Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-15


AT quito, the Audean capital OF Ecus =
dor where there is still much of old Spain
among the ruling families, the mantill;.
is 20 be seen among the worshipers in
the cathedral. and occasionally among
the thrcngs in the streets At Lima its
use both on shopping expeditions and OH
church days is still very common, but
ON other occasions it is displayed by
more modern forms of feminine head
gear.
In Bolivia once. during q long stage
Journey, a Bolivian lady and her hus-
hand were among tire passengers She
Wore Z fine Enantilia- family heirloom
from t;ilencia, in Spain. An hour after
We reached la Flz / met her and her
husband III the Murillo plaza 1t was
Sunday afternoon and every body was out
Tor stroll The mantila had diSap-
peared and in its place was fairly be
coming Paris hat. which had come by
parcel post. AT Santiago a few weeks
ago noted that except during the morn
ing hours. when the Santiago ladies
We're going 10 mass. the mant.lla was
rarely seen.
The American military occupation at
Cubs; was one cause of the decadence OF
the rnantilla. In the breaking away from
iron-bound customs of which the Cuban
of Spanish America sympathiZed. Later
they followed the Cuban example.
Changes in mode Of dress and feninin.
adornment are, however. merely the
superficial expression of deeper changes.
These are perhaps the most marked in
Lima, which is the center of Peruvian
culture. 1t is there that Latin American
conservatism has been attacked most
subtly, yet without any shock.
\ bevy OF schoolgirls attracted the at
tention OF an american who had lived
in Peru many years. They are going
10 the roller skating rink he remarked.
and you see there is no older sister no
family servant, with them. Ten years
ago this would not have been possible
just AT that time bridge tournament
at the National Club was in progress.
] think it was auction bridge. For sew
eral evenings everybody in social life in
Lima was there. Just imagine said
this same American. nov il would have
seemed a few years ago 10 have sug-
sested that these ladies should take part
in affairs OF this kind. Everybody would
have been Mortified But see what {.
good time they are having now
recollected a public banquet or dinner
of some kind at the National Club a few
Eears back, when ladies were present
with their husbands. and this was re-
me that il was the first occa sion she
had ever been al function of the kind
although her husband was man of
prominence.
Another instance Of The change as it
Is seen in Peru 1t was only three months
ago that young Inatron Of Lima was
giving voice TO her pleasure at the pros
pect of going TO q ball with her husband
II vas her first dance. She would leave
six children at home When she vas
q schoolgirl such a thing as attending
ball was tInheard of and after her
marriage, at the age of seventeen. though
her husband went out to frequent func-
tions. neither of them ever thought that
she should go along Possibly some one
can imagine an American girl waiting
so long TO attend her first ball, but it
takes good imagination TO do it.
AnotieY example Of the growing nee
dom OF women IS noticeable In Santiago.
The Chilean capital is as big a city as
Washington ana has a large element in