KALEIDOSCOPIC LA PAZ: CITY OF THE CLOUDS 



125 



A STREET PEDDLER OE EA PAZ 



soldiers. The women are often mer- 

 chants in a small way, but devote most 

 of their attention to personal adornment. 



It is all a question of geography, and 

 while the London "Arriet" spends her 

 earnings on her bonnet and the East Side 

 New York damsel pines for imitation 

 jewelry, the Chola's petticoats are her 

 pride and wealth. She wears one over 

 the other, each of a different brilliant 

 hue — twenty-five, I believe, is the record. 

 Short, plump, and bright of face, with 

 two neat black braids hanging from 

 under a round straw hat, her head is as 

 attractive as her pretty little feet. She 

 seldom wears stockings, but her shoes 

 are high-heeled importations of colored 

 leather, often ornamented with red and 

 yellow kid butterflies. All other splendor 

 paled, however, as I gazed at those mar- 

 velous skirts displayed to great advantage 

 on the hilly streets of the city. 



In utter contrast to the merry faced 

 Cholas, so sumptuously bedecked, were 

 the aristocratic senoritas bound church- 

 ward, wearing black garments and a de- 

 vout expression. They passed under our 

 balcony in the morning, their sweet, pale 

 faces half hidden by the mantos draped 

 about their heads; but in the late after- 

 noon, when there was music again in the 

 plaza, they blossomed out in Parisian 

 gowns and beflowered hats. As they 

 walked around the square, well chap- 

 eroned, the youth of the city paid tribute 

 to their beauty. 



In the Latin- American countries, where 

 the freedom of acquaintance existing in 

 America between men and women is un- 

 known, the early stage of courtship is 

 the language of the eyes. It is perhaps 

 as well that the lover first woos his lady 

 fair with tender glances. Were he 

 obliged to call on her often, conversing 



