The Republican journal., 1897-03-25


their scanty wages, their clothes, every-
thing of which they stand possessed.
ladies play in their parlors and patios.
risking their jewels, dresses and often
articles of furniture after their pin-
money is gone; and even the naked chill.
dren in the streets are swapping fire. crack
ers and toys, on games of chance Bull
fighting is nominally forbidden by law in
Salvador; but the fact remains that at
fairs, and other occasions which bring
crowds of the lower classes together, the
cruel sport prevails. The cock pits, and
the Plaza de Toros if there is bull fight,
are invariably crowded on Sunday after
moons and Saints days, as a suitable wind
up to the religious performances; and
often the best people are found among the
spectators, particularly the swell young
men, who ruin themselves with reckless
betting, and they brag about it, as indi-
eating courage, generosity and other ad-
mirable traits. 1t is the fashion for the
''gilded youths to keep game birds and
employ professional cock fighters to train
and handle them.
Christmas is another great day
in Salvador Festivities commence at
midnig ght-with the ringing of bells
and the booming of cannon and the send
ing off of rockets and Roman candles, be-
ginning with the cathedral clock on the
stroke of Il. Everybody attends mass
long before sunrise, and the first glimmer
of dawning sees the streets full of gaily-
dressed people, saluting one another and
exchanging the compliments of the sea
son by throwing egg-shells containing
colored or perfumed water. For "a hours
pandemonium reigns-the noise of fire.
works, cannonade and musketry, music
OF military bands, and professions parad-
ing the streets. In nearly every house
elaborate preparations have been made to
represent the Babe in the manger and
other scenes of the nativity. 1t is the am
bition of every housewife to surpass all
her friends and neighbors in the realism
of her representation and in the elegance
with which the Holy Family are dressed
the Babe "a fine French dolly, being
usually clad in embroidered robes, with
all the jewels of the family pinned on. SO
all day long there is a general Interchange
OF calls among the ladies, to see the dis
play and make comparisons. The grand
est show is always in the cathedral, the
cost often amounting to many thousands
of dollars, while the subordinate churches
enter into an active and expensive rivalry.
raising funds for the purpose by solicit
ing subscriptions in the parish. The
ceremony begins before daylight on
Christmas morning high mass being sung
by the leading vocalists of the country,
assisted by orchestras, military bands and
crowds of acolytes. The favorite portray
al is the Alteration of the Magi and hui
man figures are usually trained by the
priest TO personate the various characters.
The most beautiful woman in the city is
selected to act the part of the Virgin, and
somebody S baby is volunteered to repre-
sent the infant Christ The church is IL
Illuminated with thousands of candles and
crowded with expectant people, while the
altar is shrouded by black curtain. At
the proper moment the curtain is swept
aside, and the choir breaks out in a glorious
anthem; the bells OF all the churches clash
and jangle together in mad refrain. and
the vast audience, rising to their feet.
join in the eXultant "Jubilaten' "Jubi-
Late Professions of priests enter in
cense is burned; and at the close of the
anthem the Bishop sings high mass to
living representation of the Mother and
Child.
There is more freedom among the sexes
IN Salvador than in most parts of Central
America, though the Spanish notion, bor-
rowed from the Moors, of seclusion for
women, still prevails, and it is noticeable
that the slight degree of laxity here is not
at the cost of morals, for as rule, in all
parts of the world where social restrictions
are most severe, there is the greatest
amount of RIGHTEOUSNESS. The educa-
ton of the masses has proved the greatest
safeguard. The constitution of Saliva
dor confers superior advantages upon
married men, and law limiting the once
exorbitant marriage fee of the clergy was
wise stroke of business for the country
though it curtailed the churchs income,
Hereabouts girls usually marry very
young, mothers Is years of age being not
uncommon. Among males of the lower
classes, few reach the age of 20 unmar-
ried, but the Young men of wealth are
falling more and more into the bad habit
of prolonged bacheldorhood.
This morning we visited the cemetery,
which lies little west of the city, almost
overhung by the yawning crater of Saliva
dor mountain. Even this God S acre, like
everything else in the vicinity, suffered
in the great earthquake of fifty years ago. |
Before that time its high wall was faced
with very beautiful facade, and had
several dependant chapels, all of