Show II SOUTHERN CLIMES A Graphic Birdseye View of Valparaiso GLIMPSES OF LIFE IN CHILI IlighToned Bomber aral Whlto Gowned Penitents Their Peculiar Habits and Customs VAMAEAISO April 31S9L Special correspondence cor-respondence of THE HIRALDl1 believe it was the year 1536 that Don Jaun Saareda a Spaniard famous for nothing else captured this locality from the aborigines He laid it out in three seperate towns and named them respectively El Puerto the port El Almcndral and St Johnof God 1J but had them christened in the lump so to speak under the general title of rallaraisuValo of Paradise Ti That portion anciently called El Puerto is the only level part of the city and comprises all tho business quarter which until recently re-cently consisted of one long straggling street close to the beach The cucslas or hillsdedicated to St John of God which now comprise most of the residence portion vary in height from one thousand to fourteen hundred feet Nothing Noth-ing can be more exhilarating than an early morning or sunset canter over those breezy heights along the new road that has been cutout of solid rock away up on the steep precipices that face the bay One day WE WENT OS FOOT TO THE TOP of the tallest cticstci where in time of peace a signal staff gives notice of the approach of shipping Up and up we climbed by a winding pathway part wooded stairs part stone pavement at a sharp incline and slippery slip-pery as glass turning now to the right now to the left according to the zigzag trail clinging to the iron railing that partially par-tially protects the path as it rounds the cape of borne mans garden while a brisk breeze turned our sun shades wrong side out and threatened to serve our garments in the same manner At length wo were compelled to sit down I on the stairs ostensibly because so charmed 1 with the scene below but in reality from lack of breath to carry us another step Just then a handsome Chilena tripped past trailing a black velvet gown weighted with 1ouuds of jet beads yet looking unwearied and fresh as a rosebud in June But she lives up here and is used to it and that makes all the difference in the world you Knowl 1 A boy with a hundredfoot ladder might CLIMB most THE PUERTO STRAIGHT UP into her back yard in three minutes time while to reach the front door she must wind around the hills a mile or more Almost Al-most any resident of this part of the town could easily surprise his nearest neighbor by slipping off his own porch and landing on the Tatters roof and if a child should happen to fall from the window of many a house he would bring up on the stone paved street five hundred feet below But the glorious view is worth climbing for There are beautiful hills rising one above another dancing cataracts and majestic ma-jestic mountains there is the crescent shaped bay without a ripple upon its burnished burn-ished surface its ships motionless as sheeted ghosts and its rolling tides washing wash-ing the gray rocks at our feetall combining combin-ing to produce an effect of profound peacefulness peace-fulness It is difficult to believe amid birds and butterflies and golden sunshine that war in its most horrible form that of brother against brother is deluging this fair country with bloodimpossible to realize rea-lize that FAMINE IS ABROAD IX THE LAND and that even now starvation threatens the citizens of this Vale of Paradise as well as those of Chilis capital since no crops can be harvested or fresh supplies brought in from any source so long as the present deplorable state of affairs continues Already Al-ready the little food to be had commands prices far beyond the reach of the poor and there is much suffering especially among the families of conscripted soldiers And what will it be weeks later or may be only days hencewhen the advancing horde comes marching in1 In spite of Herculean efforts to crush the rebellion President Balinaceda is rapidly losing ground and as the insurgents gain boldness with each victory vic-tory their natural cruelty increases and revolting atrocities become matters of every day Viewed from this altitude the streets in the level portion of the town look insignificant insignifi-cant but their vast array of redtiled roofs makes a pleasingpicture The houses are mostly threestoried with thick walls plastered plast-ered to represent stoneR stone-R SPAXGLER A RECENT JIISSIOXAKr TEACHER from Kansas declares that their stiff straightupanddown lines are so out of harmony with the gracious landscape that they suggest to him cold damp and cramp colic and such incongruous things as an undertaker at a picnic and a corpse at a wedding But SpanishAmerican architecture archi-tecture though different from anything found at the north has its beauties and advantages ad-vantages Among the latter may be mentioned men-tioned the important fact that the houses are hard to burn The roofs of earthen tiles embedded in dried mud extremely picturesque especially in these moist sections sec-tions where their dullred surface soon takes on a coating of moss and lichens Should a fire originate in tho rafters or in the boards and sneetinc beneath it would go out of its own accord after they were burned away because the heavy mud cov ering falling in would effectually smother the conflagration By the way one of the institutions of Chili most conspicuous for its oddity is the fire department All natives are compelled by law TO SERVE AS BOMDEHOSFIREMEX or in the militia and as most of the swell young men prefer the former the fire companies com-panies resemble clubs or similar social organizations or-ganizations and are cliqued according to the strictest rules of caste It is intensely funny to seo tho bomberos out on a drill which is made tho occasion