The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-02-27

and WIDE trOWSers, with Z red sash or gIr
die around the waist. At an early hour
of the day they go to mass, then loiter out
the morning, sleep through the afternoon,
and spend the night iRgaming, dissipating
and dancing-but they drink but little IL
quor Almost entirely uneducated, COM
petely cut off from all intercourse with
the world (for except few paths and In
/ dian trails, there IS no appearance of q
road to San An,onio,) and therefore depri-
we'd of the common means Of intelligence
they have no enterprize or public zeal,
no curiosity, but little patriotism-know
I nothing Of government and laws, and seem
incapable Of feeling themselves. or appre-
ciating in others, those lofty aspirations
which fire the brain, warm the heart, nerve
! the arm. and burn in the bosom Of free
man.
With apparent good nature. and much
awkward courtesy, they are yet reacher-
Gus and deceptive, and can no more stand
the frank honest gaze of 4 real white man
than fox can the eye of a lion.
The wives and daughters of the Ran
cher0S are as rough and uncouth as their
husbands and fathers, and disdain those
light and polite amusements that generally
amuse their sex. Bu. the females of the
second class are agreeable. handsome and
tascinaUng-aihough not particularly ac-
compiishod. They dress plain and taste
fully, and in z style best calculated to de-
vcloPe the elegant proportion Of their
persons.
Generally poor, they of course wear
but few costly jewels; yet with much good
sense seem 20 consider their own natural
charm as the richest ornaments that can
adOrn woman, and as those surest to at
tract the notice and secure the attention of
the rougher portion of humanity.
This class are the voiaries of the (all~
daag0es for which San Antonio is so lust.
Iy celebrated.
Nightly, while yet fresh and buoyaut
with the eXhiIarating effects Of a sie8fa and
bath, they 0ock by hundreds to those dirt
floor saloons which are the scenes of mirth
and music.
Conducted with much dccorum, and
yet without such useless restraints rs an
nouncements, bows and introductions, the
tandangoes were well calculated to afford
rare sport for a company of Young volnn-
tcers fresh from the United States; and so
omnlpotent was their influence over the
ladies', and so terrible their appearance
with pistols and bowc-knives to their
/ brown-sknncd neighbors, that the arrival
OF single platoon was sufficient 10 clear
( the room of every Mexican, except a few
( who stood around as silent and disntercs-
ted spectators. The English language is
but little spoken At San Antonio, anC not
much Spanish IS understood by a single
7 trooper.
1t is frequently diycrling to observe the
sighs and soft giauces OF The gentlemen,
and the smiles of re cognition and mods OF
/ assent reciProcated by the Iadies-and it
/ Is still more divertng at the end of the
/ tandango, after each dancer has paid the
/ fiddler, and treated his partner TO some
simple beverage prepared for the occasion,
. to see them pairing of by consent, and
silently, though not senGmentally, striking
of by the light of the stars TO every quar-
/ ter OF the city.
/ The first class, now reduced to a limited
number, is composed OF the direct lineal
( descendants Of Spanish dons and Casti-
{ liam mobiles, who, !hough stript Of the IL
! ties and prerogatIyes which they enjoyed
under royal government; yet retain their
! dignity, their royalty, aud their fortunes,
and keeping alOof from the two degenerate
and subordinate classes already described,
are content to live in ease and arisiocratic
retirement. While a bench or two, a
/ n1uato, for grinding corn, copper kettle,
an earthen Jar, and a few cow hides and
! Mexican blankets spread on dirt floor,
with shelf of clothes, and saddle and
larrietto, are the articles of furniture usual
/ ly found in :he thatched novels and stone
/ huts of the two first classes, the comforta-
/ bic dwellings of the first are supplied with
most of the comforts, and many articles of
taste and elegance.
/ In this class may be found gentlemen of
education and talents, OF polished manners
and refined and hospitable feelings; and if
the females in the second class are hand
some and iascinatin .those in the first class
are splendid and irresistibly captivating
Having been educated either in the city of
Mexico, the United States, or Europe,
they have, with perhaps very few ex-
} ceptIons, travelled much, seen much OF the
world-and those superlative advantages
with which nature has gifted them, have
been cultivated, cherished and embellished
until they exceed III appearance, and equal
/ IN capacity, any women Of the present day.
And when collected within the luminous
walls OF ballroom, as they were the
evening proceeding our departure, with
graceful figures floating with elegance and