The Republican journal., 1896-10-15

rior, the other a priest. The theatre oc-
cupies the large inner courtyard of the
old time Temple of Learning. Its floor is
of earth, its ceiling of canvas, and from
| the latter depends glass chandelier which
accommodates four tallow dips, the rest
| OF the theatre being dimly Illuminated
with kerosene lamps. Above the level of
the orchestra is row of boxes In the
center of the gallery, covered with a GRIM
son canopy, is a box reserved for the
President. The flags of Honduras orna-
ment the sides of the stage above, and
the bare footed military band, led by our
German friend, furnishes music. Sunday
is the gaia night of the week and opera
boutfe or Spanish comedietta the favolite
attraction.
Now and then the young President gives
a ball in his "palacio'' each a grand So
cial event, attended not only by the elite
of the capital, but by favored ones who
have received "bid'' from distant towns
| and remote haciendas, many of the guests
coming several days journey on horse
back over those interminable mountains
| for the sake of a few hours pleasure
| Then the youthful Cabinet and the boy
army officers are out in full feather of
evening dress and gorgeous uniforms and
the ladies are ROBBED in imported ''crea-
tons of latest designs; bright eyes flash
and diamonds glitter, and the scene is as
gay and brilliant as a diplomatic fete in
Paris or Berlin. Though the cultured
and rich are SO few in Honduras they
make surprising display on occasions.
One OF the funny customs that prevails at
private balls is that of the cascarone.
| Upon entering the salon each guest is
| presented with some handsomely painted
egg shells, which are carried about on
trays by the servants. These. shells are
filled with gold and silver tinsel, cut into
intinitesmal pieces. The gentlemen
smash them over the heads of the ladies
| whom they wish to honor with their at
teutions, and the ladies return the deli
| cate compliment in the same manneI-
something as the Fiji Islander proposes
marriage to his sweetheart by knocking
her down with a club. Nearly all the
/ ladies' and some of the gentlemen also
carry atonizers filled with perfum-
| cry. When one finds an atolnizer aim
ed at his face, the correct, though
{ FL,
/ stand firm and receive the spray without
wineing, and then join in the laugh that
is sure to ensue. The effect of the EGG
| shells and atomzers is to at once break
/ the ice OF folmality and make everybody
| feel Jolly and we'll acquainted A good
deal of money may be squandered by 1.-The
/ gilded YOUTH on silver mounted atomiz-
ers and imported perfumery, which is
very expensive here on account of exorbi-
tant duties, fol it has become fashion
able fad, along with golden stirrups and
cigarette holders, like the diamond stud
died snuff boxes of our great great grand
mothers. GU may be sure that few egg
shells are wasted i'll Central America. In
every family which makes any pretentions
to social standing, the contents of all the
eggs used in the culinary department are
carefully let out through a tiny hole at
one end, and the shells turned over to the
ladies, who occupy many of their idle
hours decorating them. Riding one day
in the suburbs of Tegucigalpa, we looked
in on a ball among clos pobres," the
dancing going on in the middle of the af-
ternoon. Halt dozen boys, squatted on
the earth floor in a corner, furnished an
odd and eyrie sort of music, in which the
| piping of reed instruments predominated.
But it was very beautiful, and much like
the music of Hungarian gypsies in max
ing little trils chase each other up and
down ones nervous system. The COS
tunes of the rural ladies are certainly
models of simplicity, if not of elegance.
The entire outfit from top to toe consists
of only two pieces, a white cotton camsa
and short, scant skirt of flannel or
calico, precariousy upheld by band
| around the waist SO extremely loose
and low in the neck is the camisa that the
narrow shoulder strips are constantly
slipping down towards the elbows and
the place where the collar would be. if
there was collar, drops far, very far
down towards the other half of the cos,
tune. Honi SOFT que NAL pense. The
wearers appear to be every bit as modest
and graceful as their richer sisters in the
President ball room, or as the bellies of
any other country, and many of them are
extremely pretty, in the dark and brilliant
style.
A wedding in Honduras is an event of
much ceremony, especially among the
aristocracy. 1t begins in the BRIDE
home at precisely eight O. clock p m. All
the relatives and friends of both families
| are present-the women chattering like
an agitated flock of blackbirds, and the
men smoking endless cigars until the at
mosphere is fairly blue. The patio-hung
with Japanese lanterns here and there
among the orange and pomgranate trees,