The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-02-13
GREAT DOINGS IN CHILL.
RIGGS AND RoTos OUT ON 4
 TEAR.
Compulsory Patriotism of Disz Y
 Ocho.

Compulsory Patriotism of Disz Y
 Ociio.
 Especial Correspondence Of the Journal
 and Courier.)
 Conception. chili, Jan. s, 1903.
 In the spanish language Diez y Ocho means eighteen, and among Chilenos the words have special reference to their national independence day, Sep tember IS. Patriotism usually remains rampant about a month, and the true Gillian will cut the throat of any man who refuses to celebrate with him. Be- fore the festive time of year the law compels people to paint their houses, to clean the streets and to furbish up things generally, both inside and out. Every woman in Chili must have new gown for the Diez Ocho, and in the matter of bonnets it Is to the creme de la creme what Easter Sunday is to so- ciety ladies in the north. Flags stream ing over every doorway transform the streets into long vistas of bunting-the
  gle white stripe on a blue ground and two stripes, one white. one red-inter- spersed by the colors of foreign off, cials. There is a law in the land re- quiring evervy house to have a flag staff, and every flagstaff to hang out the national banner by day and a lan- tern at night on all anniversaries of the republic. In preparing for the great festival many of the poor sell nearly ev- erything they possess in order to secure pocket-money for the occasion. By the way, here is a hint for travellers: In most foreign countries. and especially in Spanish America, it is quite the cor rect thing to visit pawn-shops, where in may be picked up many choice and curious souvenirs for example, as diamonds in antique settings, golden spoons, silver candlesticks, splendidly embroidered shawls prayer books bound in pearl etc. A few weeks after Diez Y Ocho, when the short time has elapsed during which these may be re- deemed by their owners (and they sell dom are redeemed), is the best time for pawn-shop purchasing. The funniest part of the patriotic season is the pre- liminary spree which always precedes the regular celebration by just two weeks, and is supposed to appropriately lead up to it. This extra jollification is known as "Diez y Ocho chico" Little Eighteen n''-and is continued three days. Though participated in by all classes. from the president down to the hum bIest peon, it is considered far less swell than the later celebration. Cannons boom, bands play "viva Chili,' and carriages drive to and fro carrying gaily-dressed people with happy faces. Hundreds of young caballeros, mounted on prancing steeds, with wonderfully ornamented saddles and trappings gall lop about like mad, to display their equestrian skill and prepare for the af- ternoon's tournament. The fashionable resort of Conception is the Alameda. snug Up against a hill which rises abruptly to the height of a thousand feet in the outskirts of the city. Lom- bardy poplars grow thickly in long rows from end to end of the Alameda. On either side of these lines of noble trees, rows of tents are set for the na- tfonal festival Some of the motley houses are made of boards covered with cloth, some of old carpets, or mating, and few of orthodox canvas They are occupied by thousands of country people, all dressed in their best-whole neighborhoods together, bent on having a week or two of thorough enjoyment. Every tent appears to serve as hotel, for in front of each, women are con- stantly preparing food-some kneeding dough, others brewing soup and others frying onions-odorous tamales in ket- ties of boiling fat. Inside, on shelves, such, for example, as huge turkeys, each baked with head and feet intact, and a green olive in his bill. Should you call for a meal at one of these hostelries, you would find the menu about as fol- lows: Soup made of chopped clans, beef kidneys, cabbage and onions; the lungs of fat pigs, broiled: boiled sea crabs, garnished with the griiled en- trails of pigs; roasted sea- -urchins, served in their own purple shells; fried fish, with sauce prepared from cow feet; roast turkey, stuffed with onions, spices, red peppers and coryanders; fried peas, pepper salad, bread, cheese and yerba mate-tea tea of Paraguay, slipped boiling hot through a silver tube the size of a straw You can take the whole course standing for the modest sum of about two dollars; or, if more economically inclined, you may find a cheaper alternative on the back side of the same tent, where for dos reales I sftWenty-tive cents), you can join the family dinner of boiled meat and vege- tables, all eating from the same wood- er bowl; and an extra medic (six cents) will secure you two or three glasses of native wine with which to wash it down. Every tent is also ballroom and a saloon, as well as hotel where two or three young women sing the platntiye airs of the Cuaca, accompany ing their voices with guitars, while cou- pie after couple come solemnly forward, twirl their handkerchiefs and dance, the by-standers keeping time by the clapping of hands. Casks, barrels, bot ties and pig-skins of wine are strewn all about; and so, while some trip the light fantastic" others drink, and they in turn dance and drink again, un- til all become too top-heavy for further effort. The wine being the pure juice of the grape, lately expressed, it produces no i'll effect, but stupor which soon wears off. For the amusement of those who do not care to dance the munich