Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-01-31
Scenes in Mexico.

Life in Mexico, during a residence OF
ten years in that country" is the name OF
two duodecimo volumes just published at
Boston by Little & Brown. The author
ess is understood TO be the lady Of Don
CaIderon de la Barca. formerly Minister of
Spain in this country.
We copy few passages for the enter
.ainment Of our readers. First we take
ga VISIT TO SANTA ANNA IN 1889.
SAT length we began to see symptoms
Of vegetation, occasional palm trees and
flowers; and by the time we reached a
pretty Indian village, where we stopped to
change mules, the light had broken in, and
we seemed to have been transported, as if
by enchantment, from desert to a garden.
1t was altogether picturesque and stri-
king scene. The huts, composed Of bam-
boo, and matched with palm leaves; the
Indian women, with their long black hair,
standing at the doors with half naked chill
dren; the mules rolling themselves on the
ground, accordingto their favorite fashion;
snow-white goats browsing amongst the
palm trees, and the air soft and balmy, the
first breath of the morning; the dew drops
still gIitering on the broad leaves Of the
banana and palm, and all around silent,
cool, and still.
" The huts. though poor, were clean.
No windows; but 2 certain subdued light
MADE lis way through the leafy canes. We
procured some tumblers Of new milk; and,
having procured mules, pursued our jour
ney, now no longer through hills Of sand,
but across the country, through a wilder
ness of trees and flowers, the glowing pro-
duction Of the terra cdliente. We arri-
we'd at about five o'clock al Manga de Ca-
vo, after passing through leagues Of ma
turaI garden, the property of Santa Anna.
i" The house is pretty, ght-ooking,
and kept in nice order. We were recei-
we'd by an aid -de-camp in uniform, and by
several officers, and conducted to a large,
! cool, agreeable apartment, with little fur
niture, into which shortly entered the Sc
[ nora de Santa Anna, tall, thin, and, at that
early hour of the morning, dressed to see
us, in clear white muslin, with white
satin shoes, and with very splendid dia-
mond earrings, brooch, and rings. She
was very polite, and introduced her daugh-
ter Gaudalupe-a miniature Of her man.
ma in features and costume.
"In little while entered General Sam
ia Anna himself gentlemanly, good look
( ing, quietly dressed, rather melancholy
looking person, with one leg, appare nj y
somewhat of an invalid, and to US the most
interesting person in the group He has
a saIow complexion, fine dark eyes, soft
and penetrating, with an interesting ex-
preston Of face. knowing nothing of his
past history, one would have said phi
Iosopher, living in dignifed retirement;
one who had tiled the world, and found
that all was vanity; one who had suffered
| ingrattude, and who, if he were ever per-
suaded 10 emerge from his retreat, would
only do so, Cincinnatus like, to benefit his
country. 1t is strange how frequently this
expression of phiIosophic resignation, of
! placid sadness, IS to remarked on the coun-
! tenances Of the deepest, most ambitious,
and most designing Of men. C-n gave
him a letter from the Queen, rof Spain,
written on the supposilion of his still being
! President; and with which he seemed we'll
pleased, but merely made the innocent OBJ
seryation, How very we'll the Queen
writes
SIT was only now and then that the OK
preston Of his eye was startling, especial
! ly when he spoke Of his leg,which was cut
off below the knee. He speaks Of i fire.
quently, like Sir John Ramorny Of his
bloody hand and when he gives an ac-
count of his wound, and aliudes TO the
French on that day, his countenance as
sumes that air Of bitterness which Ramon
nv's may have exhibited when speaking
Of Harry the smith,
Otherwise he made himself very
agreeable, spoke a great deal of the United
States, and of the persons whom he had
known there, and in his manners was quiz
ct and gontlcmanly; and, altogether, a
moro polished hero than had expected TO
see. To Judge from the past, he will not
long remain in his present state of mac
ton.
Breakfast was announced. The Sc
nora de Santa Anna led me in.
( After breakfast the Sonora despatched an
| officer for her cigar case, which was gold,
with diamond latch; offered me cigar,
which having declined, she lighted her
own, "a little paper cigdrito,) and the gen.
.lemen followed her good example"
The lady, however, informs US that the
practice Of ladies smoking has become un-
fashionable among the genteel society OF
Mexico, being confined mostly to elderly
ladies' who cannot give it up; and. being
noted vulgar, will probably not survive
| another generation.