The Republican journal., 1897-03-25
Life in San Salvador.

-s,eclal correspondence of The Journal. I
-r, he gets used to it, the stranger in
c.ior is likely to be startled h alfout
wits more than once in every n
~ Ivy series of sharp explosions
e >uund like the rattle of musketry
.- ael the signal of another revolution,
i, ne might reasonably suppose, or an
. IS merely the church, or the govern
aeat ur some generous individual, adver-
-u- function in the customary
la4cf by letting off a lot of rockets and
Ia. oels. All civic, ecclesiastical and
ly celebrations are proclaimed in
~ ty also the opening of balls, and of
. Wances at theatres, even private
weddings and funerals. These
..r To- not consider darkness essential
Jechnic display, and ''tireworks'
neQuently tizzing at noon day as
Htr time, In Salvador, where every
- -oes to bed with the early bird and
~
Y before him, evening amusements
cnd about the time the fashionable
oegin in our northern cities. There
.N ing with some acquaintanceS to the
The other evening we were not
surprised to be called for before
a bad fairly sunk out OF sight be-
western hills and hurrying with
sd across the plaza to be greeted
-1lay of roman candles, pinwheels
ler familiar devices - looking
-.v unfamiliar in the garish light of
-l'ador's rather handsome theatre
one side of the Plaza de Morazan,
jzed by the government and vely
patronized, being the only place
amusement in the city. Looking
aceful facade, adorned with en-
paintings, one can hardly be-
hat every bit of the big building
aie in san Francisco. California;
9lJed thence in sections by steamer,
IN the cage at La Libertad
over the hills on the backs of
rl and finally put together again like
eees OF Chinese puzzle. The much
ented interior is very pretty-all
and gold and rose garlantled fres-
9ut the dim illumination of poor
-,ue detracts somewhat from the
One of its unique features is the
ement for mourners, by which be-
families, supposed to be secluded
-he world in the sacredness of their
may attend the play unseen by the
4ce- For this purpose, each of the
Ft Frocenium boxes is faced with
a- ot fine wire, which completely
is occupants from view while
them a toletable view of all that
us ON. Every year two or three
ripanies from Italy or France
tour OF Central America, and
l~iastically received in Salvador
most popular functions, as they
'd. are given by local amateurs,
am being made up OF vocal and
entail music, recitations and ori@i-
,us and orations. The latter ave
HY.y the most popular features of
a>lon, and usually the affairs are
etl on purpose to give some aspiring
orator chance to ''show off -
is great deal Of rivalry, too.
lie local poets and poetesses. each
is or her own clique of admirers.
aCs who consider it a solemn
applaud their favorite to the echo
h'>s all rivals down, however
a.l5. When two of these popular
pear upon the same platform of
-ng, as they often do, feeling
nigh among these excitable
1at sometimes violence results
Standing army has to be call
to quell the tumult. Love of
a theme of which the Salvador
ever tire. The subjects of all the
and poems are patriotic, and the
~ OF most public entertainments
ae up Of patriotic songs and ma
rs, of local composition, scores
L he nation has dozen OF more
l- Of July-memorial days, or the
salles of historical events-some-
,eo or three celebrations occurring
Month. Everybody joins in the
t1'lSfrations; places of business are
oa work is suspended, streets and
are decorated, high mass is said
Tue hnlches, professions and patriotic
.'-s MI the rest of the day, and the
til is closed with fireworks, ban
4ld balls he two greatest fiestas
'Ne }ea are Christmas and the feast
1eu y suel-Sant Michael-the patron
"' % salvador. The latter is celebrat-
Hi.A as our independence Day used
- and still is in some parts of the
l-l except that here the hours from
@'- st 90 noon are devoted to religious
f> N all the churches, the Bishop.
t'7tl "iticiating in the cathedral. After
'7'' festivities hold high carnival
'ee .Ehts, bull batting, dancing by day.
tie open air, while great deal of
''-' IS squandered in salutes by the