The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-09
PRESIDENT CASTRO IS A
MODERN BEAU BRUMMEL

Bowen, the American minister at Caracas
objected to the constant attentions which
| the gallant President inflicted upon the
| minister's young and attractive wife, and
when Mr.. and Mrs. Bowen failed to ap-
pear at the battles relations between the
two former friends became strained.
Castro does not single out any particular
| lady for his attentions, but 1t is we'll I'M
! derstood in Caracas society that the Pres
! ident does not care for undue activity
| on the part of his male guests in the way
! of selecting partners. He wants all the
| favors himself and recently a rule which
could not be surpassed in autocratic Rus
| STA. has been in vogue at the Castro balls
| No gentleman is supposed to ask a lady
| for dance until after the President has
! filled his card. Then he may order the
| programme strung out into extras until
1t doubles or triples its supposed length,
but still Castro must have the pick of the
! dances, and the man who has the temer-
! ity to start out on his own account is
! speedily informed of his bad manners.
Young Woman's Mistake.
An exceedingly charming young woman
went to Caracas from Washington not
long ago on business connected with the
| State Department. She is an accomplished
scholar, and was transcribng some old
| papers relating to the boundary question.
| She was promptly invited to the Presi-
dents ball, and was not little flattered
when the President danced with her I'M
| ceaslngly. But some of the older residents
| gave her a quiet hint not to accept so
many invitations from the President, but
! to distribute her dances among the
younger men. But when she followed this
advice she received no more invitations.
This is the fate of all young women who
! show any independence of character
The President is not partial to the quad
! rifle, say his friends down there. He
will cause the bandmaster to scratch off
all the stately minuets and substitute the
waltz, the two-step, and the gay mazur-
kas. The President is very active step
per, and he wheels his partner with such
/ velocity that few American girls can keep
up'the pace.
! While dancing he munches candy, talks
and tells anecdotes without eeasing. Be-
| tween times he smokes cigarettes, and in
yariably offers one TO his partner. If, like
most American and British women, she
! does not indulge in the weed, he produces
some candy cigarettes, made of delicious
| chocolate and insists upon at least an
appearance of Joining in his smoke.
Full OF Egotism.
Like nearly all men of the lower ORDER
who pull themselves up to high social and
| political place, Castro is full of egotism
! He becomes very tlresome after a time
and the gossip in Caracas is that Madame
Castro, his wife, has taken refuge in Paris
| against his constant reitera lions of his
wonderful destiny and his marvellous quail
tiles of mind. The Presidents well known
penchant for pretty women and his con-
| slant attendance on them led to reports
that Madame lie Presidente refused to
share her honors with so many charmers.
| But the usual version is that Madame
Castro, who is of higher stripe intel
lectually than her husband, prefers life
W eb ts
as well as her children.
Life in Caracas offers few attractions
| for an intellectual man or woman, and the
present executive has never found time
| to elevate the educational standard or the
mental poise of his people. He is inclined
to resent any attempts at pedagogy, as
tending to decrease his prestige The eco
Eomic conditions and the gradual change
| in the people has led many students OF
| sociology to the Venezuelan capital, but
they receive scant courtesy and no en-
couragement.
Even the Americans just now are feel
ing the effects of Castros latest plunge
into world diplomacy. He became over
bearing and more tnan usually autocratic
VIXEN 1t was announced that Minister
Bowen would be transferred to another
station.
Is Stocky Built.
In appearance Castro does not reach the
ideal of the martial adventurer the gal
liant soldier of fortune or the strong man
who can shape nations to his will. He is
barely feet inches, and is so stocky
that he seems even of lesser height. His
immense girth of shoulder and his big
head give a suggestion of mentality,
which those closest to him say he does
not possess. Courage he has and to spare,
and absolute conviction in his own ulti-
mate success. But withal, his character
shows such frivolity such wanton care
lessness, that he forms an interesting psy-
Geological study as well as an object les
son for the student of political conditions
Since becoming President he has dis
carded some of the habits of his early
years in Caracas, and he now dresses to
the height of fashion. When he first
came to the capital, where he now admin
) listers the government without the slight
est assistance he was sent as senator to
the federal congress from the Andine
state of FL Taehira. His appearance in
the federal assemblage was grotesque and
one of his many claims to originality was
that whenever he got ready to address
the body he would invariably take off his
Shoes place them on his desk, and then
put on pair of black kid gloves. Now
he gets every part of his raiment from
Paris, and he takes the same delight in
leading the fashions that he does in lead
ing the dances.
in these days to be essential for the sue
cessful ruler never fails to awaken sur
prise. At the last New Years reception
the minister from Holland presented a fell
low countryman, travelling in Venezuela
for scientific purposes The President
asked whence he came. and he replied
that his home was in Holland, at Amster-
dam, the capital of the Netherlands
Holland, Netherlands repeated the
President "Ah, I know that. II is lit
tie dependency of Curocao I have been
having great trouble with that island late
ly. I hope that In Holland you behave
better than in Curocao."
Officers His Old Cronies.
The men about Castro are his old GRO
MES and fellow Adventures. The seere-.
tary of the treasury, the witty muleteer,
| Tello Mendoza, is his right hand man, and
the secretary of state is stout barber,
who piled his trade to great profit in