These same balconies and window-seats also play a large part in the courtship of the country. “Playing the bear” is the name given to it, and it is very much the same as Mexican love-making. A young man who is attracted by the black eye or coquettish glance of a señorita will follow her to her home and then “play the bear” by passing back and forth in front of the house for a long time each day until he is rewarded by a smile or wave of the hand from the object of his attentions. I learned recently of one young man who used a telephone by throwing one instrument up on the balcony and keeping the other. In this way the “bear” would talk with the young lady for hours each day. Finally the suit progresses until he can talk to her through the barred window. Perhaps in the most casual way imaginable she may let her fingers slip through the bars, for there is just a chance that Mamma may be asleep, for she sits with her eyes shut—it is just a chance of course, but the risk may be taken and Mamma was once young herself. Later he may be invited to call at the house by the father or mother after a family council, if his antecedents are all right, for they have probably been investigated in the meantime by the sagacious parents of a marriageable young lady.
To the independent American woman such a life is simply incomprehensible. It would be dull, uninteresting—in fact, in many ways, aggravating. From childhood to old age the Spanish-American woman rarely does as she likes, but is a slave to antiquated customs. Think of a woman not doing as she wants! As a child a servant accompanies her to school and calls for her in the evening. When the marriageable age is reached, her courting must all be done in the presence of others; and there are so many romantic spots to be found where it could be done so much more pleasantly in this warm climate. After the engagement the vigilance of the parents is increased, and the young couple are never even for a moment left to themselves. If they should go to a dance, the family accompanying, of course, the girl must dance every dance with her escort. When married the pleasure of a wedding trip is not for her, unless the husband is wealthy. Last of all, if the marriage proves unhappy, the consolation of a divorce is even denied her!
After marriage the Señora settles down to a life of inactivity, and in a few years she has lost her girlhood beauty. To do any of the household work is beneath her, and the number of servants is limited only by the means of her husband. She enjoys life in a rocking-chair, reads a little, plays her music when the mood is upon her, and occasionally does needlework. Families are large and, be it said to her credit, she is usually a good mother and devoted to her children. She knows nothing of the joys of “bargain days,” for she usually contents herself by sending to the store and having the goods brought out to her carriage. The cook practically runs the household and is given a fixed allowance for the marketing, out of which there must be some margin for “graft,” or the cook will leave and seek a more generous master. Seldom indeed is it that a woman dares to depart from these conventionalities, however great the desire, and the universal reason given is that “it is not the custom.”
Boys may be sent away to liberal schools, but the girls are educated in convents and, if sent abroad, go to Spain, thus retaining the old Spanish customs. The girls are fairly pretty in youth, but this soon fades. Their minds are not broadened by travel, and they grow up with narrow views of life but proud of their ancestry. They are very devoted to the outward ceremonials of the church and spend more time in learning the lives of the saints than they do in reading useful literature. A woman’s popularity in Guatemala City is judged by the number of pictures of herself that are sold by the photographer; and he is at liberty to sell the photographs of his lady patrons to whomsoever may desire them. The more he sells the more his patron is pleased, for it flatters her vanity.
The brown-skinned descendants of the ancient Toltecs and children of a southern sun, whose warm rays have implanted a permanent tan on their cheeks, comprise the great majority of the population and are an interesting race. Dressed in their scanty garb, which is generally clean, they loll away life basking in the sun when it is cool, and hiding from the same when it is hot. They may breakfast on a glass of water and dine on a banana, yet among themselves they are always happy and laugh like grown-up children. Why should they work much? is their philosophy. Fruit is abundant, game is plentiful, pigs and chickens need little care, and kind nature richly rewards every effort to cultivate her soil. In this climate wants are few. The latest fashions have no temptation; the woods and jungle furnish material for their thatch and reed cottages, and the morrow can take care of itself. They sleep, eat and smoke when the inclination comes upon them, and drink “white-eye” (native brandy) when they have money with which to buy it.
As an individual the peon is not a particularly lovable character except for his fidelity. He is much like a child in many ways and has to be frequently treated as one. He even fails to resent a chastisement by a knock-down blow from his employer, if his conscience tells him he deserves it. On the other hand a word of encouragement or a courteous “buenas dias” (good morning) brings a smile of genuine pleasure to his face which is unmistakable. The personal mozo, or body-servant of the master, is especially useful and amiable. On a journey he thinks little of himself, and never until every want and wish of the master has been met and gratified. Although to-day not obliged to defend his master against brigandish attacks as formerly, yet he would be perfectly willing to lay down his life for him if necessary. Although times have changed, the mozo remains just the same faithful, trustworthy and careful servant as formerly. He is not over intelligent, perhaps, or over cleanly in appearance always, but he is as loyal and dependable a servant as can be found anywhere in the world.
INDIAN GIRL WITH WATER JAR.
Debt and improvidence is not confined to the poor peon. While the latter is indebted to the planter, the planter has probably mortgaged his growing crops to the merchant, and the merchant in turn demands long-time credit from the foreign dealer. Thus it is that the business is conducted on credit almost entirely and little actual money is handled.
Guatemala has been called the land of “no hay,” meaning “there is none,” because it is such a common answer and it illustrates one characteristic of this race. If the people do not want to bother, that will be their invariable answer. You might go up to a house where the yard was full of chickens, the woman engaged in making tortillas, and fruit trees loaded with fruit in the yard, and yet have a conversation about like the following: