Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-06-16
#listellaneuus Beading.
MEXICAN HOME LIFE.
Care of Dependent misunderstanding
Of Children.

Of Children.
Mexican families are proverbially
large. Almost all of the actual care
of children is turned over to servants,
who are expected to humor every whim
of their charges.
The existence of sharp caste dis
tinctions and the preponderance of a
slavelike element make a great diff
ference between the atmosphere OF
Mexican homes. In the latter the chill
dren are little tyrants over those who
serve them. Middle and upper class
parents do not educate their offsprings
to respect and engage in wholesome Ia
Dor. There is a notable absence OF
discipline in the training Of children.
A Mexican family, besides wife and
children, includes more often than not
dependent relatives. A man Is bound
If called upon, as though under the
old Hebrew law, to care for his pa
rents, his wife's parents, the maiden
sisters on either side, as well as or
phan nieces and nephews. But the
same custom which provides that a
woman's male relatives shall care for
her also places her under their con-
troll.
To Americans it seems that the only
hope of freedom for our sister of the
southern republic is to become wild
ow. AS a girl she Is under the surveil-
lance of her parents. Till she marries,
if she be of the upper middle or upper
class, she does not to this day go upon
the street unattended. The extent to
which protection of women is carried
may be seen from the fact that in the
higher castles they never attend burials,
the experience being considered too
public and excruciating for them.
The Mexican girl never sees her
sweetheart alone excepting from the
balcony. She knows nothing Of ath-
letics, of the independent and busy life
enjoyed by the English or American
girl. AS to intellectual culture, some
of the wealthiest senoritas are educated
in Europe and many at home In music,
smattering Of painting and in the
languages, but they do not attempt
science, history or mathematics. The
majority of the women of the country
know little beyond reading and writ
ing.
The Mexican women being left more
free from household cares than the
women of most other countries would
seem to have much opportunity for So
cial life. But this phase with them Is
extremely quiet. They drive in their
carriages and visit close friends or
relatives. They entertain old friends
on the occasion of family birthdays
and saints days. But there Is lack
ing the busy system of calls, clubs, re-
ceptions and constant theatregoing
which obtains among American wo-
men.
Till few years ago even the shop
ping was done largely at home, the
stores obligingly sending quantities of
silks, laces or other goods for the in
spection Of an intending purchaser on
receipt of a message borne by SER
want. The custom was modified by the
buyers driving to the stores and hav-
ing goods brought out to their car
riages. Now Mexican women shop as
Americans do.
In the capital of the nation and in
the state capitals there is more or less
holding of official functions Young
people enter with romantic zest into
their occasional balls and into garden
parties held IN the "alamedas" or parks
of suburban towns and smaller cities.
There are the peculiar Christmas fes-
tivities, lasting for a fortnight. But
on account Of the close chaperonage 1t
all seems tame and oppressively for
NAL to foreigners.
Mexican homes are pretty we'll clos
ed to foreigners. But when once
stranger Is admitted to the family cir
Gle he is accorded not only warm hos
pitality but, what is more to be appre-
ciated, a tolerant and unmeddlesome
respect. Mexicans are thorough Cath
olics and live under a social regime
which belongs to feudal and chivalric
times rather than to modern days.
Yet they leave a stranger in their
midst to worship or fail to worship as
he may choose, to come and go and live
socially after his own bent.-Los An
geles Times.