Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-06-08
Life al santa re.

Ihe people are 80 polite that one rarely knows
II ne has made a mistake II bis Spanish. they
compliment every step OF prOgress, and If one
pFOn0uHces within hundred degrees Of right
they exclaim; "Muy bueUO, senior, may clarU
CastllianoP A strange, polite, lazy affecfion-
ate, careless, unprOgTesslye race they are. Their
total lack Of enterprise shows 10 the most
lHdicrOus ways, but most in their style Of trans
porting everything on the backs of asses. / have
see IN but one Mexican wagon since came here,
and that had broken down. About the streets
are seen droYeS of lackasses of a very small
breed some with bundles of hay or straw strap
ped on their backs, Others with stove wood
stacked up on one side, reaching from the
ground to foot above the back, and tied on
with raw-hlde, regular perambulating wood
yard. Occasionally one loses his balance or trips,
and goes over on his back. Then he cannot get
up until unlOaded. saw one get down in the
santa Re river Yesterday, and having enjoyed
the cool bath and freedom from his burden he
refused to rise when unloaded. A withered old
sonora was beaboring him with musical ac-
compartment of "Carambal por Dios! va mala-
ditto! and adjuring all the saints in the litany,
ending with vigorous thwack on his head and
direct appeal to Saint Anastasia, who is sup.
posed TO have peculiar power over refractory
mules. But the heterodox beast shook his long
ears lazily, and exhibited a most Protestant
contempt for the whole sanity outfit. As
passed on she called to her assistance mucha-
cha, who was spearing the donkey along the
backbone with ierule.cane, with some promise
OF success. ALI the timber from the mountain
is brought into the city by this method, and
one often sees drove of dOnkeys, each with
heavy ioist on each pannier, projecting ten feet
beyond his head and dragging on the ground
behind him. This morning | noticed miser-
able little burro, no bigger than a good-sized
man, staggering under an entire bedstead, piled
up and strapped together on his back. They
are the wealth of the poorer class, and when the
household donkey dies Mexican family goes
into bankruptcy.
The common people are incredibly poor. fla
late peon, now free, has dollar, he neither la
bors nor thinks till it is gone. Twenty-Five cents
of it buys -four, twenty-five goes for dulces for
the sonora, another twenty-five pays for absolu-
tiOn and the rest buys a lottery ticket. No mat.
ter if his ticket draws a blank hundred times
in succession, "may be some time | VIM is TO
him sufficient answer. A lew families own all
the wealth of the country. Even they have their
wealth mostly in tiocks and herds, and immense
as 1t IS, It brings them but few of the luXurieS
of life IL this territory is admitted now as a
state it ought TO be called Pobrita ("Litte Pow
etty'l. Each of these wealthy families has from
800 to 5000 dependents, some of whom were
their poems before that system was abolished
and continue to yield obedience by nature and
habit. Ii state, this would be most com
plete "rotten borough" the worst "carpet-bag"
state in the Union. Fifteen families with ease
would rule the state--the Chaves, Gallegos, Del
gados, Sennas, Garcias, Pereas, 0teras, Quin-
tannas, and few others. These families have
thTee-fouTths of the wealth of the terri
tory, and all the influence. The poor Mcxicans
do anything they are told, in fact don't know
how to do otherwise than do as they are told
These families, in conjunction with half dozen
priests aud dozen or more Americans, would
divide the home offices between them and send
whomsoever they pleased to congress IL an
American is Sin with the noble families" he is
a noble man. Last winter the common mem
berS were bought and sold in the legislature,
am reliably informed, with scarcely denial.
Men boosted on the streets that they had
"bought so manv asses" Ii would be an emf
Henty peaceful state, however; the government
need anticipate no trouble or need Of reconstruc-
ton. They are very friendly to an American,
seeming TO regard him as actually superior
The Mexican women almost look upon a white
man as u sort Of little divinity. Religion seems
to interpose not the slightest objection. Prot
estant can get office as easy as Catholic, if not
easier. The Americans, OF course, are Protest
ants, but for the most part like A. Wards show
man-partner: "Gentlemen, these arc nv senti-
mants, but if they don't suit you, they kin be
changed"
The Mexcans cling teuacously to all their
old customs in the administration of Justice
They stipulated for this at the American Occll-
PATTON and Gen. Kearney by proclamation con-
tnued all their judicial officers with the same
code. So the matter grew into prescription
which cannot be changed; and, as the civil or
canon law was in force in all Spanish America,
ii is the common law OF New Mexico to-day.
Under il the power of parents is practically all
most without limits-no matter what age their
offspring may be. A son who lives with his
mother Is subject to her orders always, aud the
| acalde in rural districts is occasionally called
| upon by woman whose "boy" of twenty-five
or thirty has rebellcd. In such cases the alcalde
goes with his constable, arrests the "boy," puts
| RATA into the hands Of the mother, and bids
| her lay on until the youth roars for mercy.
| Sometimes senorita living with an American
| is whipped by her mother for some want of at.
| tention or proper conduct toward herself or the
| mari, and though he protests the mother asserts
| her right. They even claim that il father
chose TO kill his child tin law would allow
it; but ! am certain no test case could
arise, as in general these people seem
TO me the kindest and most indulgent OF
parents TO their small children. It is impossible
10 convey in English an adequate idea of the
long drawn out and musical endearities anC
dlminutves in which their language abounds
'POYrlta mia, muy bonita, dulce Huanita, mucha
preciosa mucha chitu" ("My poor little one
dearest one, my sweet little John, most preciou,
little grl") This climate is said TO be the hes
in the world for childhood, and their children
are peculiarly bright and lively but not hand
some, unless for those who admire dark beauty
which ! do not After wandering for hour
among the narrow streets and adobe squares
when | get into the officials part of the town
the few little American children look it'll
angels, with their clear blue eyes, soft light hal
Z anu Gear Saxon complexion. And this give
4 n,s new cause TO commiserate those unlortunat
. Whites VINO hnd been capliyes for ima " year
= d a,,,,g the dark races Of men. | had neve
tnougilt q II 10 this light before having consid
cred only the physical evils OF their lot but ho,
terrible u must be, for years and years 10 neye
see iair, blueeyed little girl, never 10 hear IN
sweet music Of childish English, or DELIGHT one
: sell with the innocence, fairness and nnritv I
Christians children, F"|