The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-01-05

say, Tecalote, San Jose or Cubero, ali
have the same general features, nc
attempt at fine architecture, merely
| a collection of one story, aat-roOfetl
houses built of adobe (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 filled with square
piles Of unbaked bricks, with win
dows and doors set in them. The
streets are filled with little comical
donkeys, some laden with a burden
three times their size. Entering a
house, you find it has no floor but a
kind of firm earth cement, no chairs
and no stove; you sit upon a sheep
skin and warm yourself at little fire
place in the corner, in which few
slender sticks stand on end +; in the
kitchen you see 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
fina," 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; pile of blankets in which
dwell many "chinces," and over
which ramble many mice, is the only
bed seen i'm a common house. The
mistress of this domain you will find
squatting outside, in the sun, smOk-
ing a cigaritO made of corn husk her
costume is a dirty cotton petticoat and
old black shawl wrapped gracefully
around the head aud 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 hay some old
fashioned apparel from some Jew
trader. The family are all members
of the society of the "great unwash-
ed" and though the mistress does not
lie abed while her robe is being wash
ed, l have sometimes seea her serenly
smoking her cigaritO guiltless of all
garments but one, while the cotton
petticOat tapped on corner of the
house. Alight before a apoverty-stricb-
Ell MeXican's mansion, and the
shabby master lifts his wide sombrero
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-
cerning the apartment or its contents.
Here is poverty deprived of its sling,
shame, and invested with a sober
dignity. Whateyer the host has is
offered and "SOmos pobres," I'VE 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 whitewasheJ,
and to keep the white from appearing
on peoples BACKS, 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
ly woven in the rudest loom, are piled
on all sides, and the floor is covered
with a carpet in black and white
checks, like shepherds plad," only
large, and called "jerga.p Sacred
prints framed i'm wide, bright fantas-
tically cut, tin frames adOrn 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. |
of all kinds are seen, and
Catholic fasts and feasts are observed |
The family possessions are usually |
horses, mules, dOnkeys, sheep and |
goats. Herds of sheep numbering
$1,000 are not rare possessions. The
"grama" grass cures on the ground,
grazing all the year round. |
All i'm one village herd their sheep |
together, and pay in some way 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 bids,
Enterprise I'm this land Is at a dis
count keeping body aud soul togeth-
er is happiness, and it is astonishing
how little work is necessary to do
that, i'm a country where labor isn't
the fashion. A dish of "chile con-
huevos''-rcd pepper and eggs-the
bright red and yellow of which give
it the appearance of paint, a pouch OF
tobaeco, y tumbler of the detestible
wine which, hy some awful, unkInwn
process, they squeeze from the most
delicious grapes i'm the world, and q
fandango in which to drink and
smoke, will put an average Mexican
in bliss. The fandangos, or "bailics'
as they are more frequently called,
are great amusement, rs dancing Is
universal accomplishment; apd the
costumes ut ball would effectually
hiIdGr :,..t fait6ra az modern dress
from heRGefnrth rowling the appli-
ances of fashion. The long album
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
brecades, are made entirely regardless
OF any "ft'' OF shape, hut whatever
the dress, whether Gf curtain damask
or black calico with white dots, one
thing is ode rigueur"-a costly neck
lace of great filagree butterflies or
stars, Wrought l.y tie 81 illful jewell
eerss from 'tlia' nati2e' gola: The men
often dance in tlielr shirt-sleeves,
with a cigarito in their mouth, and
red sash tied around the waist; they
dance with unconscious grace, and as
only people can dance who love IT
and practice it coilstantly.4-A waltz
ended, the dancers retire to a little
room, where whisky, vine and candy
4fs''h,r s.iie ! 'hn4 White fhe' mao
drinks WHISKY, his karfner joins i'm n
glass of ''vinG del psis.' or devours a
few "dulces.n Ifmen must retire for
drink, ~ they occasionally do In more
refined circles, it seems highly sensi-
BILE that they should be accompanied
by their wives and sweethearts. Cock
! yglts .Ed Lf,ss rSeing s!ec attra at
Gr6wsas,ji Eahl,R Rfngsis. rniySers'll.
On st. Johns day, al serts 9I genes
are rife. A fowl is hurled lightly in
| sand, ekcapt lls he4a tAeii, +Arse-
, men, riding full tilt; make a dash for
| its head, as they pass at high speed :
| the one who can pull the chicken out
entirely, gets the prize. The partici-
pants, except the"chicken, enjoy the
, aau.e ,.rre, Picr;n~ up coins
| NiHte eli rifaRiIis fstsse ls-Afrsaf n
u skiiifui rider, also, tlls hang, sharp
spur worn by the riders serving TO
hold them OH, by catching in the sad
die girth. They are merciless riders,
aa.s ki.t .a,atts t.arsa q. tS;rIii.:sfr IL q
day thaal any human heiils except an
a H., 30. ..slrtaoa gttatfiNw aud suttr-