CHAPTER II
A WONDERFUL DAY
PROMPTLY at four, the huge red machine puffed up to the front curbing.The Colonel was walking up and down in the Plaza opposite, smoking acigarette; for when not eating or asleep, an Argentine gentleman isseldom seen without the thin, white _cigarrillo_ between his lips. Helooked most distinguished in his scarlet and green uniform.
It took but a few moments to reach his sister's _casa_,[3] and the maidwho answered his ring in the narrow vestibule that opened directly ontothe street told him the family were having _mate_ in the _patio_, whichwas partly shaded in the late afternoon. He was welcomed heartily, andwas kissed by each one twice, after the foreign fashion, once on eithercheek.
The _mate_ cup, an egg-shaped gourd, was passed from hand to hand asthey sat talking, each one in turn sucking the fragrant tea through thesame silver tube; the little Indian maid refilling the gourd again andagain with hot water.
This is the universal custom in South American countries below theEquator, and aside from the benefits derived from the drinking of thepungent herb itself, it has a significance akin to the "loving cup"idea, and is a symbolization of family love and domestic ties.
A guest is always asked to partake of _mate_ with the family, and if heis unaccustomed to the manner of its usage, the fact that he is expectedto obtain his share by means of the one, universal tube, is at firstdisconcerting, but he dare not refuse under penalty of offending hishost.
This herb is called "Paraguayian tea," or "Jesuits' tea," as it was usedextensively by the early Jesuit Fathers, who were one of the mostimportant factors in the civilization of the lower half of SouthAmerica. It is grown mostly in Brazil and Paraguay and its cultivationhas become quite an industry.
The dried leaves are placed in a small gourd, hot water is poured intoit, and it is then sucked into the mouth through the long silver tube,which has a bulbous end, perforated with small holes so that the tea isstrained. At the first taste it is exceedingly bitter, but one soongrows very fond of it. It is very stimulating and a _gaucho_, or cowboy,will sometimes, under stress of circumstances, ride all day with onlyhis morning gourd of _mate_ to sustain him, and then eat his first mealof the day at sundown.
The Colonel soon made known his errand, and Francisco was beside himselfwith joy. He danced about the _patio_ clapping his hands, and then ranindoors to sick Elena to smother her with kisses, and to tell her of hisgood fortune.
"Oh, Elena, just think of it! Two whole weeks in the big _casa_ withservants, horses and automobiles--and then two whole months in the_campo_[4] with uncle to ride with me, and teach me something new everyday!"
"But Elena mia, you will miss me," and a note of sadness crept into hisvoice.
"Yes, Francisco, I shall miss you, but I shall enjoy myself every daythinking of what you are doing, and you will write to me; Mama will readme your letters, and then there will be so much to talk about when youreturn,"--and Francisco embraced her another time.
Half an hour later, clean and shining in his best suit of clothes,exchanged for the long linen duster that all Argentine schoolboys wearto play in, he was spinning along the asphalt streets, sitting besidethe man who stood, to his young mind, for every virtue assigned to hispatron saint.
At first he was slightly shy, for this wonderful soldier uncle had neverpaid any particular attention to him, so engrossed was he always withhis books and his family; but as they threaded their way in and out thetraffic-crowded streets, among the heavy carts, the noisily clangingelectric tram-cars, and low, open victorias filled with elaboratelydressed women, and fleet wheeled automobiles of every size and class,Francisco began to ask questions, and forgot his timidity. They weresoon chatting interestedly.
"How would you like a spin out to Palermo?" his uncle asked, as theyreached the central part of the city.
"Better than I could say," replied the happy lad; his heart meanwhilebounding, for he seldom saw the trees and flowers of the vast park thatis one of the city's most picturesque attractions.
"Then, Enrique--to the park, via the _Avenida[5] Alvear_," said ColonelLacevera to the chauffeur.
It was late afternoon now, and being Thursday, the broad avenues werefilled with hundreds of vehicles; since Thursday and Sunday are theafternoons chosen by fashionable Buenos Aires for the diversion ofriding or driving to the great Prado to hear the military band, and tomingle in the long lines of carriages and motor cars.
The _Avenida Alvear_, broad and smoothly paved, with its magnificentresidences on either side, makes a desirable avenue from which toapproach the park. As they rode along, the odour of jasmine and roseshung heavy about them, coming from the beautiful gardens surrounding thepalatial homes. Long arbours of American Beauty roses, looking likecrimson lined tunnels; majestic palm trees, over which trailed MarechalNiel roses and cypress vines; bulky shrubs, with sweet scents; all theselent their charm to the scene, and Francisco, ever alive to the beautiesof nature, felt this to be a foretaste of Paradise.
Soon they were in the palm bordered drives of the park; but they creptalong at a snail's pace, as the speed on crowded afternoons is limitedto a funeral pace, in order that the lines of carriages both coming andgoing may avoid confusion.
Through the trees and shrubbery Francisco caught glimpses of coolrunning streams, crossed by rustic bridges; clear, limpid lakes withswans and boats, and here and there, pavilions where ices and_refrescos_ were being enjoyed by the gay crowd. At intervals, onsplendid black horses, were stationed picturesque looking mountedpolicemen, their long horsehair plumes trailing over their shoulders,from which hung scarlet lined capes. It was their duty to keep the halfdozen columns of vehicles in proper line.
