The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-12-05
TUE WOMEN OF MEXICO.
By MARIE cAIprFoy DE LA BARcA


The badness Of servants is an uniailng
source of complaint even amongst Meai-
cans; much more 80 nmongs, foreigners,
especially on their first arrival. In thr
first place, servants are constantly being
taken without being required to bring
recommendation from their Inst place; and
in the next, recommendations nrc constant :
~ given, whether Gom Incidence or mis-
taken kindness, to servants who do MT de-
serve them. A servant who has lived in
dozen different houses, STAYING month in
each, is not thought The worse Of. on that
account. As the love If inery is adheren,
in them all, even more so than in any 9th,
er daughters Of Eve, n girl will do service
merely 10 earn sufficient to buy herself an
embroidered chemise. aud in addition tn
this, il she can pick up pair Of small old
satin shoes, she will tell you she is tired OF
working, and going home to rest, "pdra de-
scaasar." S"lii,ie is necessary. when one
can contentedly live on teriillas and chile,
sleep on mat, aud dress in rags!
A decent looking old woman, who came
to tie house to work, shortly after our arri
val in this country, left us at the end Of y
month, 'spara desconsar.: Snon after she
used TO come with her six children, they
and herself all in rags, and beg the garde-
ner To give her anv odds and ends Of ve-
getables he could spare. Ny mid asked
her why. heing so p'mr, she had left good
place. where she got twelve dollars a mouth.
oAh!" said she, ''if YOU only knew the
pleasure Of doing no,hing.'
wished to bring up little girl MS ser
want, having laugh. her TO read, sew, etc.
A child twelve wears old, one Of large
family, who subsis,ed upon charity, was
procured Tor me; and promised her moth.
er that she should be taught to read. taken
regularly TO church, and instructed in all
kinds Of work. She was rather pretty,
aud very intelligent, though extremely in,
doent; and though sho had no stockings,
would consent 10 wear nothing but dirty
white satin shoes too short for her feet
Once a week, her mother. = tall, slsiiern's
woman. with long, tangled hair, and ci.
gar in her mouth, used to come 10 visit her
accompanied bv friend, friends frieed
and trnin Of girls. her daughters. The
hnusekceper would give them some dinner
after which thew all lighted their cigars
and, together with the little Jnatita, si'
down and howl and bemnan themselves
crying and bemoaning her sad fate in he
1 ing obliged 10 % out TO scrvice. Ahe'
these visits, Jnsftn, wns 6t far nothing
II desired to sew, she would sit looking g
miserable. md doing SO little, that il seem
ed better to allow her TO leave her worl
alone. Then. tolerabIv contented, shf
would sit on mat doing nothing. her hands
folded and her eyes fixed on vacancy.
One dav. having given Julia permission
TO spend the night at her mo'hcr's, r.
ceived dirty note, nearly il'egihle, which
after calling down tho protection ofthe V'r
gin upon inc, concluded shut with mncf
sorrow must take nv child from the mos
ilustrious protection Of yonr ESce!Iency
for she needs to rest herrelf, md 10 tired
, E,r the prescat Of working" Tho woman
) then returned to beg, which she considered
infinitely less degrading.
! You ask me how Mexican women are ed