The times., 1899-02-19
CHRISTMAS IN ARGENTINA.
The Hottest Day of the Year in the
Southern Hemisphere.
(From the New York SUI

Southern Hemisphere is wholly different to
a northerner from Christmas on the other
side of the line. Probably the difference
comes from diving backward" as Lewis
Carroll said in Through the Looking
Glass" 1t makes one little giddy at first
But even if it is the living backward that
puts the first covering OF queerness to the
day down here, yet the climate ANA the
manners and customs finish up the oddity
OF the occasion. You really cannot be rol-
licking with the thermometer at leo in the
shade, and blazing plum pudding does
not create in you desire for a closer ac-
quaiutance.
Christmas Eve was brilliant and bright
with nice coolness in the air-say about
Sand We all had hopes OF Christmas.
That afternoon was queer combination
OF the English celebration and the Span
ish. The Englishmen, meaning also the
Americans and Germans. went home with
parcels and packages under their arms,
most Of which probably contained whisky
| bottles. and the Argeutinos and Spaniards
drove before them light porters, who car
ried baskets well filed with the good
| things of life. In the evening there were
| the usual rows between the young Eng
lishmen-not including the Americans and
Germans-who tried to run the theatres
to their taste and got run in themselves
in consequence. Then at u o'clock began
the midnight mass. and then the bells in
| all the churches and towers made a fear
ful racket for an hour or so, and more
young men got into trouble and by an
early hour of the morning there was
standing room only in the lockups and
mighty little even Of that The faithful
went to early mass and came out ahead
as the day was fair and hot; the staid
Englishmen dug out their top hats and
frock coats, and. despite the intense heat,
1 n Lob.
service Just as they would have done "at
ome," and few Americans and a number
OF dissenting British had service in the
Methodist Church
BY breakfast time 1t was hot for fair
and it grew worse during the afternoon.
until finally it broke the record for the
year How is that for Christmas? So be-
hind drawn persiaHas we sat and thought
| OF cold things, mint juleps and ice and let
the day go by without any attempt to help
II until 4 o'clock, when function was to
eventuate. il that is what a function does
ihat was the unveiling of a statue-t TO AL
wear, the first mayor of Buenos Ayres IL
was somewhat of an effort to put on ones
clothes again, but the sound of military
bands acted as spur, so we braced up and
Joined the crowd to watch the President !
escort in the street in front of the Reco-
leta Park. The escort looked we'll. and the
side OF the Avenida AIvear looked cool.
comfortable, and business-like in their lin :
en- dress uniforms. After a warm wait
the bugies began to sound, and then the
president came in sight Then the bands
| got in their fine work; each band PLAYED
the same tune to a different time, and each
half lap behind the other: it was re
fnarkaoiy well done, sounded fine, and was
| unique.
mt tod
preceded by a few cavalrymen and aanked
| by some generals or things, swung down
the avenue and drew up smartly in front
OF the monument A footman hoped down
and opened the carriage door; the Presi-
dent descended promptly and began to
mount the steps to the platform; the
swells on the steps took of their hats
the bugies blew louder than ever, and the
crowd never stirred-not n cheer not a
hat removed. Before the President had
| reached his place, some one pulled the
string and the statue was unveiled. Then
the party took positions on either side
| OF the monument and looked their pret-
test to be photographed The bands
| stopped, the people moved and gaspet and
a priest stepped out and began to pray
This was the signal for the bands to start
up again, and his words were drowned
| in the torrents OF the national anthem
| which were ground out. This proceeding
| was repeated every time anyone tried to
| speak, and rather tired the crowd which
began to dribble away without waiting
for the parade of the friendly societies,
| which inevitably seize an occasion like
this for showing themselves.
By o'clock we began to wander along
| toward home. for the scent OF the turkey
was in the air. As ours was cooperative
| dinner, We all took hand in managing 1t
| and the cooks life was made miserable for
while, until she ceased to heed our sug-
| gestions- So the turkey was good when it
came, and, as it was big fellow, we lived
| on it for the rest of Christmas week The
plum pudding was great. too: but just then
the heat became greater and our appetites
| smaller The tOasts were numerous and
| as is the case with most wanderers We
| drank to ourselves first and the absent
| friends last. Anaconda hour being over
| anaconda hour is the time that wise man
! devotes to nothing after he has had good
| dinner-we went down to Palermo All
| the world and his girl had gone there or
was going there with US. The long avenue
was crowded for all it's three miles of
| length; the Corso was formed just as it is
on Sunday afternoon, and the cafes. half
| concealed By the trees, and lit brilliantly
| by electric lamps OF all coloTs. made =
| fairylike scene. The small tables under
the trees were crowded. so our party
/ pushed on to the river.
The banks are covered with trees. and
! the pretty women in their dainty DIR sse5
made it a most delightful spot.
| Over all was the moon. There
we found a good breeze. and after enjoy
| ing il for only too short time we re-
! turned To our carriage and drove 'ong
| the river road until We reached a slnd nar.
| on which we drove far out into the river
| to cool the horses. As We waited in the
! middle of the river we looked back TO
! the bank and to Palermo. In the distance
! the lights and the figures, the music and
| the laughter, the moon above and the
| water underneath and stretching in a sill
! yer streak all around Us, made a mcst
wonderful and strange picture the noises
| seeming to be part of the picture and rot
an appeal to different sense than that Of
| sight. Twelve o'clock came entirely too
| soon, but the dawn comes so soon after
the night begins nowadays that one can t
wait much after midnight if he wants TO
! get to bed in time to get up for breakfast:
| so we hauled the reluctant heads of tha
horses up from the water and drove
| slowly back to shore to join the crowds
thronging back to town. And that is tn
way we spent our Christmas on the other
| no, you're on the other side of the line
our Christmas on this side of the equator.
| Scare for Nothing.
| (From the Detroit Free Press
| THE joke is on me. said the drummer.
as he handed out the cigars Ever since
L have been on the road | have had a hor-
ror OF some day being caught at night in
a burning hotel and burned up like a rat in
! a ma / ,,f,