The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-11

the largest opera houses on this henlds-
phere. 1t is known as the Municipal
tlleater and it is subsidized by the
government. Every year it has a sea-
son of Italian opera, the companies be-
ing brought from Italy. The season
lasts for eighty nights and nearly every
person Of prominence has his box for
the season, which costs him 81, 200 in
Chilean money, a sum equal to about
$500 American gold. Each box will hold
six people, and all of the boxes are
taken, although two of the galleries of
the large theater are divided up In box
es. Ladies and gentlemen always wear
full dress at the opera and the ladies
are usually Respondent with diamonds.
AS a rule the swells pay but little at
bention to the music, devoting most of
their time to looking at each other. For
this reason the lights are never turned
down during the acts. The ladies take
their hats off when entering the boxes.
The men keep their heads bare during
the acting, but as soon as the curtain
gees down every man puts on his hat.
Between the acts both ladies and gen
tlemen go out and promenade in he
Hobbies of the theater. Here there are
restaurants where the ladies can have
ices and to which the gentlemen go to
get refreshments, not Ices.
All kinds of liquors are sold. and Won
can have anything of the sort from IL
bottle of champagne to a special vari-
ETY. Of cocktail which was introduced
into Chile by former secretary of the
American legation. 1t is the one thing
/ American that now holds and that will
/ always hold it's own in Chile During
these tntermisstons there is visiting GO
/ Ing on among friends in the boxes, and
the whole affair is indeed more a social
occasion than. a musical one The
! ChlleanS do not have as close SOciaf
! intercourse as we do, and I have vet
to hear of women's clubs in Chile The
| people are fond Of dancing, and the
president often combines a dancing
| party with one Of his big receptions
At such times the display OF diamonds
on the part of the ladies is gorgeous
| In the extreme. Quarts of these pre-
| cious stones are dragged out Of tAe
vaults and their brillancy vies with
that of the electric lights. At a recenr
reception. one lady were eight diamond
stars and another a large bouquet OF
diamonds. There were chokers of q a.
! mOnds, buckles of diamonds, and, IN
fact, almost every kind Of diamond or
nament you can imagine. None Of the
ladies wore such common things rs
roses, though one or two had on
bouquets of orchids so rare that in
New York they would have cost as
much as Jewels.
SUNDAY RACES.
Another social feature of Santiago is
the races, which are held regularly ev-
cry Sunday afternoon during the sea-
son, under the auspices Of the Club
Hipico. This is the event Of the week
Gentlemen come out dressed in tall
hats, black frock coats, light or dark
pantaloons and white kids The ladies
put on their handsome street gowns
and they call upon one another be-
tween the heats. The race course Is
just back Of the Park Cousino, In the
heart of the city 1T is right under
the shadow of the Andes and is one
of the finest tracks in the world. The
horses are excellent, and race In San
tiago is one of the great sights Of
South America.
Frank G. Carpenter.