The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-01-12
Life in New Mexico.

nave bAO 6ctllC BCIhCIdA 4CdbuICSf uO
attempt at fine architecture, merely
collection of one story, fiat-roofed
houses built OfadObe (unbaked bricks)
around a centre called La Plaza.
wherein not a spear of grass nor a tree
is visible. The town looks like a
great brick-yard filed with square
piles of unbaked bricks, with win
dOws and doors set in them. The
streets are filled with little comicaI
dOnkeys, some laden with burden
three times their size. Entering a
house, you find it has no floor bat
kind of firm earth cement, ne chairs
aEd no stove; you sit upon sheep
skin and warm yourself at little fire
place in the corner, in which few
slender sticks stand on end in the
kitchen you zee one iron pan and
many bowls of all sizes, made OF a
black earth, but there is nothing else
in the household line. Table furni-
ture is seen only among the ''gente
1ina," or aristocraCy, and even they
sometimes get mixed as to the use of
crOckery, serving soup perhaps in a
wash bowl. Strings of mild delicious
red pepper, "chile colorado" hang
on the wall beside thin sleeps car
cuss a pile of blankets in which
dwell many "chinces," and over
which ramble many mice, is the only
bed seen in a common house. The
mistress of this domain you viii find
squatting outside, in the sun, smok-
ing q cigaritO made Of corn husk her
costume if a dirty cotton petticoat and
old black shawl wrapped gracefully
around the head and Shoulders. Her
labOrs are few because her wants are
few; her children run naked till they
are four or five years old, and her hus-
band buys for corn or hoy some old
fashioned apparel from some Jew
trader. The family are all members
ed, >" and though the mistress does not
lie abed while her robe is being wash
ed, have sometimes seen her serenity
smoking her CigaritO guiltless of all
garments but one, while the cotton
petticOat tapped on a corner of the
house. Alight before a poverty-strick-
en- MeXican's mansion, and the
shabby master lifts his wide som brero
with cavalier grace and politely wish
es you "Buenas dias," while his
sonora, with easy courtesy, bids you
enter, and there is true hospitality
within, for no excuses are offered con
corning the apartment or its contents.
Here is poverty deprived of its sting,
shame, and invested with a sober
dignity. Whatever the host has is
offered and "SOmOs pObres," 1--WE are
poor peOple) simply said, is held to
account satisfactorily for any lack of
necessaries or splendOrs. How re-
freshing, when so many poor folks
elsewhere are occupied in frantic
efforts to keep up appearances and
seem richer than they are. In the
richer families, you will see a long
room kept for guests and show its
walls are brilliantly whitewashed,
and to keep the white from appearing
on peoples backs, a wide strip of gray
chintZ or common calico is stretched
around the entire room, above the
piles of long wool mattresses which
take the place of chairs and sofas.
Huge piles of wOOlen blankets, coarse
lywOven in the Tudest loom, are piled
on all sides, and the floor is covered
with a carpet in black and white
checks, like shepherds plad,n only
large, and called 'jerga." Sacred
prints framed in wide, bright fantas-
tically cut, tin frames adOTn the walls,
while the centre on one side is de-
voted to an image of the Virgin, often
life size, under which are candles to
be lighted on stated state occasions.
Crucif1Xes of all kinds are seen, and
Catholic fasts and feasts are observed
faithfully.
The family possessions are usually
horses, mules, donkeys, sheep and
goats. Herds of sheep numbering
90 900 are not rare possessions. The
"grama" grass cures on the ground,
furnishing grazing all the year round.
All in one village herd their sheep
together, and pay in some way a share
to the herders, or take their own turn
at herding. The wool is sent just as
it is shOrn, over the plains in the
great wagons called "prairie schOOn-
ers." A primitive vehicle for family
travel is made without a scrap of iron,
the wheels being solid wood, and the
body fastened to the axle by thongs of
raw hide.
Enterprise in this land is at dis
count keeping body and soul tOgeth-
er is happiness, and il is astonishing
how little work is necessary to do
that, in a country where labor isn't
the fashion. A dish of "chile con-
huevOsn-Ted pepper and eggs-the
bright red and yellow of which give
it the appearance of paint, a pouch of
tobacco, a tumbler of the detestible
wine which, by some awful, unknown
process, they squeeze from the most
delicious grapes in the world, and a
fandangO in which to drink and
smoke, will put an average Mexican
in bliss. The fandangOs, or "baiiies"
as they are more frequently called,
are great amusement, as dancing is
a universal accomplishment; and the
costumes at a ball would effectually
hinder any railers at modern dress
from hencefOTth reviling the appli-
1
dant hair of the women is braided
and crossed tightly in the neck a
severe trial to any feminine beauty
and the dresses, often of the richest
brocades, are made entirely regardless
of any "ftn or shape; but whatever
the dress, whether of curtain damask
or black calico with white dots, one
thing is ode rigueur'-a costly neck
lace of great filagree butterflies or
stars, wrought by the skillful jewel
ers from the native gold. The men
often dance in their shirt-sIeevea,
with a cigaritO in their mouth, and a
red sash tied around the waist they
dance with unconscious grace, and as
only people can dance who love it
and practice it constantly. A waltz
ended, the dancers retire to a little
room, where whisky, wine and candy
are for sale; and while the man
drinks whisky, his PARTNER Joins in
glass of ''vino del psis," or devours a
few "dulces." If men must retire for
drink, as they occasionally do in more
refined circles, it seems highly sensi-
bic that they should be accompanied
by their wives and sweethearts. Cock
fights and horse racing also attract
crowds, and gambling is universal.
On st. Johns day, all sorts Of games
are rife. A fowl is buried lightly in
sand, except its head; then, horse
men, riding full tilt; make dash for
its head, as they pass at high speed
the one who can pull the chicken out
entirely, gets the prize. The paTtici-
pants, except the chicken, enjoy the
pame hugely. Picking up coins
L.a-. -. = LII, N rn.r no..an a. o r,,-cn