48 



CHILI. 



is nothing, indeed, it seems, upon which the wo- 

 men of this country, especially those who are the 

 least able to afford it, so much pique themselves 

 as being able, upon great occasions, to dress splen- 

 didly ; and it is alleged that they often submit to 

 many severe privations to attain this grand object 

 of their vanity. 



In the course of the evening, the room becom- 

 ing close, I was glad to seek fresh air on the plat- 

 form surrounding the Governor'^s house. Re- 

 turning to the ball, I perceived an open door 

 leading to an antichamber separated from the 

 principal apartment by the hall where the music 

 was stationed. On entering this room, I was 

 struck by the appearance of several lady-like 

 young women standing on chairs and straining 

 their eyes, as they looked over the heads of the 

 servants and musicians to catch a glimpse of the 

 strangers in the ball-room, from which they ap- 

 peared to be excluded. Seated on a sofa in the 

 corner near them were two stately old ladies, sim- 

 ply though elegantly dressed : they did not ap- 

 pear to sympathize with their children in eager- 

 ness about the ball, but remained apart quietly 



