Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-05

cents a quart, and it is so powerful that a
tumblerful will int -xicate an American tcper.
A man can, in fact, get a cheaper drunk in
Paraguay than in any other place in the
world, for with a dime he can get enough
liquor to put several pegs in his coffin.
The store also sold all kinds of eatables,
such as sugar, rice and bread. Very little
baking is done by the people, and the hotel
bakes for the whole community about it.
The store also had a stock of hats, shoes
and umbrellas. 1t had a little kerosene from
the United States, and a pair of scales which
were made by a famous firm of Vermont
These last were the only American things l
could see anywhere. American scales, coal
oil and cocktails seem to be of universal
consumption. l did not ask the hotel keeper
Tor a cocktail, but | doubt not he could have
made one If ordered.
Before leaving l photographed the land
lord, his family and the rest of the town at
one corner OF the hotel. Mine host brought
out his Paraguayan wife and all his little
Paraguayan babies and posed them for me,
while l pressed the button.
An Ill Railroad.
Paraguay has only one railroad. and it is
the only one of it's kind in the world. 1t
was built by an English syndicate with a
big subsidy from the government, and 1t Is
run by the English today. The cars 20 at
such a violent speed that a hungry dog tied
10 the rear or the train might keep I'D and
mastlcate the axle grease on the engine with
out trouble. 1t stops long at the stations,
and you have as much time as you want for
your meals, the train being only ready To
start when the last Of the passengers is
through drinking his coffee. I understand
that the road has just now gone under new
management, and it may be improved by the
time THIS letter is published. The rolling
STOCK Is In a bad way, the most of It having
evidently been made during the last genera
ton.
The prices of the tickets were very low
and differed according as to whether thew
were first, second or third class. The first
class cars are much like ours in that there
is an aisle running through the center with
seats on each side. The seats are cush-
Toned with wicker and are not uncomforta-
p'e' Inc second-class cars are about the
same, but those OF the third class have
windows like a street car, with two other
benches running back to back through the
center of the car.
The third class cars were filed with
women and men, the most of whom were
smoking ana chewing. There were mora
women than men and more smokers among
them. Some OF the girls were yery prettv
but almost all, from those of 20 l.. little tots
OF q, had big cigars in their mouths.
Al every station | saw women smoking
cigars and women cigar peddlers came to
the car windows and offered me punches of
cigars at the rate of l cent apiece.
noticed that most OF the girls had fairly
good teeth, and / could have fallen in love
with their creamy faces, dark lustrous
eyes and soft, black hair, had il not been
for the tobacco they were so disgustingly
using, spent some time among the third
class passengers, now and then going
through the cars TO look at the girls.
did not find this always an easy task. for
the seats were so close and the knees OF
the women on the opposite seats almost
touched, and l had to go very carefully
to avoid stepping on their bare toes. Many
OF them aided me by drawing in their
"Trilbys." smiling at my care as | went by.
Women PeddIers.
At most of the stations the coming of
the train was the great event OF the day.
Half the town would rush to the depot as
the whistle blew, and a crowd OF women
peddlers were to be seen squatting on the
PLATFORM. Some had bushels Of oranges
before them. Others sold vegetables and
Others meat. Think OF selling raw meat
at a railroad station! Neatly every depot
on this road has its butcher women, who
sit on the stones with great baskets of raw