for a stunning display of their smart uniforms of white linen and glittering nickelplated helmets and funnier still to see them ut a lire except ex-cept for those whose property is being destroyed de-stroyed The gorgeous bomboros were never known to put out a fire but their efforts ef-forts when they condescend to make any are merely directed to checking its spread by deluging adjacent houses thereby generally gen-erally accomplishing quite as much damage by water as is done by lire It is not uncommon un-common for some nearby merchant whose stock in trade would be hopelessly ruined if tho firemen wcro allowed their own reckless reck-less way to pay sums of money to the chiefs of tho companies to induce them to turn tho hoso in another direction or failing fail-ing in that TO LOCK DOORS AND WINDOWS and stand in front with drawn revolvers to keep the destructive bomboros at bay The alarm system is so arranged by the ringing of bells that those who understand it can instantly locate the scene of disaster Occasionally the bomberos succeed in getting get-ting there engine and all before a building is quite consumed They mostly ride up in carriages and repair to the balconies of neighboring houses whero they watch tho burning as if it were a spectacular show gotten up for their benefit It is the courteous court-eous custom of the neighbors aforesaid to set out luncheon for these distinguished guests including wines and beer When not arrived too late to do anything but partake par-take of the luncheon the highly excitable amateurs sometimes perform wonderful feats in the line of slinging babies and mirrors mir-rors outof the upper windows and carefully care-fully carrying down feather pillows I once saw a piano hoisted off a balcony and fall crashing into the crowded street below to tho injury of a few beads and the utter demolition de-molition of the instrument which might as well have BEEN LEFT TO BURN An acquaintance writing from Concep e cion the third city of Chili situated some distance south of Santiagosays The houses hereabouts are built of heavy brick and adobe covered with earthen tiling so that it would be almost impossible to burn them Within the memory of the oldest inhabitant there had never been a fire in Concepcion but as all wellregulated cities in civilized lands have firecompanies this ambitious town must have one also After a vast amount of spreadeagle talk in print and in public speeches the citizens organized organ-ized a company of bomberos composed mainly of the gilded youth and purchased a monster fire engine at unheardof expense ex-pense in transportation But they found no use for either except in showy parades followed by nights of convivial rejoicing and the usual resultant big heads When that kind of thing became an old story some of the good people determined to redeem re-deem their city from the imputation of being behind the times at any cost An insurance in-surance agent was ENCOURAGED TO VISIT COXCEPCIOX and he succeeded in issuing a number of policiesfor about double the value of the property insured A night or two afterwards after-wards there was a rousing blazenot any trifling secondclass affair but a genuine conflagration in fthich coaloil and other combustibles caused the flames to leap and I dance right merily The citizens were in ecstasies Every body turned out to seethe fun Church bells rang jubilantly The now engine was dragged through the streets in triumph and even the bomberos managed to arrive in time to be in at the death One by one they came sauntering up some on foot others in carriages all having tarried to dress up for the occasion in their brand new uniforms In short it was an eminently satisfactory performancefor everybody but the insurance company The owners of the burned buildings came out somo thousands of dollars ahead for the alleged damages had to be paid because theinsur auco business was yet in its infancy in Chili and the company knew that HEFCSAL WOULD DE A DEATHBLOW to their hopes of future prosperity It used to be tho fashion in Valparaiso to set fire to ones own property in order to obtain the insurance on it but the author iites were compelled to put a stop to proceedings pro-ceedings so dangerous to the entire community com-munity in a closelybuilt city They did it in the summary manner peculiar to Chili by throwing into prison any unfortunate man whose house took fire and sometimes his nearest neighbors were incarcerated to keep him company all being retained in durance vilo until it was proved to the satisfaction sat-isfaction of everybody just how the fire originated If it was due to any carelessness careless-ness on the part of the owner or his family fam-ily woo betide themas if it were not bad enough to lose ones property without being punished for it like a common criminal crim-inal inalAnother Another novelty seen nowhere but in Chili is tho wearing of whito mantas and white dresses by pcnUentas or women who have committed some sin for which they desiro to atone by thus advertising the fact THE BLACK MANTA OR SHAWL with which the women of Penfand Bolivia universally cover the head and shoulders is also used here though most ladies of the aristocracy have discarded it except for churchgoing on other occasions sporting the finest French millinery But if going to mass a manta you must wear for no I I other style of headgear is permitted inside a Chilian sanctuary In this connection I am reminded of the recent experience of a Philadelphia couple who are mailing a wedding journey around the world and took in South America on the way The bridewho is one of the sweetest and daintiest little women I over met told me with a blush of mortification morti-fication how they were actually