The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-08
4 Seaside Resort Where the Camera
Punished As an OfRense.
SINGULAR FUNERAL CUSTOMS
4 BURIAL A GRAND AFFAIR. COSTING
MORE THAN 4 WEDDING.
The Great Retail Markets of Buenos
Ayres and the Methods OF Con-
Quoting business Therein.
lconrrIghted. 1888. hv Frank G. carnenterl

copyrighted 1898. by Frank c. Carpenter)
MAR DEL PLATA, Dec. 2.-It is now
midwinter in the United States. 1t is mid
summer in the Argentine Republic. Our peo-
pie are going to Florida to keep warm The
fashionable Argentnes are rushing TO the
seaside to keep cool. The most popular seat
| side resort of the Argentine is Mar del
Plata. 1t is the Long Branch, the Newport,
the Saratoga of the Argentine Republic.
Situated 90 miles south of Buenos Ayres,
on the coast Of the Atlantic it has splen-
did bathing beach in which just now thou
sands of Argentnes are taking the warm
plunge of summer There are at least twen-
| ty thousand strangers at this resort. There
| are big hotels filled with the fashionable
families of the Argentines and foreigners.
| There are numerous seaside cottages, and
| there are gambling rooms where the rou-
lette wheel goes the whole afternoon and
all night long. Thousands of dollars are
won and lost at every turn for the people
! gamble at Mar del Plata quite as desper-
! ately as they do at Monte Carlo. The scenes
on the beach are different from those of our
resorts. The lighthouses do not stand back
| from the edge of the water as at Atlantic
| City or Asbury Park. The undressing is
done in bathing boxes about six feet square
and not over six feet high. These are on the
edge of the surf. You can hire one for 30
cents a time and suit of bathing clothes
goes with every box. You enter your box,
change your clothes and step right out into
the water Both sexes battle together and
you see a mixture of dull blue bathing suits.
some with skirts and some without, NOV
ing about through the water. Outside OF the
skirts it is hard to distinguish the sexes,
for bright colors are not worn by the wom-
en- in bathing, and the Argentine summer
girl makes all her conquests outside the
| water. Cameras are not tolerated the
beach, and the man who attempts to take
a snap shot will surely be arrested.
PRESENTS WITH STRINGS
Many of the rich Argentines have sea-
side homes at Mar del Plata. Not few
| keep up three different establishments. One
is a house in Buenos Ayres another a
| home in the country and third a cottage
| at the seaside. Such people live we'll. They
| are very hospitable, and during your stay
they will place everything at your disposi-
ton. In fact, if you admire anything be-
longing to an Argentine: politeness demands
that it be at once offered to you. This is
so in all Spanish-American countries. At
Santiago 1 dined one day with Mr. EdWardo
| Mcclure a millionaire friend of the presi-
| dent of Chile, and gentleman of high edu-
| cation and standing. The dinner was given
| at his magnificent home in the suburbs Of
Santiago, which is surrounded by garden
considered one of the finest of South Amer
| lea. The house was a palace, and 7
| walked through it with its owner I could
| not help adJuiring it. He at once offered it
to me- and that in such cordial manner
that L feared for moment he might be in
| earnest. When / reflected, however, that
the property would bring at auction at least
| 100000 1 felt there might be a mistake, and
| refused it with thanks
This habit sometimes causes the giver
trouble when he comes into contact with a
| foreigner who does not understand him. Not
| long ago a Spanish don was travelling down
the west coast of South America upon q
steamer with a charming young American
| girl as a fellow passenger. The dor was
| married, but the young lady was beautiful,
and when she admired a poodle which he
was carrying with him, he at once placed it
at her disposal and grandiloquently told her
| it was hers. He expected that she would
| thank him and refuse. But to his surprise
she thanked him and accepted. Now the
| don was carrying this poodle to his wife,
| who was as jealous as Spanish girls
| usually are. He had special orders to
| bring it home safe and sound, and as the
| American SlFt WAS BOltS 10 liG SdiIb Town
he knew that serious complications would
| arise if he did not recover that dog. Before
he left the ship he was compelled to ask one
of his friends to explain to the young lady
that his offer was not intended to be taken
| in earnest and that he hoped she would send
| back the poodle, as it belonged to his wife.
There are many similar cases Of the failure
Of such polite lies and cheap generosity.
| One of which L heard related to a young
| navy lieutenant who has since risen to
be one of the chief officers on a great
| American man-of-war. 1T was during his
! salad days that he was in South America
on a coasting tour and became acquainted
with Argentine don. One day he asked
the latter for match, and was handed in
reply a beautiful gold cigar lighter. The
| lighter must have been an expensive one,
| for it was set with diamonds. our young
| lieutenant admired it. and the don, putting
his hand across his heart, told him 1t was
his and at his disposition. The young lieu
tenant then green to Spanish ways as
| grandHoquently accepted 1t, and the Ar
| gentine don was too amazed TO protest. at
| least. he never asked that 1t be returned
and l doubt not but that the American
naval officer has it among his trophies to-
day. -
ODD FUNERAL CUSTOMS
/ Among the queer customs OF the Argentine
are those relating to the dead. Funerals are
! grand functions and the average funeral
costs more than wedding. The undertakers
advertise thsir wares as our merchants do
their dry goods Each undertaken gives the
price of the different kinds Of funerals ana
tells you just what you can get for your
money They laud their peculiar burial cas-
| kets and the virtues Of their patent embalm-
| ing juices, and state that they car take
charge of the departure Of the deceased with
| all fashionable accompaniment. Funerals
are first, second and third class. The tlrst-
class kind is worth seeing. / shall never for
| get one which l witnessed in the business
section Of Buenos Ayres. 1t was that Of a
! steamship manager, who was evidently q
man Of wealth. The hearse was as bis as \
| baggage wagon, ana the four black oTlon
/ stations Which drew 1t were as fine as any
| to be seen in St. Petersburg. The hearsa
was a black canopy resting on wheels.
with covered top. at the corners Of which
were tassels Of ostrich feathers, each tas-
sci as big around as q half-hushel measure.
ID