Page:Letters from the Battle-fields of Paraguay (1870).djvu/148



LETTER III.

MONTEVID]^ANS NATIVES AND rOREIGNERS.

Monte Video, August 14, 1868.

My dear Z ,

The aspect of a Montevidean street is not displeasing. Building and repairing are almost as active as in Paris and London. The centre^ however^ instead of being homhey is a gutter, towards which the sides shelve ; the trottoirs are narrow and high above the sole, as opposite Whitehall Place. There is no excuse for such barbarism here, although the older towns of Europe still abound in it. The fact is, many of these New World settlements are in point of comfort and civilization far nearer London and Paris than many an Old World city within five hours by rail. Their only fault is the absolute distance, and in this age of the world it is not to be remedied.

Shops, mostly French, and full of glitter and attractions, everywhere catch the eye. In days gone by I avoided them, but Free Trade has done away with the sturdy, homely, lasting, and expensive, yet economical English article ; so I go to France for something just as durable as, and far more sightly than, the work you do over the water. Strangers remark that all the house doors are open, here no churl dares to sport his oak. A lady, hearing that European entrances are kept closed, justly remarked that it must be " muy tristej' For the first time since some years, I saw at the doorsteps the servant gal, pure and simple ; there will be none further East, and in the Great Empire all women in white skins are ladies. The unmarried Monte-

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