The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-12-12
NEW

tiago was established almost as soon as the city, by Valdivia. the founder. Those of San Juan de Dios. for maIes' and of San Francisco de Borjas, for fe- males, are the most noted. These, as well as many other hospitals scattered all over Chili, in every town and city, are under the care of the Sisters of Saint Vincent de Faulo, who have their central convent in Santiago. They are aided by the government, but have also considerable revenues of their own, de- rived from gifts and legacies. In the capital city there are asylums also for the blind, the insane, widows, orphans, and the sick and homeless of all classes. The asylums for widows and orphans are mostly in charge of the Sisters de la ProVidencia, from the Dominion Of Canada. During the last fifty years they have established and nobly sus- tained eight convents-in Santiago, Val paraiso, Conception and other places in Chilli, and have given shelter to thou sands of unfortunates. In various wars and epochs of epidemic these good wo- men have shown the most heroic deyo tion.
 Speaking of Chilian generosity, it is asserted that the owners of Santiago S marble palaces are so free with their wealth that Irish and American tramps easily make from ten to twenty dollars day by begging at their doors! This careless giving, however, should not be called charity, but rather weak indul- gence in the luxury of spending money which can scarcely be counted among the saving virtues.
 Few cities can boast of a more de- lightful climate. finer situation or grander scenery than this. Though barely eighteen hundred feet above the sea, it is far enough from the equator to escape excessive heat, yet not so dis tant as to be subject to extreme cold. Set in the midst of a great, green val ley, the mighty Andes that stretch away to the horizon on every side, en- close it as within walls, from eight thousand to twenty thousand feet high their snowy bulwarks in dazzling con- trast to the cloudless blue above, the living green below, and the golden sunshine that envelopes all as with a garmemnt. From every street and balcony the most glorious views may be obtained-of mountains towering above mountains, with such rosy tints upon them at sunrise, and evening shades of amethyst darkening to purple, as nc brush can paint or pen describe. The country immediately surrounding Santi- ago is made up of small estates, with handsome villas upon them, belonging to wealthy families who have the good taste to forsake the city's glare in sum. menr time for a few months of rural living. Many of these suburban casas are fitted up in style of elegance rarely surpassed in similar residences of Europe or the United States. The true name of this ancient capital is Santiago del nevo Escremo-" saint James of the New Beginning "a strange title, bestowed upon It by the conqueror Valdivia. nearly four hun dred years ago, in conformity with the Jurisdiction that had already been set up at Cuzco, under the fist bishop oi South America, The history of Its founding reads like romance -how Pi. Zarro's whilom friend, Diego de Alma gro, tried hard to conquer the tribes ol this valley, but failed disastrously; oi heroic interposition of the Virgin Mary who appeared standing in the clouds, tC the confusion of the sayages, and oi that blessed spook, Saint James, thu Spanish patron, who seems to have hac habit Of riding downward from th' skies on milk-white steed at eritica junctures; and of the later vlcissitude'
 of Pedro de Valdivia, who, came sooi after Almagro's defeat, With only a fev
 Of his countrymen, but great follow
 ing of friendly Peruvians, and estab
 lished the town on the right bank Q
 the river Mapoche. in front of thi
 Araucanian village. ........ FANNIE B. WARD.