by means OF
a few grated windows, and here anG
there is tiny balcony. Aboutsunset
it is customary for the young swells t,
station themselves beneath there WIN
dows upon horse buck. The first stor,
being so low they are thus almost OF
level with the balconies.
The young men ride in the mos
picturesque fashion. Their horse
are descendants of the original Span
ISL horses WHICH we're ere tRIl q "a. AIs 4
blood anil have the Same drching neck
and abundant wavy names and tails
e They are usually cream color, AM
their brides are of deliberately braide
and colored horse hair with huge sill.
yer bits
l Their saddles are frequently line
D with velvet, have high Mexican pom
! mels and are hung with leather tassel
Q and bits of shining brass or silver. Tn
+ horses are extremely well trained an
7 will stand as still as statutes with arch
+ ing neck and delicotely poised fee
. while their riders pay calls and com
pliments at thesgrated windows, fror
which look forth dark and brillian
eyes.
y Girls of the higher class are yer
+ strictly guarded. There are few bal
n or amusements, so that this twiligh
: smiling through bars or balconies
|. about the most exciting social expo
Is rienco OF their day. A little of thi
r sort of thing gives them some idea {
n the desirable men of the place, an
l. when one of the prancing cavalier
d offers-t through the medium of hi
.e parents-bis hand and heart to son
g speclal'pair of bright eyes, her in
lie preston of his attractions Is usual
lie such as she has been able to for
/ A. z