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 CHILE OF TO-DAY 375 to live in the capital during the season and to own a house there. His house, however, is not often open to entertainment and his family circle is close, extend- ing not much beyond relatives and near friends. But in the tertulia and public receptions social intercourse, dancing and ordinary social functions'are maintained. In the afternoon, society drives in the Cousino park, in the evening it promenades in the Alameda, or goes to the pleasant little theatre on the Santa Lucia hill, if it be summer, or to the large commodious theatre of the city if it be winter ; a theatre of which Santiago may well be proud, for it is the third in the world in respect to its size, and cost $400,000. On the great plaza of summer evenings a military band plays while the gay promenaders walk round and round, or stand and sit about under the trees, the young men in silk hats and black coats staring at the pretty girls dressed becomingly in the latest French fashions. Though educated in the belles-lettres sense, the Chil- ean young lady can not be said to possess liberty of action such as English and American young ladies enjoy. Woman certainly occupies an inferior position, due mainly to national customs from which she has not yet been able to emancipate herself. The young ladj' is chaperoned and hampered by an etiquette which deprives her of the opportunity of becoming acquainted with young men, of studying their character, of form- ing friendships with them. To be courted by one save under the eye of parents or guardians, would be considered an impropriety. But these severe restraints are beginning to relax somewhat. Woman's right to labor is certainly encouraged and respected, since no where else in the world than Chile is she found as a street car conductor. The Chilean woman is a churchgoer and is very