St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-07-03
ST. cSohnsburp Galeduniarr.
Chapultepec.


Chapultepec is Just about as far from
town as Guadalupe, the shrines of au
thority and of re igion being each ex-
actly three mile of. Strange enough
their city centres. cathedral and palace,
are on the sane square. The ride
thither is over charming avenue,
called the EMPRESS Road. for Il long
time called the road of the Mad w OnIen.
1t is straight rs an arrow path tIOm an
Aztec bow, lined with young trees. well
wet at least half its way, and every
thing but safe. That you take the risk
of Carriage riders or hOrSemen may
find themselves lighter of purse and
heavier of heart before they reach the
city streets. though they are only ii
mile ont. But morning brings no dan
ger, or at least fears none. y prancing
horse that has only known the saddle
gayly dances with YOU as his partner
from the Alameda to the gate of the
grounds. There You diSmount. If You
so desire. or pass in. and on. and up.
The first thing that strikes YOU Is the
woods. People have Dften been struck
with their sub stance. They are more
ancient than the palace. They are the
tall. broad limled cedarS which Gosem
tie delights in. Some are twenty feet
through. Large groves of them linger
round the base of the hill. Several are
very large. and one rises to the dignity
of bcaling MontezumaS name.
Here. too. are the baths of MOnteZu
ma, the best just outside the grounds.
Much frequentcd are they yet, though
not by him. unless his spirit needs
ahlution. as most spirits do. at least
when in the flesh. The one inside the
gate is walled hole in the ground. Ii
is close to the entrance. and Is dry.
But Il few rods farther off in what WAS
undoubtedly his park, there bubbles up
forty feet the cleareSt, sweetest pool
ever saw for bathing. Fifty feet square
is the bowl. forty feet deep. You can
see the moss aud ferns growing on the
bottom. and behold the hole in the rock
whence the waters guSh ont. There to
plunge | found delightful after Il racy
ride of an hour. Just as the sun was yell
lowing Chapultepec, and with only a
cup of coffee between my appetite and
last nights supper. y shallower basin,
paved and walled to suit those who
can not swim. adjoins the fount. and Is
hardly luxurious while ladies have II
suit of similar luXuricS adjoining. all
opening in ceaSeless gardens.
Taking this swim, we can drive
through the woods, that open i'll some
places to quite respectable forests. We
climb up the hill past two grim idols
still remaining hidden in the foliage.
the gods of MontczIma. The sides are
barren of all trees. save the Peru or
pepper tree. IL sort of willow looking
bush that grows to quite Il height and
solidity AT times, and grows every
where The dricst and hottest soils are
not too dry nor too hot for 1t. Red
berries hang in clusters over it, the
choice fruits of birds, though startling
~ pungent to man.
The court Just below the top stops
the horses. and Il few steps land the
visitor amidst IL cool and shady garden.
surrounded 10y broad verandaS. where
the singing and shining birds of the
country (very different species here. as
elsewhere) shine in their exquisite plu-
mage. or melt in more exquisite song.
Long suits of rooms command the Su-
perb valley. its city, villages, plains,
lakes. and mountains. No such piano.
rama has any other palace III the world.
Windsor. the next most beautiful. Is
tame to this. Sch0nbrunn. POtsdam,
Fontaineblcau, and all, are fiat and
cheap to this rare combination. But
then one is apt to live longer i'll these
palaces. and to die a more natural
death, and so is content with humber
luxuries. From Montezuma to Maxi
milan, the occupants of this hill palace
have many of them made violent exit
from their trouhlouS honOrs. JuareZ
dared not stay here after night fall
without Il large body guard and it is
abandoned to occasional state break
iasts, the heart of the city being Judged
safer residence Bishop Gilbert H0ren.
in HdIper's Naqd>jne .tor JuIg.