Evening star., 1922-08-13
BY CAROL BIRD.


ored of a charming little senorita
who is called Trinidad. After this
hasty confidence Don Juan is pre-
scented to the visitor from the states.
And where is the beautiful Trini-
dadr' the visitor asks. joining in the
banter directed at Don Juan.
He stares blankly at his ques-
TONER.
Trinidad? At home. of course"
That Is the memory of the Mexico
OF today that comes oftenest to the
traveller who has just returned-at
least when the traveller is woman
AT home. Of course" ] had Won
dered where the women-young Old
middle and upper ciass-of Mexico
could be. I saw so few of them
Don Juan explained. That is where
they all are-the pretty Conceptions.
the dark-eyed Mercedes. the olive
tinted Consuellos At home, where
the senors el esposo, Ell padre. el her
mano-husband. father or brother
choose to keep them.
Some philosopher has said that
''whatever the condition of nation.
its women are the reason" There Is
ample opportunity for both the cynic
and the optimist to agree with this
sage. but. whichever way the epigram
is interpreted, it remains that ma
tion'S women arc among its most
interesting possessions. Nnd per
haps the Mexican woman-her at
mosphere" and her "condition"-is an
index to both sides of any argument
about the republic of President Obre-
Eon.
Bright lights. gay amusements. the
play places are not for Mexico's femi-
ninity. The women are secluded in
a manner almost Moorish. Nor
merely in the name of romance do
the writer's of fiction tell of the lat
ticed balcony. the prison-like setting
of a iustreus-eyed Dolores. who CO.
quettishly tosses a rose to her for
lorn suitor on the ground below.
Sharp-eyed duennas are not paraded
into the noeelists' chapters merely for
effect. 1t is all true in Mexico.
Mexican women of all classes. eX
cept the Indians. are hedged in more
closely than in Spain or any other
European country. Almost the harem
system prevails. | had heard before
I Travelled In the southern republic
that the better class women were
compelled to observe all of the tradi-
rions of Spain. The customs were the
same and Mexican women had no
rights" few privileges and were
subject to the whims of their men,
folk. thought. however. all this
had passed: that with new regimes
and natural progression changes had
come. But ] discovered the old Gus
toms still obtain. almost universally.
There is a new legal or hypotheti-
cal freedom. The women have the
right to vote. though few exercise II.
Those are the only changes-the only
steps toward woman's newer freedom.
The political status of women In Mex
ico did not particularly interest me.
1t was their social condition which
caught my attention.
+ :: X
HAD been in Mexico City several
days when suddenly ] realized 1
had not seen any Mexican women
Indian women. yes: in their "rebosos.
hair in braids. pattering along with
bare feet But women Of the middle and
upper classes. no. Along the splendid
broad avenues of Mexico's beautiful
capital city l had seen plenty OF
Mexican men. business men and also
poems. in brilliant-hued serapes and
wide sombreros. But no women. In
the alamedas (street parks) crowds
of little ninos, with here and there
mana (nurse) guarding them. but no
others Of my sex
Even in the department stores.
places where one would think the
women Of any country would congre-
gate. there were few Of them. Women
of the lower classes. in black shawls
and long trailing black skirts. were
there. but their higher caste sisters
were absent. At first I thought these
Indian women, wives of the poems.
were the only types of which Mexico
could boast. Later | learned that
when the better class women shop
they drive to the stores in closed car
riages or automobiles and remain at
the curb. The shopkeepers carry
merchandise out to them. Sometimes
they have things in which they are
interested delivered to their homes
for inspection.
While speaking to an intelligent
Mexican from Sonora, the state from
which comes De la Huerta. secretary
Of the treasury. l said:
II haven't spoken to a woman since
] arrived in the capital. I haven't met
any. Where are they? Have they
been banished? Or do you keep them
in hiding?" .
80
the inevitable response 1T is not
the custom for our women to 60 about
alone. My wife. for example. Is at
home with our four ninos. She has
plenty to do
But the young girls-where are
they? They haven't any ninos to care
for. Why haven't I seen them about
the streets and parks, stores and res
taurants?'
My friend repeated. mechanically:
1T. is not the custom. Our seno-
ritas never go out unless chaperoned.
II the chaperons are busy-well-the
girls amuse themselves at home"
Eventually I was to discover this
home amusement consisted Of having
thoughts, praying-Mexican women
are exceedingly religious-sewing
bit, painting occasionally, playing the
piano a little and giving much time
to sentimental dreams.
+ y
THE day following my converse
tion this same man brought his
wife to call upon me at my hotel.
She had her four little sons with her
She was timid. and glanced about her