New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12


methods But when one does come into the
! home of the conservative Venezuelan, impervi-
Gus to foreign influence, his house will be found
| arranged just rs his ancestors left II. White
lace curtains and red velvet lambrequins an
oval mirror at each end Of the rectangular par
| lor and Immediately beneath these mirrors two
| high-backed red velvet sofas facing each other
Each OF these sofas is fanked by parallel lines
OF chairs, four on side. and In the centre Of
the room Is another row OF chairs, these pushed
back against the wall. There is always a hang
ing chandelier. with candles and glass pen
dants The Venezuelan host seats himself on
one sofa. the hostess on the other. guests Of
honor occupy the sixteen chairs in the mme-
date vicinity. and those OF less Importance sit
with their backs TO the wall
1t is in this sort of home that one finds the
| sehorita with raven hair and frtatious tenden-
cies about whom SO many romances have been
written. To the outsider this girls life. with Its
| strict chaperonage and utter lack Of liberty
seems dreary and monotonous in the extreme
But the girl is as happy and contented as
sandboy. To sit behind the iron bars OF her win
dow with a white rose tucked in her hair and a
huge fan In her hand. and to cast coquettish
glances at the gded youth who rides past. Is
to her JOY unspeakable Dolores would faint at
the idea Of college training The thoughts OF
Latin or Greek would put her to counting out
an endless number of Hail Marys' and "Pater-
nosters' for deliverance What good Is educa-
ton to Dolores? She has the most divine eye
lashes and the softest voice imaginable. She can
speak little French and little English, and
such music as che makes with her voice and
her mandolin! A single note Will bring the
young secretary of the German Embassy to her
feet In AFFECT alteration The young German is
disciple Of the philosophy Of the Great I'm
movable and to the mother Of Dolores ut makes
no grand affair to know things out Of books
She herself has but vague idea whether New
York is in the United States. or the United States
in New-York. In her youth she was a slip Of a
girl like Dolores with a creamy complexion and
great pathetic eyes She served her term sitting
in the window. armed with the rose and the
big fan. A gay young cavalier, who is now the
father of Dolores, used to stop and talk to her
through the iron bars Of the window. She has
now grown gray, and quite fat because OF too
much red wine and sweets and rocking chair.
The grandmother Of Dolores spent just the same
sort of life; and Dolores herself has not the
remotest conception Of anything different.
SUPPOSE SHE ISN'T PRETTY.
This is all very we'll when the girl in the
window has long eyelashes and dimples and all
the other physical attractions that appeal to her
countrymen. But suppose she should not hap
pen to be pretty? Her prospects are not Joyous.
No chance to meet people and show them that
she is clever and attractive in spite Of her APP
pearance. No happy prospect Of free bachelor
existence. where channg dishes and teapots and
tabby-cats will mingle pleasantly. No woman's
clubs. no Summing. no bicycle. no career moth
ing but the endless monotony of early mass and
afternoon window sittings with the men all
passing by and never gancing In her direction
The Spanish language, besides, 10 most insult
ing to the spnster state. The young woman
who "remanc over to dress the saints In the
churches is facetiously styled una Ramona
ham. sailed meat, something stale and dry and
altogether unprofitable. t
However Dolores rarely lacks prettiness to
attract not only the young German. but all the
other Young secretaries: ana , host OF her OWE N
through the iron bars Of her window, standing
on the sidewalk The mother OF Dolores. not
two yards distant. keeps her ears discreetly
open This is the beginning Should the ad-
mirer come often to the window. should he ex-
change a red rose for the white one Dolores
wears in her hair. should he venture inside, II
is all up with him The mother OF Dolores be-
| leves that attentions should always be accom-
panied by intentions. and the father OF Dolores
goes to call upon the joven. and has CONN.,
Dental chat with him.
The main point OF difference between the
average North American young man and the
average South American joTen Is that the one
does not always take himself seriously and the
other does. Imagine young Venezuelan. eau
Gated at the University OF Caracas. regarding
himself In a whimsical manner! He Is patriotic
enthusiastic, sometimes noble. always Jealous
Intellectual, perhaps-but humorous. never!
His most striking popularity is his attitude
toward women. II one should judge him by the
conversation he whispers through the iron bars
of Dolores's window. he would be accounted per-
| petually tipsy, simply naturally weak-mlnded
But such Is not the case; he Is in his normal
physical and mental condition. and when he
asks Dolores for the white rose saying: 1T VIII
bring sunshine into a life which Is desolate
t. kxt1 a Y1CQt
kent alive by the light of thine eyes" he means
! to be taken seriously.
| When he likes the appearance OF a young
woman walking on the street he stares so that
| the object Of his admiration becomes self-con-
| scious and uncomfortable. and has to retire Into
some friendly church to escape ms s'aer ing
| Caracas Club. where he plays baccarat and
drinks cocktails. In the afternoon ne goes OUT
for a drive In a very shiny victoria, with pillows
| at his back and a cigarette in his mouth. His
| coachman Is respondent In livery OF white
| broadcloth with gold braid and brass buttons.
| but his horses are meek little animals with all
| the spirit whipped out or them
THE VENEZUELAN "YANKBE-MANIAC."
In America there Is a type Of individual who
turn ND his trousers. docks his horses tail. and
yhar he travels hands in his brasses to redeem
his luggage Among the native-born Venezue-
| ,ans we find hin. numerous and diversified.
| sometimes he has been educated at Harvard or
| Yale: then he is a "Yankee-maniac." He is I'M
| duly energetic, and vanly endeavors to inspire
| I'm hts companions a love OF football. He dresses
| in tweed and has been known to ride a bicycle.
| when he becomes object of interest to the
community and Of anxiety to his unsophisti-
! Gated mamma a.
She calls the Blessed Saints TO witness the
scandal of It! That her young Jose should ex-
nose to the world the calves Of his legs. put a
peaked cap upon mis- head, and go tearing
| through the streets on a two-wheeled machine.
| SoI,oycd by an excited crowd Of riffran-brng-
Ing TO their windows many interested. but
more dignifed, spectators: 1t is dreadful! She
talks 10 Jose by the hour but he only laughs
| ga nersists in his wickedness. He even goes
Surther He becomes acquainted with the for
eign tourists at the hotels girls OF the most I'M
! modest appearance. who wear coats like men.
, and shirts and stir collars and cravats. and
| sailor hats They 60 upon the streets these