LIFE IN VALPARAISO

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 104, 27 January 1920, Page 4

LIFE IN VALPARAISO

The Misses Mamie and Margaret Kenrick, youthful visitors from Valparaiso, ■ire now in Sydney visiting relatives,

The girls were born in South America .of Auslraiian parents, and were educated !n Europe, but they have spent enough of their lives in Chile to speak with authority on the life Micro generally. For the English community life is ;nuch on the scale of living in any British settlement, the girls tell you, states a writer in the "Sunday Times," with Mie happy difference that domestic help is plentiful, willing, and cheap. Tho sexes mis freely, and tennis, riding, bathing, and dancing . aro daily pastimes. Suimi.er is the time for outing and, enjoyment, because it nevor rains in tho summer. In some parts of Chile it never ri ins at all, but where it does rain, it uins annually in tho winter time, and with a vengeance. It is not unusual lo have a general wasl.away. Eife for tne Chilians is not so free. The men and women do not mingle higether as th-3 British people do. The stern, formal customs of the old Swinish regime survive. To a great client luarrjagi's are arranged by parents, and even engaged couples have no freedom for the ordinary fender little interludes of courtship, as the dami.ol is always at-

tended by nome relative The Chilians are fond of -the good operas and often hear and see the best performers the world has to offer, because they will guarantee salaries and expenses. The Opera House of Santiago is built on the plan of tlu Pari* (>pe"a House. Tho boxes are rented by private families, and are sold by auction for the season to the highest bidder. The Misses Kenriek say that the women dress most beautifully for the opera, and display wonderful jewels. They say tho diamonds and pearls would dazzle an Eastern potentate. The frocking is always the latest from Paris, nnd the motor-cars and carnages nre in keeping with the garments. •The vcrv fashionable season is in Ine winter tiuie,' from May to August, when halls, pnrhos, banquets, races, nnd receptions nre daily events. . The wealthy folk then go out to their country farms for a few months, am! then on lo the seaside in January, when tho racing season begins again on New Year's Day. nnd continues each Sunday for lln-ee months. Sunday is the great pleasuring day, as there is no Saturday half-holiday. , There are extremes of wealth and poverty in Chile, and tho distinction between'the classes is very marked. The high-class Chilians are handsome, and the women are extremely beautiful. According lo the Misses Kenriek, they dance exquisitely, but. it is only within the last three years that they have ; taken to modern dancing. Chilians are : clever with their fingers, and the better- ; ciass people are endeavouring to foster : the wonderful hand-weaving done by the ; working classes of the country, which is buin" ousted bv a cheap factory system instituted by tho Germans. They are a very religious people, Mil all the church attendance is left to the women, the men rarely going to church. The mantilla, is still worn, but only during the mornings. Tn the afternoon there is always a great dress parade. Tho wealthy class is very fashionable, and wears tho latest, vogue from Paris. In the pre-war days many Chilians went lo Paris annually to purchase the seaton's clothes. ; The Misses Kenriek tell in glowing terms of admiration of the enterprise of tho French women during tho wnr. T'ue milliners and dressmakers whom the Chilians were wont, to patronise in normal fimes, finding their eusrwnsrs could not come to them as usual, set out and brought ihe goods to Chile, m time for the. racing season each year. | They travelled by train from Paris lo j T,l*boii, and then bv boat to Buenos Aires, and across, the Andes to Chile. They displayed the modes in rooms at the'hotels. . Never on any ol those visits did tho quality of the goods vary. Each i vess and hat was a creation. Tho stitching and hand-work of the garments were as exquisite, as when the French workers laboured under the best conditions.