Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-19
THE CITY OF MEXICO,


Mexico is a serious and by no means ga
| city. There are no crowds upon the sidewalks
no eating of ices in public no cafes chdistdnts
| nothing Partisan. By nine OF ten o'clock the
good people appear to have retired already, IL
be up betimes in the morning for the work OF
| the day. military band plays three evenings
III the week. but even this. except on Sundays
is SO sparsely attended that the men seem to be
discoursing their music for their own amuse-
ment. Policemen are found stationed at short
intervals in the quiet streets, with their lanterns
set in the middle of the roadway. They are
obliged by the regulations to signal their where
abouts every quarter of an hour and the sound
OF their whistles, which have shrill, dolefu
note. like November wind. may be heard re-
peated from one to another all the night
through.
AS the place does not expect tourists. there
are almost none of the appurtenances for their
enlightment to be met with elsewhere. While
this may have its annoyances, if the demands of
an ardent curiosity remain too long unanswered,
the freedom from responsibility to Baedeker
or Murray has advantages of its own. The
visitor with an eye for the picturesque dips into
delicious feast of novelties, makes discoveries
on every hand, and may have the pleasure of
testing the value of his own unaided conclu-
oioHS. Dy uayIlSnt. WICH itS DTISnL COlOrS upon
it. and it's normal stir of life. the famous remote
capital is very different place. BY little and
little the misrepresentation of the night are
shaken Off From the first moment of disap-
pointment we like it always more instead of
Here at length is the great central plaza. in
which events of much moment have been trans
acted We may actually sit down upon an iron
bench at corner of little garden in the midst
OF 1t the Zocal0 and make ourselves as COM
rtah Ito had lon,
imposing cathedral piles up pyramid-shape from
this point of view on the spot where stood the
pyramid OF the Aztec war god. These stones
should be ankle-deep for all the blood of various
sorts that has been spilled upon them. For the
moment we are fan. tic reactiOnists. One would
gladly see again for a brief instant old HutZilo-
potchli. the war god, alOft on his terrace. hear
the beat OF the lugubriOus war-drum and watch
the dismal procession of captives winding up to
the sacrifice, ministered to by the wild priests
with black locks flowing upon their shoulders
Except that at the precise mOment-we trust we
are merciful enough for ttat-befOre it was too
late. we think we should insist upon charging
up the steps OF the edfce with Cortez. sword in
when was it ever known that Castians turned
their backs upon fOe?" Down goes old Hut
zilopOtchli. broken into dozen fragments and.
howl as our Aztec adyersaries may at the I'M
heard-of dissertation those captives are saved
But really it is hard to imagine desperate con-
hcts in this bright sunshine. with the mutitudes
OF pretty, novel sights and sounds about At
one side is a beneficent institution the National
Loan Establishment, where once was the palace
of COrteZ: on another. the long white mOnOto-
nous National Palace which is on the site of that
OF MOnteZuma. The cathedral, like most CT the
carrier architecture. is of the Renaissance STYLE
run far INTO the yagaries of rocco: but it is
saved by its massiyeness. except in respect to
the examinations of it's towers which are in the
shape Of immense BELLS from any appearance of
hnicalltv. Adjoining. and forming now part
OF 1t. Is another church. in rich dark red vol
canic stone, with front that recalls the fantas-
tic facades of Portuguese Beem. What a
Water-cOlOr the mass would make, and espe-
ciaIly if it could be taken on one of the perfect
moonlight nights which bring out every line of
the sculpture softly, and display it all like a
lovely vision! There are bOOk-staIls about the
foot of it, and gay booths devoted to the sale of
refreshing dflnkS-GgttdS necOddS. The large
simple ars and pitchers in which these are con-
tanned are fine specimens of ceramic ware With
characteristic taste in decoration. the Indian
occupants frequently cover the whole front with
flowers. Dusky Juanas and Josefas. with
straight black braids of hair down their backs
are seen forming inscriptions in letters of pink
and blue cOrn-hOwers
Figures 90 by whose blankets one burns to
take from them for portieres. The men of the
poorer sort wear or carry universally the serape
"a blanket with slit in the center for the in
sertion OF the head. Apart from it's artistic
patterns, 1t is a useful garment in many emer-
gencies 1t is not the most improbable thing in
the world that, in the course OF the Mexican re-
vlval, we may yet see it introduced in the
states. and running the course of popularity of
the ulster. The corresponding national gar
ment OF women is the rebOzo. a shawl or scarf
generally OF blue cotton, which, crossed over
the head and lower part of the face gives a
Moorish appearance. The background of life
is more like opera than sober existence Two
other sides OF the square are occupied by long
arcades among the merchants OF which, pro-
tected from the sun and rain. one may wander
by the hour. watching the shrewd devices of
trade. and picking up those knck-knacks.
tri1ng in the country of their origin which are
certain to be curiOsities elsewhere. From time
to time pass across the view, dark and Egyp-
tlan-llke in appearance, in peculiar dress of
their own. and trudging under heavy burdens,
Indians who have best preserved the traditions
of their race. These have affected me as the
most impressive of all. Followed to their
homes they are found to dwell among ruined
walls in the outskirts. in adobe huts which can
have changed very little in aspect since the con-
quest.
These Indians have peculiar, pleasant voices.
rather in contrast to the Spanish voice, which
is apt to be harsh. Their manners too are
above their surroundings. 1t is Il favOrite
Mexican expression to say, ''This is your house."
and have had them on being introduced say,
well, remember number sO-and-sO of such a
street is your house, So in the same way. it
happened to me once, on looking with curiosity
into one of these abOdes. to ask an elderly wo-
man who stood near by, by way of making talk,
if it were hers. Yes" she replied at once:
land yours also. sir"
The trees neither in the ZOcalO nor the Ala.
media "a park occupying somewhat the position
of the Common in Boston, have the hoary an-
tiquity one would expect in such time-honored
places. But it appears that the setting out of
the trees and the formation of the Zocalo en-
tirely. is largely of modern date, and the work
of Macmillan, monarch who in his short. ILL
fated reign had many excellent ideas. The
center of the ZOcalO is occasionally allowed to
be inclOsed. for some select festivity orations
were delivered there on the national festival of
the 9TH Of May. Again. there was charming
flower show. to which came the ladies Of the
upper society, the young ones in charge of their
chaperOns and almost all in the graceful man
tilla instead of the bonnet
Tramways run out of the plaza in many direc-
lions. The city early utilized this invention,
and boasts of having one Of the most complete
existing systems. Their inscriptions have an
attractive look. One is enticed to take all the
different routes at once. Patience! it is all ac-
complished in time-to Guadalupe Hdalgo with