The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-07-03
COLORADO LETTER.

DEAR NEWS: s'W hat sort OF q
place is Cucharas?" It's n Mexi-
can plaza. with one white family
living across the river, keeping Il
home stage station. On the
side where Bob and / stop,
there are no white people We
are surrounded by Grcasers, and
we can "sling Spanish like full
bloods. The MeXicans had q
great ttne last Saturday 1t was
one vi their saints days, and they
celebrated it by ''coriendo para
gayos, AS they callit. In English
1t means. running for roosters"
They began gathering in the plaza
about two o clock. z. NJ, coming
in on horse back from every di-
rection. The sport began at about
three. The ''gayo3 had his feet
tied and was buried in eand in the
middle of the street, having only
his head and neck visible. The
riders passing "a iuIl speed were to
pick him from the ground and
make good their escape from
the pursuing crowd. One after an
other they shot past, in quick sue
cession, each swinging low. and
making grab for the rooster as
he passed the spot. When one
caught him it was u wild chase
over the prairie to win the meat.
Who ever got away with the chick
en- had the eating. After several
birds had been thus disposed OF,
this sport began to pail, SO they
changed the programme, and in
stead OF running away, they show
ed their pluck, by lighting single
combat, using the unIucky Chan
ticleer grasped by the legs as 4
mace, and beating the foe over the
head and face with the living fowl,
so long as it was living fowl,
and afterwards with the dead.
Mean time the other man was at
| tempting To get hand holt a
bout the head of the unfortunate
bird and then came "the tug of
war The surest seat and the
strongest hand got away with the
biggest piece of chicken, and the
fight was kept up lively until the
combatants were tired and the
roosters pretty equally divided
among the crowd. The obIations
To the patron saint we're wound up
at night by grand fandango.
On the fourth of June these same
Mexicans entered with equal Zest
into another quite different per
Torrance. The "Penitentes were
undergoing their seif-inflicted tor
ture. They do penance several
times during the year, beginning
Good Friday, and lasting three
days, and twice afterward during
Lent, continuing two days at the
first, and one day at the second.
Their mode of procedure is some
what as follows. They are strip
ped to drawers and bandaged a
round the head So as not To be
recognized. The most usual
modes are carrying very heavy
crosses a long time, or beating
their naked backs with straps OF
plated soapweed, which brings,
the blood at every blow. Some
times they go through with a |
mockery of the crucifixion off
Christ. Death is often known to |
follow the sufferings caused by
these fortunes. The people Of |
Walsenbury are talking or a grand |
Fourth of July. The spot where
our national independence is TO be |
is at the foot of the
Spanish Peaks, and the national
health is to he drunk nancy times
in free beer. You can take your
climb the Peak, fish for
trout, go hunting or listen to the
speech. Croquet has not made
its appearance here yet. We viii
have to substitute gathering gum
in its place. Pinon trees bear gum,
and it rms all the year. The
is beginning to make It's
in this country, but
do not hear any talk offeasts: per
haps because the bears eat up all
the pigs. They eat up over