turned out of a Santiago church There was a grand mass of some religious fiesta and being in utter ignorance of local customs the lady wore her traveling bonnet bon-net a modest toque of black chip She says that the moment they entered the door a woman came hurriedly forward and whispered something in an angry tonein Spanish of which LANGUAGE OUR FRIENDS do not understand a word As they passed along the aisle another woman stepped up to stay their progress then another and another each gesticulating more vehemently vehe-mently than her predecessors but whispering whisper-ing the same words Considerably astonished aston-ished but knowing no cause for dismay and feeling sustained by conscious rectitude recti-tude the young Philadelphians bowed serenely se-renely to those who accosted them and having chosen a retired spot behind a pillar prepared with due reverence to enjoy the ceremonies But a black gowned priest strode down from the altar took my lady by the arm and politely walked her out followed fol-lowed of course by the now wrathful husband I hus-band and not until they met an English I speaking acquaintance did they learn the cause of their ejectionall on account of that modest little toque 1 Though the manta is exceedingly becoming becom-ing to everybody T it suits the big black eyes of these southern sisters better than the Saxon blue or gray It not only heightens grace and beauty but hides slovenly dressing dress-ing and ALL DEFECTS OF FIGURE When properly draped it makes an old woman look young a skeleton form appear reasonably plump a mealbagtiedinthe middle shape almost slender and renders a handsome face perfectly irresis able Some of the mantas of rich silk covered all over with heavy embroidery and edged with the real Spanish lace cost from 150 to SSOO There are cheaper allwool varieties that drape equally well and have an embroidered vine running around tile edges which sell for between thirty and onehundred dollars while coarser grade commonly worn by servants and los pobras can be bought as low as F5 But the mantas of tho penitcntas are none of these being strips of white wooldelaine say three yards long by a yard wide and entirely without adornment though worn in the same coquettish fashion as the black ones Tho wearers go about the streets with downcast eyes recognizing none one and apparently looking at nothing One sees a great many of them in the churches ESPECIALLY SEAR THE CONFESSIONALS where they walk to receive absolution from the sin they have atoned for by thus making mak-ing it public that their souls may be relieved re-lieved from all sense of guilt and their bodies from this mark of penitence Sometimes Some-times they perch before some saint or cru cinx motionless for hours like so many snowwhite birds or remain all day upon their knees by way of penance try that posture for sixty consecutive minutes and see what punishment it is or assmo some other uncomfortable attitude and stick tit t-it with perseverance worthy a better cause I have seen the manta also around happy faces at the theatre the circus the public promenade and other places hardly consistent consis-tent with penitential grief Ladies of wealth and highest social position are found among their number as well as charming young girls Indeed it is a sad commentary on thedanerous gift of beauty that few ugly faces are found beneath those same white mantas I Let us quote Mr W E Curtis who is good AUTHORITY OX MOST SOUTH AMERICA MATTERS He says that the women of Chili aro as universally pious as the men are proud and that this method of securing absolution from sin by advertising it to the world is yearly becoming more fashionable Ho adds Souls that cannot DO purged by the penitential dress retire to a convent in the suburbs of Santiago whero they scourge themselves with whips mortify the flesh with sackcloth feed on mouldy crusts and sleep in ashes on stone floors until tile priests by whose advice they go see fit to grant them absolution They are usually young girls who have yielded to temptation and wives who have been unfaithful to their marriage vows After the society season and the carnivals are over and at the end of summer whcnpopple return from tho fashionable resorts these places are crowded For those whoso sins are too great to be washed out by this process other convents are Open as a refuge where young mothers without husbands are cared for and their infants taken to a neighboring neighbor-ing orphanasylum to be reared for the priesthood SANTIAGO is A crrr of about SbipOO inhabitants and its orphan asylum is said to contain more than 2000 children of unkndvyn parentage As in Peru they are received through a hole in the wall under cover of darkness and no questions aro asked The asylum is surrounded rounded by a high brick wall and there is an aperture in the rear of it fitted up with a revolving box or cradle At any hour of day or bight a baby may be placed therein and the box swung around when a bell automatically rung summons the nun or guard inside who carries the little waif to the nursery Though moralists may condemn con-demn this easy method as an encouragement encourage-ment to vice it is certainly bettor than in fanticidea crime fearfully common in all great cities of the north and wholly unknown un-known In Chili But one may hunt the country from end to end in vain to find a male penttcntc or any house of correction in which men may vOluntarily atone for their misdeeds The worst of them do not assume a garb to advertise vertise their sins nor are they ever seen seeking absolution at confessional windows but here as elsewhere the wide world over guilt shame and penitence seem to be exclusive ex-clusive attributes of the weaker sex FANNIE B WARD |