Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-05-07
GIRL LIFE lin MEXICO.

She Has Considerable Freedom, but It Is
of the Right Kind.
Mexican home life is unique. 1t diff
fers very essentially from the domestic
life of the Anglo Saxon race, for it is
founded OH respect for parents. The in
fuence of the Catholic church is power
full i'll maintaining q high grade of fam
lily behavior. There is sweetness and
a charm about we'll ordered Mexican
home which is revelation to northern
people who have imbibed false idea of
matters here. The women of the best
Mexican families are naturally of q gen.
tie disposition, but they command obe-
dience, and rarely spoil their sons,
whom they idolize. There are excep-
tions, but they are not enough to break
down the general social discipline.
AS for the girls, no reputable Mexi-
can father or mother would allow for O
moment the thought of permitting
girl of any age to be on the streets after
dark unless accompanied by an older
person, trusted servant or elder broth
er. So. even among girls of the humber
class, there is no street strolling in the
evening. They may, in warm weather,
go to the alameda, or public park, when
there is band concert, but always I'M
der escort. They may go to a tertulia,
or evening party, but with some COM
petent person. They may dance, mildly
firt, on such occasions, but they are al
ways under the watchful eye of rela-
tive. There is plenty Of proper freedom
for young girls, and larger liberty in
the cities than formerly, but they are
not allowed to run about without escort,
and very careful eye is kept upon
them by parents and relatives, even to
distant male cousins. Such thing as
young girl or young woman Of any
character or family being upon the
street at night, alone and unattended, ie
unknown. Your daughter goes to visit
friend in the afternoon and stays to
tea. Then the gentleman and lady Of
the house, the gentleman alone or an
old servant brings her home. So the
streets Of this big town are never the
scene Of foolish, fighty girls being fol-
lowed and "picked up'' by strangers.
And as for men who insult young
6AA4o 0AASA WOA4SuS Ol1o 1cmcuy 4S usually
a sudden and fatal one. In milder cases
the newspapers give minute descriptions
Of the ssatyr" who has insulted lady,
and the public is asked to take warning.
One fellow, who, in an interior city,
made an insulting remark about lady
standing at q window, was conducted to
: the alameda, and, in view of tho chief
part Of the towns best society, was held
dtwn on a stone bench and caned until
he yelled for mercy, and was then or
dered out of town ON the next train. He
went. In another city male teacher,
who was "too fresh'' in his conduct to-
ward young girl pupils, was waited on
by deputation Of gentlemen and asked
to favor the city by his permanent alb
sence. He, too, went.
The etiquette regarding the protection
Of women from molestation and insult
is such as prevails in the southern states
Of the American Union. There is no
fooling on the streets, in the theaters
and public places with respectable wom-
en-. There is something left here Of the
old Spanish. idea Of the sacredness Of
womanhood, and the line 10 sharply
drawn between honest women and the
other hnd.-Boston Herald,