wears a uniform of dark flannel, white apron, and sailor hat, and so charming does she appear that at times she finds difficulty in restraining the admiration of the young gallant of the town, who is called in vulgar parlance "Mosquito " because, as explained to me, he is quite as persistent and troublesome. It is said that the experiment was first tried during the war between Chili and Peru, when all the able-bodied men were in the army. It proved advantageous to the companies and public generally, and so became permanent.

The Chilian woman is handsome, but of a rather coarse type of beauty, very unlike the supple grace of the dusky Lima belle. The children of the lower classes are beautiful; the English and German types predominate. In character it is said that the Chilian resembles closely the Irish; there is the same quickness of wit, the same reckless courage, the same pride and love of country. But here the resemblance ceases. Quick as the Irish to resent an injury, there is none of the Irishman's generosity of pardon. Revengeful and cruel, there is no quarter given to their enemies. The history of their war with Peru affords examples of brutality without parallel in modern warfare. Upon the battle-field nine-tenths of the bodies of the dead were found with their throats cut; no prisoners were taken except where whole armies surrendered; throughout Peru fields were laid waste, churches pillaged and burned, towns destroyed with a ferocity which recalls the days when savage hordes ran the country. Not even were the weak and helpless, the women and children, spared. At Arica, a small port a few days' ride from Valparaiso, is still shown the rocky precipice over which the Peruvian soldiers were driven, to be dashed to pieces on the rocky crags below or drowned in the seething waters; yet this they preferred to falling into the hands of their cruel conquerors. It has even been said a band of sisters whose gentle administrations alleviated the horrors of war met with the same fate.

Farming in Chili is conducted on the old feudal system. The land is divided into great estates, owned by people who live in the cities and seldom visit their "haciendas," as they are called. The tenants are permanent; they have little cottages and gardens for which they pay no rent. When their services are required by their landlords they are subject to his call, and they are paid generally in orders on the supply store, which is

THE CITY CUSTOM-HOUSE AT VALPARAISO.

a commissary of the estate and supplies clothing, groceries, and other articles, especially rum. They are given a small credit in these stores, and the law prohibits a tenant from leaving a landlord until the last farthing is paid, so the poor, patient peon never gets ahead. He lives and dies in the same cabins on the same estates where his father and grandfather lived and died. Born to a heritage of toil, he never succeeds in setting himself free from his "house of bondage," and is altogether ignorant of the great world outside of his little realm, where the conditions under which he labors would not be tolerated.

During my stay in Chili the Christmas-tide approached and, accompanied by my friends, I determined to assist at the midnight service in the little church near by, "La Misa de gallas "-Mass of the Cocks, as it is called. The last time I had attended midnight Mass was at the Madeleine, and I well remembered the walk in fast-falling snow through the silent streets of Paris, the solemn hush over the noisy city, the reverent waiting in the darkened church, and then the burst of music and light that welcomed the Birthday of the Child-God.

Here what a contrast! Summer roses filled the air with fragrance, summer breezes blew softly upon us, the night was brilliant as day with its countless stars; sounds of laughter, song, and dance greeted us as we wended our way to "El Espiritu Santo." Mass commenced, a well-trained choir chanted the services, when in the hush following the Elevation our ears were assailed by the loud crowing of cocks, the braying of donkeys, the bleating of lambs; in fact the whole animal kingdom seemed suddenly let loose among us. We looked up in surprise; perched aloft in the choir were a group of smiling boys-it was they who, by their uncouth noises, tried to represent the rejoicing of nature at the coming of its King.

Easter in Chili, as in Peru, is observed with special ceremonies. From Holy Thursday to Holy Saturday no bells are rung, no carriages or cabs are driven, even the street-cars are silent. Only black-robed figures are seen in the streets, and over the city hangs a pall of silence and mourning. Our visit was drawing to a close, but we were loath to leave before Race day, the great holiday of Chili. This day is the event of the season; on it all business is suspended, banks are closed, and the world and his wife," dressed in gala finery, assemble in the place appointed. And what an ideal spot it is! A sunny valley encircled by green hills, upon whose grassy slopes are erected booths rising tier upon tier, gay with flags, garlanded with flowers and vines-bowers of beauty, forming a fitting frame for the grace and loveliness that smilingly greets friends behind their leafy screen. During the pauses between the races we made a visit to the peasants, whose less fortunate purses debarred them from entering our charmed enclosure. But they too were enjoying themselves: dancing the "cuaker "the minuet of Chili-bodies swaying, handkerchiefs waving, feet keeping time to weird, rhythmic music, thumped out by one of their number on a banjo.

This day ended our holiday; and soon embarked upon our homeward way, we looked our last upon the white cliffs of Valparaiso.

URING the dawning years of the new century the aged eyes of the Great White Pope have beheld the coming of the glory of the Lord in many guises, and under beautiful auspices. Even in America, personally unknown to him, though dear to the liberal Pontiff in love with the future, the opening years of the century have been marked by jubilee celebrations which have awakened wide interest, and are the faint counterpart of the popular celebrations held in Rome.

But it is only in the Eternal City and in the shadow of the Vatican that the real significance of the sublime honors paid by the world to the Pontiff can be adequately appreciated.

"From the four corners of the earth they come

To kiss this shrine, this mortal-breathing saint."

Probably the most striking, the most frequent of all the tributes laid at the feet of the "Lion couchant at the throne of God," were those of the different Oriental Rites in communion with Rome.

The unity and universality of the church have been strikingly illustrated in a recent series of ceremonials in the beautiful and classic Church of Sant' Andrea della Valle, Rome. The venerable Vincenzo Pallotti, wishing to give a visible and eloquent lesson of this genuine unity in variety that exists in the Catholic Church, arranged a series of religious celebrations to be held serially in the same church by the various rites in communion with the Roman See.

Latins, Greeks, Maronites, Chaldeans, Slavs, Syrians, and Armenians celebrated in harmony the same sacrifice at the same

altar. Italian, French, English, German, Spanish, and Polish priests preached in their several languages from the same pulpit. This remarkable picture of unity of creed in variety of custom and language was regarded by those who witnessed it as one of the most striking omens of the eventual realization of Pope Leo's dream-the unification of the separated churches of the East under the authority of the Roman See.

It is of great interest to note that all these Oriental liturgies, varying in their ceremonies, language, and vestments, conform absolutely in essentials to the Roman Church, with which they are in perfect agreement.

THE FAMOUS MARONITE RITE.

When the invading hordes of Persians and Mussulmans poured into the East, overwhelming the Catholic settlements, a little colony of Syrians, escaping the general torrent, fled into the