The Saint Paul globe., 1899-01-01

can Indian bleached. He has q full
black and rather heavy beard. His
eyes are coal black, bright and fierce,
and his form Is often short and wiry.
He dresses In a curious way. His
black head Is covered with an old skull
cap, or soft slouch hat Upon the
| upper part Of his body hangs a blan-
ket. often striped In bright colors,
through the center of which his head
Is thrust. Another blanket Is wound
about his waist and pulled between the
legs and fastened. Out of this lower
blanket white drawers extend down
to his ankles. These are often edged
at the bottom with lace, while bright
red or blue slippers may cover his feet,
He usually wears belt Of chamois
leather, which may be decorated with
silver buckles and bangles. He is fond
OF silver, and decorates the trappings
OF his horse with it when he possibly
can. He has the best horse he can
buy, steal or borrow, and his saddle
is often adorned with silver stirrups,
While the bit Of his bride is often Sill
ver-plated and usually Of great size
"A gaucho is never without q horse
Even If he has to beg for enough to
eat, he will stick to his horse, the Ar
gentine being one Of the few countries
OF the world where the beggars really
go about on horseback.
HOMES OF THE PAMPAS.
You will see the homes Of the gauchos
scattered over the pampas. Let me de-
scribe one. 1t is mud hut fifteen feet
square and so low that you have to
stoop to enter the door. The floor is
the earth. and there Is no furniture
except the skulls Of bullocks which are
used for seats and a table made Of
board or two. which the eaucho has
probably stolen from some rich land
owner near by. The only table furni-
ture to be seen is a couple of tin pans
The gaucho does not need cooking uten-
sils. He roasts his meat on a spit over
the lire he makes outside the door, AS
the meat cooks he bastes 1t with the
juice Which he catches In the pan, and
then cuts it off, slice at time. He
does not need fork, but holds one end
OF the slice in his hand and clinches
the other end between his teeth, while
ne draws his knife across within one
sixteenth of an inch of his nose at
every bite, His favorite dish is carne
cohcuerO. This is meat cooked with
the skin. The meat is wrapped I'D
tightly in the skin. and thus cooked
over the Goals. The skin keeps in the
juices, and the result is delicious
HOSPITABLE. BUT DANGEROUS.
The gaucho is very hospitable If
you come to his hut he will take You
IN and give you the best he has, al
though he may intend to stab you in
the back as soon as you have gone a
IeW rods away. He cares little for
olood letting, and is always ready to
Hght Every gaucho has his knife. and
IS seldom backward in using it. Some
times he acts like demon, stabbing
VINO came along one day where a.
woman was working with her little boy
beside her. AS the gaucho saw the bow
he said
81 feel like killing some one"
And with that he took I'D the bow
ana stabbed him. I heard of another
sauche who shot boy with no more
provocation than the above. Neither
OF these men were hung for their mur-
ders
The gauchos often have duels. Their
favor1te method of fighting is with
knives. The duelists upon some such
occasions have their left legs tied to-
gether, each kneelng upon the right
knee, SO that they face one another.
f,acn man IS now given a poncho or
blanket which he throws over his left
arm and uses as a guard. and knife
Whlch ne holds in his right hand. At
a word from the principal the two men
peg1n to stab at each other, and thew
cut away until one drops dead.
And do such men have wives and
families? Yes; but they do not often
waste their money on weddings. for.
weddings, you know, come high in ali
South American countries They are
performed by the priest, who must
have his fee before he will tie the gold
en- bands of matrimony. The gauchos
are good lovers as well as good haters
They are said to be affectionate hus-
bands and good fathers when they are
sober, though very cruel when drunk.
Almost all Of them are drunkards at
times They like to gamble and play
billiards. and scattered over the pam
pas you will find here and there little
saloons, which are kept up by the
gauchos. They do not think it wrong
to cheat at cards. and the man who
can cheat best is considered the most
skillful player. These gauchos make
good soldiers, and some of the best
fighting Of the Argentine has been
done by them. Today the bravest men
In the army come from this class. the
Argentines of the cities not comparing
with them In activity or bravery.
Frank G. Carpenter.