The Republican journal., 1897-08-19

anu loIelSHeIS. 1oktI is tIe 1dNOT1le
game, and playing cards without money
is seldom thought Of Whist parties COM
posed of ladies and gentlemen, meet reg
ularly on Sunday nights, to play con din
ero-''with money Although the
stakes are not high, considera BILE coin of
the realm changes hands in the course of
a season.
Smoking, of course, is universal and is
not confined to the sterner sex. 1t sounds
odd, until one gets used to it, to hear a
lady asked if she will have cigarette-and
looks odder to see her gracefully accept,
and smoke ii, too; or maybe produce her
own dainty outfit of tilagree silver select
weed with the eye of connoisseur,
strike match on her high heeled slipper,
and proceed to make rings and wreaths in
the most mastery manner.
The traveller sojournin9 while in qua
temala is not likely to see anything of
home life during his stay-unless he has
special letters of introduction from per
Stlfll tiC44tlo VI Ing ltttI Co lipltSA tlIc
better class are politeness and courtesy
personihed IN their intercourse with for
eguers, out OF doors and in public places,
they rarely invite one to their houses,
and should lie have the poor taste to
come unbidden, he will be tremendously
entertained in the parlor, but not
glimpse Will lie GET OF one of the ladies of
the family. Nor are the people oversee
cial among themselves. except in the bos
oms OF their own family circles. Every
night all the married sons and daughters
come home to the paternal casa, to spend
an hour or two en- familie; and woe betide
the daughters husband who prefers the
club, OF the occasional soc iety of bachelor
companions to passing a sedate evening
under the eyes OF his parents law. Re-
ceptions and dinner parties, in our accep-
tations of the terms, are altogether un-
1t is surprising how quickly foreign res
idenJs tall into the habits of the country
The universal phrase, Hay la costumbre
en- Centre America lit is the custom in
Central Amerieal-is constantly on their
lips but instead of doing anything to ele-
vate the land of his adoption the foreign
Ell, as rule, simply adopts its vices also,
while condemning them in toto. He seems
to lay aside his religion with his winter
clothes, 10 be resumed when he goes ''up
Month again, he ceases TO Remember
the sabbath day to keep it holy he plays
cards for money, and in short out Herods
Herod at his own game. This is very far
the stronger Anglo-SaNon race. The
Guatemalan looks upon the American as
his uperior-though probably unwilling
to admit it,, and while bitterly resentng
criticism or anything that savors of mis-
sonaTy work, is always greatly influenced
by silent good example. Indeed, it would
seem As if most of the foreign colony had
forgotten to include that rare jewel, CON
sistency. when packing their luggage for
Guatemala. ii you want to be convinced
Of the doctrine Of total depravity. lust set
some Of them to talking about the natives
and THEN failings. They will tell you that
the people are false, deceitful, treacher-
GUS and desperately wicked that they say
kind things without meaning word Of it,
merely to latter and make you pleased
with yourself and them; that they never
confer 4 favor except from selfish motive
and that everybody in power is thief
and a liar. But if you refer to any ind-
yidual case and protest that Senior SO and
that Sonora Somebody has been kindness
itself, they always concede the point i'll
favor Of the individual, while persisting
in sweeping denunciatons of the race
ct the foreigners are making money
here, and are well treated by the Guate-
malans, and are ostensibly friendly in re-
turn. My own personal experience in
Guatemala has been of the pleasantest
We have everywhere been met with most
generous kindness and hospitality tender
ed without hope of reward, and have
known SO many good, honorable and high
minded people that the peccadilloes of
the lesser number impress us lightly, and
may well be overlooked. 1t must be con-
fessed, however, that the people at large
have some rather trying characteristics
when it comes to doing business with
them. They are indolent and dilatory,
and seldom do to-day what can possibly
be put off until morrow they are
superstitious to an absurd extent, and
''set'' as their everlasting hills in their
century behind the times customs and
opinions. But though born without the
Anglo Saxon energy and promptness, their
ways are so charming, that beside them
ours seem cold, stiff and selfish. From
the poorest and most ignorant of these
warm hearted people, we may learn much
of politeness, hospitality and self sacrifice.
If they say the nice things merely to
please you and themselves-they certain
ly attain the object, and that is a great
point gained. The Guatemalans have
littla of