The Colonel's car had entered the wide area of the Avenue Sarmiento whenhe leaned towards the chauffeur and said, "Turn towards the ZoologicalGardens, Enrique." And then, to the boy beside him, he said, "How couldyou stand half an hour in the Zoological Gardens, Nino?"[6]
"I would try to bear up under it, Uncle," replied Francisco, as his eyestwinkled an answer to the merriment in the older man's. They alighted atthe curbing, and entered the immense iron gates into that Mecca of allArgentine boyish hearts.
All of this seemed as a dream to Francisco for although his mother hadfrequently brought him here, she knew little of the animals and birds;and now with Uncle Juan he could ask questions innumerable withoutgetting the reply: _Yo no se_.[7]
They paused first at the great cage, fifty feet in height and coveringan area of half a city block, built over a small artificial mountainwhere hundreds of eagles and condors wheeled, fought and chattered.
"See the pavilion that looks like a Hindoo temple, Francisco; let us seewhat animal makes that its home."
"Elephants, Uncle Juan, and perhaps we can see the baby elephant thatwas born here a few weeks ago." Sure enough, in a park all their own,surrounding the Hindoo temple house, was a family of elephants and thebaby elephant stood beside its mother, who was rubbing it affectionatelywith her long trunk.
The alpacas, llamas, deer, bison, guanacos and vicunas came next, andUncle Juan could answer every question that the eager boy put to him,for, during his active service in the army, he had spent much time onthe frontier, and on the Cordilleras of the Andes, where these animalsare found.
"HE PERMITTED FRANCISCO TO TAKE A RIDE ON THE TAMELLAMA"]
He permitted Francisco to take a ride on the tame llama, who rivalledthe Lilliputian steam engine in its popularity as a mode of progressionaround the garden. As it did not trot, but walked sleepily along withFrancisco, having served all day, no doubt, as a vehicle for childrenvisiting the "Zoo," Uncle Juan walked beside him, and, as theyproceeded, he told him much about the small camel-like animal upon whoseback he rode.
"You see, Nino, a llama is almost like a camel, but its size andstrength are inferior. It has no hump on its back, but as you saw whenyou mounted it, it kneels like one. They thrive best at a high elevationwhere they browse on reeds, lichens, mosses and grass. If the grass issuccule
nt they can go without water for a long time. When they aredomesticated it is for their fine fleece. Their flesh when young isdeliciously tender, and it is then that they can be caught with dogs anda lasso, but the old ones can only be shot at a distance, and theirflesh is fit only to be dried and salted. I have seen them in Peru usedas beasts of burden, and the Indians make a very beautiful and valuablecloth from the soft fleece. But come, lad, the sun sinks, and we maycome here another time."
As they walked towards the gate where the car was awaiting them, theypassed lakes where waded and swam many birds of brilliant plumage.Herons and flamingoes, red and gray and pink, stood on one leg, lazily,watching for minnows.
"Why are some of the flamingoes scarlet and some pink?" asked Francisco.
"Those with red plumage are the old ones and the delicate rose colouredones are not yet in their second year. At old Roman feasts their tongueswere considered the greatest delicacy; I have eaten their flesh roasted,and it is wonderfully palatable."
"Oh, Uncle, we haven't seen the lions, nor the bears, nor the monkeys,nor the boa-constrictors," coaxed Francisco, as they came in sight ofthe gates.
"But we shall see them another time, Nino. We cannot see the half ofthese great gardens in a day, for they cover many acres, and contain thefinest specimens of any garden on the continent." As they passed out thebugles at the military post opposite were sounding for the soldiers'dinner and the avenues were no longer crowded.
"With haste now, to the _casa_," ordered the Colonel, and the enormouscar plunged ahead, along the deserted boulevards where the electriclights were beginning to appear one by one. Francisco had never flown sofast and he cuddled close into his uncle's arm; the strong man held himtenderly, lovingly, and they entered the electric lighted _patio_ of the_casa_ arm in arm.
Now the Colonel's home was not unlike many others of its class, but tothe little lad's eyes it seemed a palace. The main part of it wasperfectly square, and built around an inner court from which many ofthe rooms were lighted and all were entered. The windows facing thestreet were heavily barred, and small balconies of wrought ironprojected from each window, over-hanging the pavement a few feet below.The house was flat and of but one story; into this first court openedluxuriously furnished parlours, drawing-rooms, smoking-rooms andlibrary. Behind all of this was another court with smaller rooms openinginto it, exactly like a smaller house. Into this opened all thebed-rooms, the bathrooms and the long elegantly furnished dining-room.
Quite separate, and reached by a rear street entrance, was yet another,a third court or _patio_, and into this opened the pantries, kitchen andservants' quarters. The walls of the high spacious parlours were richlydecorated, and the chandeliers were of silver and crystal; whileornaments and valuable souvenirs from all parts of the world weredisplayed throughout the entire house.
Although only Francisco and the Colonel sat at dinner that night, thetable was lavishly decorated, and the cut glass, silver and dinner ofmany courses, including fish, game, meats, vegetables and fruits, were asource of constant bewilderment and admiration to the boy accustomed tohumbler fare and less luxurious surroundings.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 3: House.]
[Footnote 4: Country.]
[Footnote 5: Avenue.]
[Footnote 6: The affectionate name for all small boys.]
[Footnote 7: I do not know.]