The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1900-12-01

buo hNoe VI suo pohct SioSSoo W 49,
ians. They have no understanding OF
cleanliness. either in their housekeep-
ing or personally and during the winter
suffer all the ills which come from ex-
posture to dsmpness and cold. Their
houses are built OF unbaked mud bricks
which have marked tendency towards
caving in on wet days and are at all
times Astounding with fiess. The floors
are often Of earth aud usually below the
level Of the street and are swarming
with lily csred-ior children.
In the raw wet days OF winter every
thing here seems to leak, from the
coaches and street cars to wealthy
dwellings, an annoyance unmitigated by
any sort Of artificial heat. As one
wades along the streets in mid winter
there are many windows wide opsn and
people, huddled in all their available
wraps, gazing placidly and immovably
at the pass rs-by. For pure gazing
abilities and plenty OF time to use their
talent. recommend me to the Chilean
population! A Chilean house in winter,
unless rain Is actually falling. is more
comfortable outside than in, for the
rooms of the fine houses are large with
high ceilings, cheerless places which il
would be difficult and expensive task
to heat comfortably even il it we're the
national custom to make the attempt.
The chief danger to the public health
and the thing which must be largely re-
sponsible for the present state OF the
city is undoubtedly the system Of open
sewerage which is the sole relief Of
city Of 10000 people. There are occs-
sional attempts made to remedy the
trouble, but Chilean politics has not yet
reached that ideal state where money
voted for public purpose reaches its in
tended destination
The weather in Santiago now is al
most like winter and a heavy rain is
falling, although it is a month past the
eighteenth Of September, the holiday
when people are supposed to begin wear
ing summer clothes and to revel in dry
summer weather. The Diez- y-cho sea-
son was an unprecedented one. Five
years ago the whole great Alameda was
lined with drinking and dancing booths
and fairly paved with men made drunk
on chicha, but this year almost the
whole demonstration was confined TO
the park where the rotos had their
cuecua, dancing and chicha drinking,
the government troop their military pa
rade and sham battle, and those who
could afford it rode sedately back and
forth in beautiful carriages and toilets
which would have caused Paris fash
ion plate to hide its head for dullness.
1t is queer how becoming accustom-
ed" changes ones poiGt Of view. Last
year wandering out in the crowded park
looking on at country couples dancing
and waving handkerchiefs slowly around
their heads, the men looking all sorts OF
unutterab,e things,-merely ae part OF
the dance and the women looking de-
murely and changelessly at their feet;
the interim of drinking chichs from q
common and immense glass; the gaily
dressed girls pounding harps and guitars
or clapping their hands; the molly mob
of people trailing in and out, all seemed
like being at some new sort Of an opera.
but this year it seemed inexpressibly
cheap and coarse.
This year the president, who is in his
last year Of Office, did not appear at the
national festivities. his place being