The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-28
HIGH LIFE IN ARGENTINE
BY FRANK G. CARPENTER

roll In on the sand, and between you and the ocean are hundreds of booths or tents roofed with canvas. These are filled with people who sit and chat and have little tea parties in sight of the surf There are children playing out side the tents, and down in the ocean are bathers by hundreds, who roll about in the water just as at our own sea- side resorts. Indeed the views on the beach are not very different from those of our seashores. Both sexes go bath ing together, and in this land from where the tango sprang the people are devoted to pleasure They get their run, however, in a more refined way than we do. The seaside has none of the crazy costumes or loud dressing Of our seaside resorts. The bathing suits are usually of black or dark hluc and they arc modest of cut. There IS no loud dressing either on the prom de or on the beach. and on the beach as d rule the groups are either family par ties, or. if bathing, are composed Of only one sex.
 The dressing rooms are under the esplanade, and the bathers walk through the crowds in the tents down to the ocean. Along the shore are racks of towels, and the bather wipes off his face, arms and feet when he comes out.
 The chief bathing hours are from Ia to IF in the morning. In the afternoon You will seldom see any one in the water, and at that time and in the evening there are many strolling up and down the Rambla anxious to show their fine clothes, to see and be seen.
 The crowds on the .Ramba are worth seeing. l know of no place where you can meet so many fine looking, well dressed people at one time The clothes of the men look as though they had just come out of the shop, and the shoes, stockings, neckties and suit of each promenader match in color The women have Paris gowns and there are scores of dresses that cost s100 and upward apiece, notwithstanding by the fashion able cut they scarcely touch the shoe tops. There are hats that would be cheap at S5o apiece and under them you may see Jewels galore. These Argentine girls know how to wear their fine clothes, and the most of them. are wonderfully beau- tfful They have dark liquid eyes, long black hair and clear complexions the color of cream. Most of them are well formed They are tall and dignified, and they know how to walk. They are not bashfu' or backward. They are not im- modest but they seem to be perfectly
 
 hold their own anywhere. Many of them have been educated In Europe, and in culture and bearing they would stand high anywhere in the world
 The older poor people run to fat. There are gouty old men and plump dowagers who. if sold at their weight in gold would need Croesus to buy The flesh of the older women lacks solidity, and their faces are pasty. They look as though if you pressed your thumb into them the dent would stay. They seem putty fleshed.
 The Argentine girls do not object to having their photographs taken. In- deed buying snapshots of yourself and your friends is one of the chief occupa- tions of the crowd on the Rambla There are half dozen photographers who have their cameras so set that they can take pictures nj the crowd as it passes They snap individuals and groups, and these are exposed in the windows the next day. You can look over a whole window containing several hundred such pic>rfes of postal card size, and above tr"nl wls' be the date on which they were taken These dates are now those of yes- terday. and they represent the people who are here at the seaside. You can buy a picture of your sweetheart or of any girl you would like to have for a sweetheart by paving for her sum equal Co 6 cents of our money, and if you vant a picture of yourself so taken they will print you a dozen for s Az s.@e-ire dollars The photographing is all done on speculation, the idea being that when one sees a photograph of him. self e his friends he will order the pie ture.
 The chief hours for strollng about the Rambia are just before breakfast and dinner. By breakfast I mean the noon meal, which begins at about o'clock. You have in addition to this only coffee and rolls upon rising. and dinner which comes at s:3o or 9 in the evening, From II to the esplanade is filled with