The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-01-24
Letter from Mexico.

EDrTo2 COMMERCIAL ADVOCATE A
week h rs passed away very pleasantly in
this delightful city. find the same kind
and unassuming hospitality that | now
begin to look upon Us one OF the attrl-
butes of Mexican character. There is
courteous department manifested by them
all to each other, and also to the stranger
within taeir gates" | think one reason
of this marked courtesy II each other is
because they have got the time to do it.
A Mexican never rushes ahead except he
is on horseback, and then his horse tran
sacts the rushing for him-as the Ameri
cans are SO prone tn do. What time has
hurried American got to be courteous
in crn 'ded thoroughbred Ia his ca
gerness to get along, he is regardless of
whose corns he treads upon, or who he
incommodes by his strenuous exertions to
pass turough the throng. All this rush
and hurry is unknown to the Mexican;
he has no conception of such waste
of muscular force; but wrapped i'll his
quietude he passes calmly and easily
along, greeting kindly all he may meet,
and parting with the usual friendly bless
aug of "a dios GOOD be with you" 1t
as the attention given to these minor mat
tiers of gentleness and kindliness that
.evince the innate goodness of the heart.
Nor is this line of conduct confined to
the street; it shows itself in the social
circle, in their homes and their neighbor-
~ intercourse, and in its manifestation,
they place before US an example which
We might follow with decided improve
ment upon our present status in such
matters If guest in Mexican family
should 10y chance express his approba-
ton of any particular article that pleased
him, the reply of the host or hostess
would very likely be: II am gratified to
find that you admire it; please allow me
to present it to you" But it would be
expected that the same degree of courtesy
would compel the guest TO decline accept
ing the prulfered gift. There are two an
ecdote> connected with this popularity Of
expression that venture 10 narrate here,
TO illustrate it. A stranger to this idiom
of the country, when expressing his ad-
niratiun ut the house, at which he was
visiting, WAS told by the owner: II will
he proud if you will allow me to present
it to you," astonshed the owner afore-
said, the newt day, by sending crowd of
masons and carpenters to make mate
rial change in the architecture of the
building And when gentleman who
had ridden out with the lady q his host,
in her luxurious carriage, expressed his
admiration OF the span OF blooded steeds
and the vehicle in which he was riding,
was answered by the request of his accept
ance OF the same, and sent a note to the
Lady the next day, with profusion OF
thanks for her liberal gift, aud an order
to deliver them to the bearer, he certain
ly was not more chagrined at the expla-
nation which ensued, than she was aston
ished ut the purport of his note and the
accompanying order. When the matter
was fully understood, they stood upon
this common ground-she grinned, aud
he was chagrined.
The Mexicaus have a hygienic proverb
that "Fruit is gold in the morning, silver
at noon aud lead At night" Was told
by old residents here not to eat fruit ex
cept early in the day; and acting upon
this advice | had large basketful OF
oranges brought iuto our rooms from the
orchard early every morning. My as
tonishment can be considered similar to
that Of the two wouldbe acceptors of the
gifts above alluoed to, when upon desir-
ing to pay for the rent of the rooms We
had occupied, found bill amounting
10 fifteen dollars for the oranges con-
sumed during the week, at the rate OF
half real-six and a quarter cents-each.
concluded that in tue future | would
buy them at their lead valuation, and
purchase them in the evening. Talk OF
Yankee tricks! why, the most dull and
stupid Mexican could go all around the
most cute Yankee, anu not think he had
made even slight effortl
Having obtained mules and an ample
stock Of provisions, we started our trains,
toward the close of the day, with instruc-
tons to the muleteess to proceed 70 .