The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-10-31

him company, all being detained in du-
rance vile until it was proved to the sat
isfaction of everybody just how the fire
originated. If it was due to any care
lessness on the part of the owner or his
family, woe betide them-as if it We're
not bad enough to loose ones property
without being punished for it like a
common criminal
| An acquaintance writing from Con-
ception-the third city of Chilli, situated
some distance south Of Santiago-says:
1.-THE houses hereabouts are built Of
heavy brick and abode, covered with
earthen thing, so that it would be al
most impossible to burn them. Within
the memory of the oldest inhabitant
there has never been a fire in Concep-
cion; but as all well regulated cities in
civilized lands have fire companies, this
ambitious town must have one also.
After a vast amount of spread-eagle
talk, in print and in public speeches, the
citizens organized a company of Bonn
beros composed mainly of the 'gilded
youth and purchased a monster fire
engine, at unheard of expense in trans
portation. But they found no use for
either, except in snowy parades, fol-
lowed by nights of convivial rejoicing
and the usual resultant big heads
When that kind of fame became an old
story, some of the good people deter
mined to redeem their city from the i'm
putation of being behind the times at
any cost. An insurance agent was en-
couraged to visit Conception, and he
succeeded in issuing a number of poll
cies-for about double the value of the
property insured. "A night or two af-
forwards there was a rousing blaze-not
any trifling, second-class affair, but a
genuine eonf1agration, in which coal-oil
and other combustibles caused the flame
to leap and dance right merrily. The
citizens were in ecstacies. Everybody
turned out to see the fun. Church bells
rang jubilantly. The new engine was
dragged through the streets in triumph,
and even the Bomberos managed to ar
rive in time to be in at the death
/ One by one they came sauntering up,
some on foot, others in carriages, all
! having tarried to dress up for the occa-
sion in their brand new uniforms. In
short, it was an eminently satisfactory
performance-for everybody but the in
surance company. The owners of the
bnurned buildings came out some thou
sands Of dollars ahead, for the alleged
damages had to be paid, because the in
suranee business was yet in its infancy
in Chill, and the company knew that
refusal would be a death blow to their
hopes of future prosperity"
Another novelty, seen nowhere but in
Chilli, is the wearing of white mantas
and white dresses by penitentas, or wo-
men who have committed some sin, for
which they desire to atone by thus adj
vertising the fact The black manta, or
shawl, with which the women of Peru
and Bolivia universally cover the head
and shoulders, is also used here, though
mos. ladies os the aristocracy in Chilli
! have discarded it except for church GO
| ing, on other occasions sporting the
! finest French millinery. But if going to
Mass, a manta you must wear, for no
other style of headgear is permitted in
side sanctuary. In this connection j
am reminded of the recent experience of
a Philadelphia couple who are making a
wedding journey around the world and
took in South America on the way. The
bride, who is one of the sweetest and
daintiest little women I ever met, told
me, with a blush of modification, how
they were actually turned out of a San
tiago church: There was a grand Mass
for some religious fiesta; and, being in
utter ignorance of local custom, the
lady wore her travelling hat-a modest
toque of black chip. She says that the
moment they entered the door, woman
came hurriedly forward and whispered
something in an angry tone-in Spanish,
of which language our friends do not
understand word. AS they passed
along the aisle, another woman stepped
up to. stay their progress; then another
and another, each gesticulating more
vehemently than her predecessors, but
4 WhWhispering the same words. Consid-
erably astonished, but knowing no cause
for dismay and feeling sustained by
conscious rectitude, the young Philadel-
lphians bowed serenely to those who ac-
costed them, and having chosen re-
tired spot behind pillow, prepared
with due reverence to enjoy the cere-
monies, But blaek-gowned priest
fstrode down from the altar, took my
lady by the arm and politely walked her
out, followed of course by the now
wrathful husband; and not until they
met an English-speaking acquaintance
did they learn the cause of their ejec-
tion-all on account of that modest little
toque! &.. ~-.es s,E
Though the manta is exceedingly be-
coming to everybody it suits the big
black eyes of these southern sisters bet
ter than the Saxon blue or gray. 1t not
only heightens grace and beauty but
4 hides slovenly dressing and all defects
of figure. When properly draped il
makes an old woman look young, a
skeleton form look reasonably plump, a
meal-bag- CITED in-the-middle shape al
most slender, and renders a handsome
face irresistible. Some of the mantas
Of rich silk, covered all over with heavy
! embroidery and edged with the real
Spanish lace, cost from one hundred and
fifty to eight hundred dollars. There
are cheaper all wool varieties that drape
equally well and have an embroidered
vine running around the edges, which
sell for between thirty and one hundred
dollars; while coarser grades, commonly
worn by servants and los pobras can be
bought as low as five dollars. But the
mantas of the penitentas are none oil
them of these, being strips Off white