CHAPTER IV.

TWO PRESIDENTS.


It was our good fortune while in Rio to be received by the
President of the Republic, Dr. Nilo Pecanha. Missionaries Shepard,
Langston and Ginsburg and Dr. Nogueira Paranagua escorted me. When
we started I suggested that we take a street car. Not so those
Brazilians! We must go in an automobile. We were very careful to
wear our Prince Albert coats, too; for, above all things, the
Brazilian is a master in punctilious ceremonies. We were ushered
into the waiting room by a doorkeeper, a finely-liveried mulatto
with a large chain around his shoulders to indicate his authority.
The waiting room was full of people, but we were not kept waiting
long. We sent in our cards and soon we heard our names announced
and we were led into the presence of the private secretary. After
a few words of explanation by Dr. Paranagua, the secretary retired
to ask the President if he would see us. He returned presently and
showed us into the audience chamber, which was a large and
tastefully decorated room. Around the walls were several groups of
chairs, placed in true Brazilian style somewhat as follows: A
cane-bottomed divan was set with its back to the wall, then
several cane-bottomed chairs were placed at right angles to it in
two rows facing each other, usually four in a row. The President