Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-04-09


church or chapel, aud every large town
It's one or more priests, school houses are
uncommon, ard few parents have the
ability, ii they have the desire, TO give
their children the simplest rudiment of
an education. Yet this people, old and
young, are remarkably docil, aud would
doubtless prove apt pupils IL they had
the Opportunity. That they are of an
inquiring turn of mind, can personally
testify; for | have spent many hours
answering their gucsiiUns concerning the
States aud foreign countries, the railroad,
the telegraph, aud other subjects OF which
they had received some indlstinct kuoWl-
edge. ..
The men Of this class are not general
y prrpoSSessing in appearance but lhe
majority of them are Industrious, and,
except when by want or strong tcmpta-
ton, honest. Many of them are, how
ever, thieves aud yagaDonds, living by
plundct, or upon the buuIty Of their
more honest friends and relatives, v ho
harbur aud prutcC' them. Some Am,ri-
cans go 80 lar as 10 assert that the NlcXi-
cans are all thieves; but, though they
are more tolerant Of their dishonest rcla-
tivcs than they should bc, most Of th4iH
are, | think, Trustworthy under Ordinary
circumstances. The yOung women Oi
this class have good lorins, VIM little
facial beauty, though have occasionally
met one VITO va, tolcrably good looking.
They are slovculy ln their dress, except
when prepared Tor church or the fam.
dango, aud usually wear black shawlS,
drawn over their head-, WHICH serve the
tnppIe pupose Ot covering the shOul-
ders, cnucraiIug the uukenpt conditions
Ut the hair, aud, hidlhg the tace upon
the approach Of stranger. The shawl
Is worn both III the house aud npou the
street and when the wearcr meets Il
Stranger it Is drawn coqucilishiy around
the face, So that but orc cye--a dark,
languishing cye--is exposed. Every
Mexican girl is taught from her infancy
10 wear a shawl. and ~ balance an OI0,
or water-jar, OH her head. Thr>c jars
are Of raIthrnWare, almost gl1bular. in
shape, and hold two or three gallons ct
water. SO sk.lltul do the girls become
III carrying them, placed upon folded
cloth on the top OF the head, that have
been told one pl them has been known
TO fail at full length upon the GROUND
without breaking her Jar or spilling Il
drop Of water. Chignuns are rarely
seen in New Mexico. The first that
made its appearance in Mcsila was gen
orally regarded by the native women a.
a new and excellent cOntrivance for sup
porting the oNu.
The Pucbla Indians are the best citi-
zens of New Mexico, and that is not say
ing much in their favor. They derive
their Lame from the tact that theE reside
in puebias or towps. Their houses are
nearly all two stories in highth, with the
entrance in the second story, shich is
reached by the me;tns of II ladder, and
with ovens upon the root. Tle. mleff are
industrious and thrifty farmers, and the
women are doubtless accomplished house
wives after the manner OF ;hc:r race.
Tlev have their own lands, which can
not be sold outside of the :ribe; are gov
erned by their own chiet, under their
own LAWS, and AS well off III every re-
spect as their MeXicaG neighboIs III
religion they are Roman Catholics, but
they still retain many of their heather
anu III WV 81
cage, elevated on poles to the height OF
the surrounding rooisj contains three or
four immense graz eagIes-the guardian
divintics of the place. The dress OF
this people is simple. and the tashonuu-
changeable. That OF the men consists
of Il shirt, buckskin pants, ,.and moccasins,
with chip hat in summer. The women
wear n single garment Of black cloth,
trimmed !%ith white braid, reaching to
the knees, where it is met by lcggings OF
buckskin terminating in moccAsins, Il
simple and convenient blooper costume.
TO my fastidious eye, tise women Of this
race are by no means handsome; bu'
they possess The reputation Of being
virIuous, and observed among them
none OF the immOdest actions which 50
disgusted me with the Mexican women.
| Neither did | ever see one OF them
smoke cigarrite, Il habit to which, all
the Mexican women, rs well as men, are
addicted. If they are guilty ct petty
vices, they practice them in private.
Western MOMhiy.