The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-07-02
Especial Correspondence to the Journal
and Courier.)
NoDtevidSao NAV % 1904

Especial Correspondence to the Journal
and Courier.)
Montevideo, May 20. 1904.
A wider contrast can hardly be imag-
ined than between the quiet church-go-
ing Sundays at home and the festive
aspect of MontevideO on the Lords day.
Here everybody goes to church most re-
ligeously, but after Mass in the morn
ing and vespers in the evening he con-
siders his duty done to heaven and
proceeds to enjoy the blessings Of this
world after his own fashion. The pla-
zas are thronged with smiling people
promenading to the music of military
bands; the retail shops. saloons, ETC.,
are open all day and largely patron
lied, and the race-course is in full blast,
with its gambling booths and other ac-
cessories. On Sunday night the thea
tiers contain the largest and most fash
ionable audiences and present the best
performances Of the week; and there
are public balls and private parties and
gay social gatherings all over the
country The customs of Spanish
america, as of nearly all the countries
Of Europe in regard to Sabbath keeping,
are very different from our onw, which
are still somewhat burdened by the
prejudices Of our Puritan ancestors,
who fined a man five dollars for the
unbecoming levity Of kissing his wife
On that stern and awful day, and con-
strued the love of God to mean reIent-
less persecution of all who held other
opinions. -..-..z--.s ---.....
After a few turns in the plaza most
OF the Montevidean world HES itself to
Ell Prado-an extensive pleasure garden
about three miles from the city, reached
by tramway through the fashionable
residence suburb known as Paso del
Moline. The prado, belonging to the
municipality, is the park Of the COM
mon people, not so much for style and
show as those down town, but patron
lied to some extent by the SWEETEST of
the swells in elegant carriages with
liveried coachmen and footmen, and on
horseback with gorgeous saddles ana
silver stirrups, who include a few mo-
ments here In the course of their daily
airing. Al gay little river dances
through the plaza, lined with the trees
Of every zone, and at the entrance are
planted four rows of tail eucalyptus
trees. r5.ts-s. - ~ d.
From end to end the lovely garden is
filed with rustic fountains. flower beds,
rockeries, statuary-but has never the
sign so familiar at home, Keep off the
grass Al pavilion within the enclosure
Is especially appropriated by the
Basques, who make UP a large share Of
Montevideo's population and swarm out
on Sundays to trip the light fantastic
toe to the music of drums and fiageo-
let's. Fantastic indeed are their nation
Rindances, which seem to consist main
" In posturing to the slow, plaintive
national airs.
There Is also a French restaurant,
Spanish billiard room, German beer sa-
looms, Yankee shooting galleries, no end
Of booths where the natives cana Is
sold, and all manner of apparatus for
outdoor games, which the young and
giddy indulge in, while their elders loaf
placidIy upon benches under the trees.
Many families bring their lunch bas-
kets, prepare to spend the entire day
and camp in GYPSY fashion. Notwith-
standing the number Of cana stalls, we
are surprised to see that there is ne in
toxication, and everybody is harmless
" happy apparently as much at peace
with the world to come, according to
their lights, as with this life here below
One thing may be truly said of our
easy going southern neighbors that
though everybody. men, women and
children, imbibe freely of wine, chica,
cana or some form of ''the rosy" and
almost everybody CANDLES with per-
sistency that would astonish northern
black-leg yet nobody gets vulgarly
drunk, and the gambling vice is not
made a secret one, to be stealthily in
dulged In by evading the law in dark
ened corners. Priests and sinners, pau