The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-11-16
IHf LADIES OF Argentina
AS SEEN IN QUAINT BUT ARTS TO-
CRATIC MENDOZA. LIFE AT THE
BASE OF THE SNOW-CROWNED

ANDES.
SPECIAL Correspondence of The Journal.l
MENDOZA, ARGENTINA, October 3,
qaj. Rambling about Mendoza in the
iay time you do not often meet any of
he bellies of the town, except very
larly i'll the morning on their way to
NJ returning from matin service in the
lunches. They come out again in the
in all the glory of silken
gowns, French heels and Spanish
nantillas, to make their purchases by
1sratline light in the baZaar-like shops
Il the Gale San Martin, where goods
,re piled to the ceiling in one indis-
inmate tumble, no attempt being
made to classify different articles on
he shelves, or to show them off in the
5ndows; and afterwards the ladies
axe few leisurely turns in the plaza,
q the music of the military band.
leubtless the universal appetite for
Vrets and aversion exercise is largely
pspOnsible for the prevailing obesity,
watch begins to show itself upon these
gcmen in the early twenties and trans
arms them to shapeless Jumps of fat
1t middle age. But at all hours of
iay the bare-footed females of the
over classes may be met in the streets,
,omg on errands for their mistresses
# gossipping and flirting with their
lovers - dark-skinned
Vhnos," with more or less Indian
qo5d in their veins. All wear light
ottou dresses, with black WOODEN
aautaS drawn over their heads and two
,lg hraids of dark hair hanging down
l5 lack. This popularity of pendant
iAds characterizes the Indian, Cinema
ai Chela women in all parts of South
.merica, as turbans and nose jewels
sunguish the coolies and creoles
# BraZil and the Guianas. Each
+ he ladies, toddling to church
H. er absurdly high French heels, is
o wed by bare-footed Cinema maid,
MWing on her arm an alfondia, or
la!. square prayer rug, to be spread on
4t stone floor of the sanctuary for her
Mistress to kneel upon. Other bare
o1ted females are going to and from
4l let, balancing huge water jars on
heir heads, or large shallow baskets of
rult or vegetables, or the days supply
+ raw meats, or bright tin pans tn at
al7ingly reflect the first rays of the
logaing sun. Here, as everywhere
se in South America, the fashion of
arriving everything on the head pre-
ais among the lower classes. ANY
9orning you may meet woman with
dead pig or sheep poised on top of her
Tauium, or staggering under load of
IeWood; or perhaps her headpiece is
autily ornamented by folded UNI
rr "a, or pair of shoes going to the
0lJier, or a bouquet of flowers which
"a mistress is sending to some friend.
Z Mendoza one sees many servants
-kng the market expeditions in
ckety cabs, for here carriage hire is
o very cheap that everybody can afford
o sIde. Among the upper classes the
aaster and mistress never dream of
thing as going to market, and it
ulte the custom to add real to the
sy allowance for kitchen supplies, to
e Hsed for carriage by the servant
acts as steward or stewardess 1t
, ,ortunate that cheap vehicles are
tain the reach of all classes in this
'y of magnificent distances" where
eat is often intense. There is one
mWay line, down the principal
,i-et, but it is not much patronized
Erpt by foreigners; and the town
4~0les over an incredible space, con-
Nrlng that its population is less than
% This is partly due to the fact
ai the city squares are $50 yards each
.dy, and that the one-story houses
ac4 with many rooms and door-yard
tHln its walls cover great deal of
muud
U1e of the sights of Mendoza is the
"a, where the Gauchos-tne half
i men of the plains-congregate
Wits their curiously harnessed horses
.."never they come to town. Even
'Atu a horse is to be hitched to cart
st has saddle put on him, which
S made in this way: q framework of a
a4tght piece of wood, with two short |
.-ces nailed at right angles on each
la has two long, round cushions, fill
4 With hair, fastened on the under
.jf These cushions rest on the horses
ach, one each side of the backbone
l7-r the framework piece of leather
, allied, and over and under all are
Med as many saddle-cloths as the own
@ possesses, the whole held in place by
very wide girth. A raw-hide thong
jasaes through a hole in the end of the
ar, pole, and this thong is tied a ring
i. enc side of the saddle. A primitive
mile and reins are added, and the cart
S lady to start-unless more than one
oIse is needed. If so, one end of a
lnE rope is fastened to the saddle of
lie other horse and the other end of
he c0pe to some part of the cart, gen.
rally to the front edge. If the load is
leayy, sometimes two or three of these
oose horses are attached. The horse
with the pole does the steer
hs and he is free to go in any direc-
lou acting as he does on pivot-the
.ae of the pole. The driver rides this
arse.
>ometimes half a dozen gauchos, mount
d IN their horses hitched to cart,
nay be seen racing at furious pace,
1e various cOlors of their pOnchos and
omUreroS presenting a motley appear
nee, This race is for bet as to who
Sli first reach a given point where
one cargo lies which the first arrival
yli take away. When not at work the
plgit of gambling is rampant among
Aese strange tribes of the plain. The
ayorite game is known as "juego la
mcha." 1t is played by taking two
oTses from the carts and fastening a
lde rope three or four yards long by
ilher end to saddle girth around each
orse's body. Then the two riders
Mount their animals, the horses are
0rned tail to tail and whipped and
Tipped, and sometimes spurred till
Ar blood streams down their TANKS,
mtl the victor-the strongest horse
iuiS the other beyond certain mark
ID distance. 1t is brutal sport, but