The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-08-20
A QUEER OLD TOWN.
LA PAZ DE AYACUCHo- STREET -a4 SCENES

Tn . South American capItaI-Iudians
 and choIos-The choIo Women.
 Especial Correspondence of the Journal
 and Courier.l
 La Paz. Bolivia, July 15. 1903.
 There is a Spanish proverb which says:
 "Musica, mieI y Ia ventana,
 No es buena en la mantana,"
 meaning that music, honey and stand ing in the window are indulgencies not good for the early part of the day. Notwithstanding the injunction, let us step out on our hotel balcony, which overlooks the central plaza of the queer olr town, to enjoy the street scenes and morning sunshine. The City Of Peace!" Gazinf at the stupendous mountains which stretch away to the horizon on every side, one ceases to wonder at it's strange title. remember ing that when those early Spaniards explored these barren heights in search of gold and unconquered Indians, and found this green and cup-like hollow, they were glad to rest here awhile from their Journey. This led to the estab- lishment of a military post, which af- forwards grew into city; and in 154S Don Alonzo de Mendoza, who seems to have had & streak of poetry in his sor- did soul, soIemnIy christened it Nuestro Sonora de Ia Paz, "Our Lady of the Peace.n The name was changed about seventy years ago, just after the deei- sive battle of Ayacucho, by means of which Bolivia gained her independence from Spain, ,athe final treaty of peace be- ing celebrated hereto La Paz de Aya- cucho. ~
 And certainly the very spirit of peace, or rather of likeness, seems breeding over the scene. Because of the great elevation, more than thirteen thousand feet above sea-IeveI, everybody moves about slowly who moves at all, for that distressing complaint known as sir roche, or difficulty of breathing, is sure to follow active exercise. Away up here winter and summer are much alike, because, though completely sheltered by mountain walls from all the winds that blow, the air has in it the chill of the nearby Andean snow fields. Out of doors in the middle of the day 1t is tole- rably comfortable, but the houses, not one of which has any sort of apparatus for warming purposes. are damp and cold as so many tombs. except in rooms which are thoroughly penetrated by the midday sun. ...e-........ ..... ,...... .a
 Imagine civilized community where water freezes nearly every night in tht year, depending solely upon the sun for heat, especially when in this altitude that orb is more inconstant than the moon is said to be, sometimes refusing to show his face for days together!
 Summer clothes" are never required in La .Paz Everybody wears his over coat at all seasons, and needs ie much more in doors than out, Strange to say, the uncomfortable people,, shivering around the house in shawls and furs, have an unconquerable prejudice. against artificial heat and believe that to keep a fire in a stove of grate would
 dototal destruction to health. An S gentleman residing here loaned us a contriranee for burning kerosene, to mitigate the deadly chilli In our rooms,-and great was the conster- nation in the hotel when it was discov- cred! Not only were we repeatedly warned that our lives were seriously en- dangered thereby, but those of the en- tire household as well; and when la grippe came along little later and reaped It's harvest under this roof as elsewhere, we were excessively annoyed by dark hints thrown out to the effect that all the sickness and death in the town was directly traceable to that < same little oil stove. s. ...
 But there are compensations every where for most of the ills of life, and one with an eye to the picturesque may find them even in La Paz. Let us Hook unto the gills'' with the Psalmist, inst now wonderful with patches of light and shadow. varying from dark est purple to palest gray. Directly op- posite our window sky-pierci1g lliima- Iii, the giant mountain of the Andes, looms up like a shooted ghost, white as 1insulled snow can make 1t; while on every hand. stretching far as the, eye can reach, are lines of mountains ris- ing tier above tier to the horizon-gold- en-green on the sunny foothills, arne- tfyst and brown beyond them, and the distant haighths misty blue. In front of Illimar1i and locking close beside it's snowy background (but in reality more than forty miles this side of iD rises the dark five-peaked and ,many-belled tow er Of a city sanctuary: and nearer yet fronting us on the other side of the plaza. is the sky-blue building with dark red doors and pillars, and tall white tower with clock in it, which was formerly a church but now-stuck all over with circus and lottery placards lis used by the Bolivian congress for its sessions. On one side of it long, lavender-hued structure stretches to the corner, with a broad strip of pea-green painted across the front, in which ap- pears iii black letters the legend, Cafe de Paris" while on the other hand, a two-story building with arches above and below, all pale green, completes that side of the square. Separated by a, narrow street from the emerald-hued arches aforesair, hises the presidents acio-three-storied, the lower story of hewn stone left in its natural color, the upper part painted blue. Its win dows have neither outer nor inner shut ters, but each is guarded by an iron- rail balcony. Red-trousered soldiers are lolling all day before it's entrance, 4a,,5 o howe fhar, floats fha porpnous flag