The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-10-15

widow which is akin TO lG0i9@y
On the hacienda she has very tine IN
ported stock, beth cattle and horses.
Her racing stable is the 1acst numer-
GUS and successful in South America.
She is an ardent devotce Of the turf, and
never misses a CHILEAN racing meet, in
variably betting heavily On her own
horses Last season her winnings were
over $500, geo, which she, as is her Gus
tom. divided among the stable employees
and the poor.
Besides Macul, the widow hec another
extensive estate about 40 : NORTH
of Santiago, and several oil-~5s il varl-
GUS parts OF ne republic. III Il farm
inc is ca,rs,i on much is it was in Ii
roDe in feai'ai times. The rural dis
tricts are composed Of extensive farms
thousands OF acres in arca-Cwned "
people whO usually live in the cities and
leave the property in the care cfagents.
Here are found but two classes CT PEG
ple-the landlords and the tenants; the
former very rich and the latter exceed
ircly uoor. These estates are dotted
witt. small houses, standing &1<;!d Dts
Ct garden patches, wherein the tenants,
or poems, reside, paying thcir1ent By 50
many days labor each year. For l2bor
outside of that required for the pay
nlent of rent the tenant is paid, not II
money, but in orders upon the supply
store OF the estate. Tenants are kept
in debt, for the reason that the CHILEAN
law forbids q laborer to leave an EN-
nloyer to whom he owes money This
is what is called ''peonage," or in other
words, slavery.
For the Gillian peon the future holds
no hope Of better things. However, he
does rot care, so long as he l2s plenty
to eat and drink and a bit CT money
with which to gamble. lie was reared
in this way and knows no other. His
fathers before him were dumb,
driven cattle"-and his sons viii follow
in his footsteps. The peon is attached
to his master and is ever ready to fight
for him. Feudal wars are kept Up be-
tween the estates, like the old family
feuds which were common in Europe
during the middle ages, and bloody en-
counters are of frequent occurrence
Sonora Consino, if she SO desired, could
muster $500 able-bodied poems from her
farms.
In the capital, Santiago, she has four
large and handsome houses-one OF
which was the former home Of Henry
Meigcs. the California absconder. This
is an elegant residence, superbiJ lin
ished within and without, and built Of
red cedar, resembling in style New
port villa. The others are OF stone,
fashioned after the Spanish plan, the
interiors being deliberately decorated
and furnished. Her rentals from her
real estate in the cities of Santiago and
Valparaiso alone amount to 100000 a
year.
Chilians think there is strain of He
brew blood in the widow, as she is L
wonderful manager and famous for
driving close bargains. Her numerous
agents and superintendent are re-
quired to render her weekly reports,
and they say there is no use trying to
fool her. Every cent must be account
ed for. She has a genius for details
| which is constant source Of worry to
her employees. She watches the small!
things and is quick to reprimand. How
, ever, in direct opposition to all this,
! she is generous TO fault.
Her extravaganza is princely, limit
less. Whatever she fancies she viii
buy, regardless of cost. Her collection
of diamonds is one of the finest in the
world. Her toilets are made in Paris,
but are seldom worn. Her gifts are as
munificent as they are numerous. Last
year she presented to the city Of San
tiago beautiful park of 100 acres, with
a race course attached. Now that the
sonora proposes making her residence
in New York, the American daily pa
pers have much to say anent this mod
ern Countess of Monte CristO" and de-
light in depicting her as youthful and
beautiful in appearance, when, as a
matter of fact, she is a shabby-looking
little woman, and brunette. Fifty
six years have penciled deep wrinkles
upon her face---a face plain almost to
ugliness-and placed crows feet about
hair is streaked with gray Though it
| once was black as a ravens wing), over
which a plain black mantilla is usually
worn. She is very energetic and re-
markably active, though she limps
slightly, owing to sciatica.
Naturally, the widow is a pleasant
tempered woman, but in the last few
years neuralgia has made her irritable,
which often seriously interferes with
| the comfort of those who have business
| with her. At present there is young
Englishman, with rosy cheeks and a
large moustache, to whom she took a
sudden fancy, who is attached to her
establishment in the role of private sec
rotary. The widow, however, is very
tickle. and this agreeable young man
will doubtless soon be cast aside, like
many others before him.
She has three children-two daugh-
ters and son. The girls are quite
pretty, bright and very popular in So
clety, but neither has thus far shown
any evidence of possessing any of their
mothers business genius. The son,
! however, young man of about so, has
developed into steady, industrious
and excellent business man. He seldom
takes part in social affairs, is very
economical and is quite decided in his
stand against his mothers extrava-
gance.-Ohio State Journal.
Upscttfng the Calendar
His Better Half-This is pretty sort
OF life you are leading.
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