Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-27

a chemise cut low at the neck. with about
six inches of lace set in at both the front
and back, and running from shoulder to
shoulder. In order that | may not be sup
posed to be prying into the forbidden mys-
teres Of the toilet, l would say that the
common woman of the markets and else
where often wears nothing but a chemise.
which falls from the neck to the feet. and
that any who walks the street cannot
help seeing how such garments are cut
both in front and behind. He cannot help
cCbWebby meshes of white showing against
the velvety black, mahogany brown or
golden yellow flesh Of the damsels
The Worlds Rest Parrots.
Another thing Ceara is noted for is its
parrots. The Ceara parrots are said to be
among the best takers of the world. Some
of them can swear in three languages, and
nearly all can whistle and sing. They are
smaller than The Mexican and African par
rots, ha: are Of a beautiful green and blue,
with dash of red on their wings and
necks. l bought two of them the other
day. | paid 50 5000 for them. Don't be
frightened al the figures. That is the way
yoa write 1t in Brazil. 1t is only $4,000
leis altti 1910 refs is l. cents Of our money,
50 that my parrots cost me a little more
than s. in gold. | doubt not | will be glad
10 pay more than that to get rid of them
before 7 have carried them the six or eight
thousand miles | have Yet to travel before
! get home.
The man who sold NE the parrots said
they would farle. Earle means talk, but
if they can talk al all they speak Portu-
guese. and they will not teach my children
20 use vulgar language as so many Ameri-
can parrots do. They will only be danger
Gus when l have Portuguese callers.
A Wicked Washington Bird.
And this reminds me of a parrot which
was brought from here to Washington and
domesticated there in the family of one of
our most pious society women. One day the
Brazilian minister and his wife happened to
call The parrot was in the parlor and 1t
entertained them while they waited for the
pouS lady of the house.
When the madam came in she found the
minister lying on the sofa rolling over and
over with laughter, while his wife had her
hands to her ears. The parrot, whose lam
guage had not troubled the good lady be-
cause she did not understand Portuguese,
was really uttering the most vile and indie
cent expressions you can imagine. 1t was
SO vile that the Brazilian minister's wife
begged the madam to dispose of the parrot
at once, for it was not fit to keep in the
family.
Horses as Lumber Wagons.
There are few carts wagons in this
part of the world. Goods are carried about
on the backs of horses and donkeys Lum-
Der is strapped to the sides of a horse and
thus dragged through the streets Fire
wood is carried into town upon horses.
Two wooden hooks made of forked limbs
are fastened on each side of the horse to
a pack saddle and on these hooks a half
load OF cord WOOD is so balanced that il will
not fall off. Otter the man rides the horse,
sitting on his back between the piles of
Sticks, and sometimes hanging his feet
down about the neck. All sorts of burdens
are carried on the head. You see women
Walking along balancing pumpkins upon
their heads. This morning | noticed A bow
thus carrying a two bushel bag of flour
AS he passed by me he suddenly stopped at
fence and without lowering or touching
his burden lifted up his right leg to a
board about two feet from the ground and
thus standing searched industriously
judge, for flea something else that
was biting him. 1t was probably something
else, for fieas don't count here.
Wonderful Palms
Among the most interesting things in this
region are the palms. Just before coming
to Ceara our boat stopped at little town
at the mouth of the Parahyba river
Parahyba is state just south of this the
most of which is low and tropical This
town, Cabadelio, is its port, being connected
with the capital city. Parahyba, which is
ten miles inland by railroad. The Parahyba
river is lined with cocoanut trees There
are thousands of them, some filed with
nuts as big as your head. In my ride to
the capital or the state / passed through
about ten miles Of such palms all loaded
with nuts.
The town of Cabadello Is built of palm
wood 1t is collection of huts matched
with palm leaves. The huts have no win
dows and no doors in our sense of the
word. There are merely holes in the walls
and those which take the place of windows
have shutters of woven palm leaves tied
on by strings. The doors are made of
palm leaves. They are merely screens of
woven leaves which are moved away dur
ing the day.
This region is the home of the car
nauba palm, one of the most remarkable
trees to be found anywhere Nearly every