Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-12-23
Mexican Pictures.


together III the valley of Mexico, and
the Countrywide character peculiar to
many parts of the capital, bring always
crowds of boorish people into Mexicos
thorougbfares. Indians OF pure blood,
looking like disfgured gypsies, are con
stantiy seen rowing about. Husband.
wife and child are trotting the same slow
pace. STOPPING to the verr ground aud
frequently carrying heavy loads. or the
straw mattresses on which they have
passed the previous night, on their way
to the city. Passing the front of soma
ancient church or a decayiIg convent,
we see the grades crowded with ugly
looking Indian women nursing their dirty
little urchins. In the shade of some
building We see happy family sharing
the frugal meal, consisting OF 'toFtillas
"a cake baked OF Indian CORN and some
fruits now and then they may even be
seen indulging IN the luxury of "triio-
/ las " (reed beans t1e National dish Of
the Mexican not very far from the
happy sat home we notice crowd of
sbabby-looking young men lying on the
ground smoking aud gambling at cards
the monotony of the play is now and
then interrupted by wild curses or a
blow at him who has been found guilty
of cheating his drowsy companions.
Indians and Mestizzos. the broad
brimmed sombrero on their dust-covered
/ heads, are leaning against the walls of
some ''fonda Gnn) they are shepherds
or muleteers, who have brought cattle
/ and goods from the interior and who are
I now gazing at all the splendors Of the
( capital and beholding the wonders of
/ them. They are daring looking fellows.
/ clad in dirty linen clothing and a parti-
colored shawl, which they draw closely
! around their neck and head when the
( wind begins to blow, so that there Is lit
! tie to be seen OF their defiant faces.
! Pickpockets and thieves, wearing mix
ture Of National and foreign garb. are
seen spying out an opportunity favorable
to their profession.
Men and women of all ages and COM
/ plexions, boys and girls, besiege the cof
, fee houses, annoying the pedestrian with
their shrill voices, pressing him TO buy a
lottery ticket and gain the five or ten
thousand "piros - that ara drawn on the
coming morn vendors OF matches ana
/ other trifies follow you step by step ill
YOU get rid OF them by spending q cop
!
by others vino have watched your weak
ness and are anxious TO have their turn
also More pleasant than these match
and ticket sellers are those who offer for
sale small objects OF art, as WaXen fruits
of great beauty, artificial flowers and
/ wooden and charcoal figures of perfect
workmanship: tiny little figures repre-
senting scenes Of everyday life, beautiful
birds on cardboard and different kinds
Of feather work are 10 be obtained at
very low prices.
\ charming picture sretee flower girls,
! who are busy composing their abundant
stock of the very finest flowers into taste
full nosegays, i'll which We find great
variety OF roses and the ladies' favorite.
the dark blue violet-fiowels that nature
offers lis all the wear round Tasteful
gariands, flower baskets that would make
the New York florist rave, charm the
BUYERS eyes nosegays OF all dimensions
and the delicate flower for the dandy s
button-hole are to be purchased at very
! low prices. For flowers the Mexican has
pleasing weakness, and the love
of flowers is one of the qualities that the
Spaniard has inherited from his Moorish
conquerors and has brought with him &c
Mexico. Old matrons and young ladies,
eyeing the passers-by from the balcony.
all have their hair and dress adorned
with fresh flowers.
The fruit vendor makes fine display
of his stock on the ground or in his prim'
tive shop Apples. pears, strawberries,
peaches, apricots, Turkish and Indian
figs, the growth Of the temperate eli
mate. are to be seen lying together with
the golden orange, the yellow lemon
bananas. anenas. mangoes, and the deli
cious chirimoya, productions of the tor
rid zone. Those who are fond OF cool
ing draught may apply to one of the nj
merous water stands, where inoffensivt
mixtures of water and anauas, lemon anc
other iuices are served to the caller fol
two cents a glass. While slpplng on
nectar we notice two or three old Indlal
women, half naked, who press with
round stone the juice out OF the fruit
Chocolate and cocoa are served as vel
4 at the stands. Travelling cooks witt
their two-wheeled kitchens are to b
, found in every street. and they serv
dishes to those who give them call
vet foreigner would scarcely be pleased
with the acid Spanish pippin or III,
baked sweet potatoes and other dishes
as they are generally. .spiced with goo,
, deal of dirt--Euenjng Post CORES
. pOndeace.