The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-08
By FRANK G. CARPENTER.
Mexico City

IT HIS letter is written for the dear
little chickens" of the United
States ! mean chickens i'll the
Mexican sense. The young women and
girls OF this country are affcctionately
called Chickens" If they arc under
eighteen they 20 by the name of pol
litas.' or little chickens. and If over
that they are called ''pollas, or
grown UP or big chickens. The COM
parison is even carried out as to the
men. If youns and marriageable. they
are known as "gallinos,' or young
ROSTERS. II old and tough they are
called "gallos." or old cocks.
am writing this for our girls
rather than for the boys. bu, | doubt
not ii will form good feed for our
old roosters as we'll II is about the
women of MeNco--how they look,
how they love. and how they are
courted and welded.
Me1ico's beautiful Girls.
wish | could take YOU with me
through the Alameda here at the capt.
tai or around any OF the big plazas
of the interior cities when the band
plays sunday evenings The girls are
then out en- masse. and the boys as
we'll. The girls walk by themselves
and the boys by themselves. Edcn
sex goes double file. and SO that they
face as they pass. The men stare
hard at the girls. II is not improper
here for man 10 look at a woman.
and If he ogles her she thinks it a
compliment This oglng goes on even
in the business streets during shop
ping hours. and ii hics from carriage
to carriage along the fashionable
drives The amorous slances, how
ever. come from only the men. The
girls are so watched that it takes a
sly maiden. indeed. who can sneak a
love look out Of the tail of her eye /,
without the knowledge OF the mother,
aunt or duenna. who always goes |
with her 10 keep her in order.
Not many years ago il was the rule |
for the girls to have their faces hall |
hidden by their mantillas, and even |
now this is done somewhat by the |
sevillana CIR little mantilla. small |
shawl OF black lace which they drape |
over the head on going to church
The Mexican custom forbids one So
ing TO church to show her clothes .
Worship and she must go clad III
black with her head draped in black
lace
No Wonder They OEIc the Girls.
| do not blame the men for admir-
ing the girls Mexico is a land OF
beautiful women. and the pollitas es
pecially seem good to my eyes. The
girls mature here much sooner than
Uncle sans maidens. At twelve they
are as old as our girls OF sixteen. ana !
at fourteen they are ready for mar
riase. a great many girls marry at !
fifteen and sixteen. and the girl who ,
has no husband b. the time sh, is
twenty is on the road to old ma idcn.
hood.
After that hci beauty begins 10 de-
cline. Al twenty-tive or sin her Sc
dentary life has turned her plumpness
TO fairness. and after thirty she needs
some anita; remedy. The young girls
mere have Sor:pleXions or Il brunette
order with rosy checks and dark eyes
and hair. The hair is often as black |
as midnight in the tropics. and II
rvows SC luNCriamly that II falls to |
the waist 1t is seldom tortured With |
curling irons. and it has IA good wash
every week, so that II is fluffy and
clean. Here IN the city il is often
worn in the most modern way but as
a rule, 1t is brought down over the
forehead, almost meeting the eye
brows. Some girls wear their hair
banged.
Tho features of tie Mexican women |
are fine. Many have faces of |
Greek cast with good foreh, ads and |
straight roses. They have nearly |
teeth. shapely necks. and the easy |
carriage of the Aztecs Their eyes
ere beautiful They are large. dark |
and liquid, and frank and honesr |
"ithal They are not at all bold. AND
a modest demeanor is rather the fash
ION. Tho Women are we'll formed and
graceful. and are all good dancers.
Dress.
have SPOKEN of the dress worn in
the churches. II is different on the |
band playing evenings. when ont ria
lns or at the opera. Then tho richer |
girls OF the capital wear costumes