The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1897-09-18
GUATEMALA.
AND THE PLEASURES OF LlFElN
GUATEMALA'S CAPITAL.
The People Believe In Operas and Have
Them in French, German and Italian
Larrios Brave man-An Excited PeoDle
Tragic Death of the Dictator.

Guatemala la Nucva, .-Special
Correspondencc.-Guate only opera
house, the Teatro Nacional, is the one cash
-n-advance enterprise in the republic. 1t was
built by the government, and not only is the
house furnished, rent free, with an orchestra
thrown in but a subvention Of SAC, 600 a
year permits the employment Of good artists,
French, German, and Italian. During the
season, which lasts from October to May,
three regulal performances are given every
week-usually light opera, with a ballet at
tachment, and on the alternate evenings are
benefits and extra 'funciones," at the pleas
IRE of the manager. The building itself is
Very handsome-a general imitation of the
Egllse de Madelane, in Paris, with a COL
umred and pedimented front, like that of the
Parthenon. 1t is Of brick and stucco the lat
ter in blocks, to represent stone, and painted
cream color. In the pedment are the coat of
arms OF Guatemala and other figures in plas-
ter relief. 1t stands in the middle Qfan extern
sive plaza, which is laid out as a public gar
den, with fine fountain, lawns, and flower
beds, shaded by orange and oleander trees
the latter not the dwarf and sickly specimens
we see at home in tubs, but stately domes of
pink and white flowers, filling the air with
their fragrance AS we passed through the
great iron gates of this plaza and Joined the
smiling, well-dressed 1hrong bound for the
memory recalled the attempt to murder Presi-
dent Jose Ruflno Barrios which was made IN
this very spot just thirteen years ago. Bar
rios walked in the garden in the cool of the
day. On this April Sunday he was accom-
panied by the Ministerof War, when suddenly
bomb, thrown by an assassin, exploded at
their feet. Whatever may be said of the dc
tator, he was certainly no coward.
BnrriOs II Brave Man.
In order to allay public excitement he con-
tinued calmly his walk around the plaza, until
he had twice made its circuit though suffering
intensely from hurts received by broken bits
of the bomb; then home, unattended, through
the streets, with a smile on his face till his
own door closed behind him. when he fell
falnting in the patio Fortunately, none of
the poisoned bullets with which the shell was
filled had struck him, and his wounds, though
painful, were not. serious. The would be
assassin was captured and proved to be a
former conspiratOr, whom BarTios had once
generously pardoned.
The evening of our visit to the theater was
quite chilly, as are most of the nights in this
temperate zone of Central America. The
gentlemen were wrapped in long Spanish
cloaks of black broadcloth, lined with satin,
worn with one corner tossed carelessy over
the shoulder-the most fetching garment
under the sun, which would render even a
Yankee trader as Economically picturesque as
Fra Diavalo or the conspirators in LA File
de Nine Angot." But alas! these degenerate
sons OF old CASTLE spoil the effect by wearing
tall silk hats instead of sombreros and car
rylns natty canes In lieu of rapiers. In spite
OF the cold night air, tbs So called weaker sex
were bareheadeG and decollete, their naked
arms and shoulders lightly draped in lace
mantillas, as they toddled ungracefully across
the plaza in tOothpick-toed French slippers
with the highest of heels and always some
sizes too small. Policemen, in New York
uniforms, were grouped around the theater
doors, and electric lights dazzled the eyes
Yet the price for grand opera is absurdly low
only 80 cents for an orchestra STALL
The Right Prices for Grand Opera.
1t seems odd that the tickets are kept by the
visitors and the coupons taken at the door,
The interior Of the theater with its electric
lights and red and gold decorations, is sump-
tuous. There are three galleries and q par
'Quet, the latter foored with brick but with
cushioned benches. The main body of the
house is occupied exclusively by men; the fiji st
two galleries are all boxes, shallow spaces
tpartitioned off, each seating five or six per-
sons; and the upper, or peanut" gallery,
which, always shows fringe of frowsy Indian
heads is only few feet from the ceiling On
each side Of the stage are three proscenium
Notes.-The lower one on the right-hand side
being reserved for the President and his fam
lily and one in the first, balcony above for the
American Minister and his guests. The stare
Is wide and deep; the scenery is not such as
to delight the eyes of Millais; but the or
chestra, of fifty pieces, is magnificent, as NO
other would be tolerated by these music
loving people. The play was light opera,
fresh from Madrid, LA Majer del Vengador -
Nobody paid much attention to it, the gentle
men in the parquet being absorbed in gazing
at the ladies in the surrounding boxes, and
were gaZed upon as earnestly by the fair
creatures in RETURN in way that would have
scandalizad Chicago audience I'm all Span
ish-America it Is considered proper to express
admiration for a lady by staring at her through
opera glasses. Indeed, the more glasses that
are steadily leveed at the complainant coun-
tenance Of "a belle, the greater the tribute to
her beauty. 49,.
Scene Mt Guntemala's T7,enter. ,
There is considerable elegant dressing in
Guatemala's capital, the wealthy class, both
native and foreign having their costumes
sent direct from Paris. White silk and light
:olored satns are the rule loi tne theater,
With Jewels galore, and. according to a late
.ashlon prevalent here, every woman's hair is
licked with "a towering feather or two-so
hat, viewed from the galleries above, the
Jokes look like an ostrich farm.
Many Of the younger ladies are very beauti-
.ul, with their olive skin, glossy hair and
sparkling eyes; but the lavish use OF powder
and pigments, which the electric, lights so
cruelty display, would detract from the beau
tv of an angel. The custom Of Spanish Amer
lea is in full force here, of filling the audito-
;rium at once, after the performance has &C
ing the long intermssions. Even the ladies'
in the boxes step out into the corridors.
though there is no room for promenading.
Many of them are served with "dulces' and
champagne, or with "cervasa" american
.beer), which is hene an equal luxury; While
to tell of the fiirtations that go on under the
moses Of mammas and 'duennas would Hill 9
volume. This National Theater is full o1
memories of RufnG Barrios, whose work II
xas. He seldom attended a performance. but
Ills wife. who was thought to have been the
most beautiful woman in Central America
Mas always to be seen in the Presidential box.
Guatemala owes most of her present prosper
ity to the great dictator. The ambition of his
life was to reunite the five republics in con-
,:ederacy, such as existed a few years after
Independence from Spain, and similar to tina,
which has lately allied three Of them unde1
he name of THE Greater Republic" The
benefits of such union are apparent to al
who understand the political geographical
and commercial conditions Of the continent.
Bnrriass' Bold Mnneuver.
But the consuuamation of Barrios' plan was
felayed by the selfish ambition of local trad.
ers Each was willing to join the union If hi
could he dictator himself, but feared he woult
0se prominence by advocating new meas
IRE, and distrusted Barrios, although he as
sured them that he did not intend to retain
supreme control. He believed himself thu
enly man who could Carry out the plan, blu