The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-12
The Purple Land That England Lost
Fly c. +. MARKELL

All Latin-Americans possess a nature that is extremely ehiid-like and difficult for us of a northern cline to gauge. This trait is particularly aeeentuated in the women. who are assuredly little more than human dolls
 Should a male stranger rap at the door o1 a fezenda 0arm house) to inquire his way. or for any other purpose, that door would never be opened If the head of the family were not at home. and a South American wife would suffer death rather thar call in the services of a physician during the absence of her husband.
 have already spoken of the wife of a Brazilian never entering into a conversa- ton with a male visitor or even speaking unless addressed by her husband, but when the guests are women the hostess Is hosptable enough The visitor has hardly seated herself before the all-pre- vailing mate is offered her for drink.
 This mate is the national beverage of Brazil, superceding coffee in use and favor. It is accredited with most mar vellous powers of sustenance, a cup or two being sufficinet to enable one to labor all day without fatigue It is served in a most peculiar manner. The leaves ore placed in cup and over them boiling water is poured. which cup is passed around among the guests who drink therefrom by means of the bombillia. This bombllia consists of a long tube with a perforated bulb at one end to prevent the leaves from being sucked through the tube. Among the wealthy both the cup and bombillia arc of silver, bu, among the poor an ordinary gourd, sometimes with silver rim and some times merely etched as are our Easter eggs, takes the place of the mate cup, while the bombillia is made of plaited straw.
 During the disastrous war with Argen- tina and Uruguay many men took their silver to the churches for safe keeping and when they failed to return having been killed in battle, the Brazilian priests sold the silverware at public auctions. Among tho ware were many mate cups, most exquisitely wrought and chastity designed, which were bought by the curio dealers, from one of whom l purchased a superb specimen.
 The Brazilian men display their child ishness in their fondness for fireworks, which are called into acquisition for amusement at all times and hours. The Tooreat camponez peasanD will spend his last Yintem for q rocket which he g1eefully discharges at midday; from the windows of bridal carriage elab crate pyrotechnics are set off by the grirning groom and Roman candles are encountered at every turn.
 was told by an American naval off- cer that the Brazilian ironclads, costing millions of dollars, had been practically ruined In a few years by the childish pranks and experiments to which the boats were subjected by the Brazilian officers in charge.
 This infantile fancy also manifests itself in a fondness for tinsels and gaudly decorated goods.
 When in the diplomatic service l was requested by my government to ascer- tain if possible and report to the state 1 department the reason that certain Eu- ropean goods found a readier sale in Brazil than American stuffs of equally as good, If not better quality. Upon in vestigation I was convinced that the popularity of European wares was due simply to the manner in which they were