The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-05-21
TIE pnoN or NEW MEIrco.

Immediately contiguous TO its perennial
streams. Is. in appearance and IN roahty' an eh-
posed portion Of the crust Of hell Thc country
Is comparatively rancss and trceless. ana the
people superlatively goddess. Inc inhaDitants
nre the native Mexicans, the aboriginal Pueblo
Indians. and foreigners Oh TWO lclasses. the
speculative and the criminal
Caste Is omnipotcnt and omnipresent. Tho
social educational. and political differences
separating the Roman patricians from the pie
beians were not more marked than those now
existing between the high -born and wealthy
hdalgo and the lowy and penniless peon.
In dress the two classes approach very closely.
The only distinctively national features in this
line are the universal rejection by the women
OF the hat and bonnet and the substitution in
their stead Of gauzy. gaudy shawl thrown
jauntilv and gracefully oyer the head and
Shoulders and the heavy broad brimmed, or
namented sombroro worn by. all the men--the
elegant exdulsites excepted. Their hair is
blaek., eyes dark and complexion iawny Few
exceed the medium height. and the men are
less handsome in face and form and graceful in
action than the women, They are languid IN
deferred till TO morrow. They are faithful and
answering in their attachment to their
pf an exactlng, jealous disposition, and the
knife is often the redrcsser Of actual or mag
Of SambIers S The mania Is universal insata
bic, and inveterate.
The doh Is the a pSssSessoT OF thousands 81
almost wooless sheep innumerable; and he
boasts and believes that through his veins how
few, drops of the warm, red blood that in
matchless daring. But the poor peon has no
are eonned to Rs hope aoaa
ing diminutlve burro" donkey II hovel Of
hardened mud q little bread. less meat, much
pepper, and children enough to support him in
eourtiy; the pe9n lliterate and uheoIth. The
education; the latter the saddened and sad
dening offspring Of ages OF poverty and igno-
with unaiminshng pertnacty to S his su races
rroverbial hatred ofthe annexing American ;the
other welcomes MS icon E, sell his enter.
the ms" in politics.; the poems the OUTS"
the T don Is the mastery the peon the slave.
"adobos' bricks made p Of mud and 's straw w
only. hardened by exposure to tho SUM. and
walls are resplendent with garing pictures and
Images OF Christ and saints. AS husband the
ereduloas and Vndictive and The tresses Of
many erring wives are SO worn rs to conceal
the evidence Of their unfaithfulness presented
He y hosptable in his treatment Of the stranger
within his gates and is fond of social gather
neat in his attire, and tenn erate in food. drink
anu exercise, His pet attitude is the squat.
he Is Iond OF music and amusement. and de-
lights in the measured malice" of the twang-
ing guitar ana Is an ardentthough lelsurely
0eNOtce oil IerpSlcnure.
During the many years that have elapsed
since the settlement Of the early missionaries
among their ancestors. the crafty and expert.
enced disciples OF Loyola have established
over the hearts and minds OF this simple people
AN ascendency that is now palpably boundless,
and saperstitous 4 New Mexican recresnt to
the creed of his forefathers is an anomaly and
an tcast-eNcommunicated, execrated, and
homes of his friends He is a punctual and
reyerent attendant at all services. and an ex-
queer public PROFESSIONS there countenanced
and conducted by the Jesuits. Two instances,
As frequent, will serve to show the poems re-
ligion or. rather orthodox superstition. Near
are crested about Ra dstan from PSs
other. As the year draws to its close, he who
during its course has been guilty Of sins Of ex-
accompanied by hundreds Of excited msn and
women. and absolyes himself Tin honesty OF
belief at least from all criminality. by the
endurance Of = chastisement SO severe as to
Often result in the insensbility OF the penitent.
hs haSy o asd ano ss
frenzied with remorse and fanaticism. he
the ndeG s and
tears. and with steps feeble and uncertain to
grope and stumble his way oyer the space in.
the penitential journey Is commenced. that in
slant the crowd. armed with 1.-the. tough twigs.
eping Babel Of prayers and celebrations loudly
fhouted showers upon the miserable wretch's
and earnest blows. and not inire1uently, ere he
mas covered half the prescribed distance he
sinks TO the ground an uneonsoious mass Of
envy to his weary armed friends.
And when their country is suffering from one
Of the protracted droughts to which 1t is sub.
)eot and their laziy patient spirit il alarmed
into activity by the imminent danger Of q ser-
dock to their ohupches in h hoFes form IN ordef
s 9snv and by
n "A n
priests gaudiiy robed and chanting and BY men
and tatteredl canvas. on which is roughly de-
cheated the Mexicans ideal Of the Virgin
Leaning laughing. talking singing. smoking
praying, presenting spectacle that contrasts
harPy and strangely win the oInoosng
offered by some staid and ,diCnihed old parson
way back k II tho states" ,
and always substqntiai structures. and fire.
quently contain and are always surrounded by
and iashionablel have paid for the privilege the
handsome sum demanded by the priests as Sc
oaoS o e2TfsRs 1nSEdd iE%
terments within municipal limits The law
and threatens impr.dn%sDt and a ne for each
and every such offence. But it is not enforced.
p9r could It be and so, when the rich die the
in the, very heart of the city town. or hamlet.
and the shallow graves emit their, mephitlc
sacerdotal purse is made heavier. and the sor-
ESSSing hearts 4 thS sOr5oTing relatives are
knowledge that their beloved dead lie, as they
lived far from the common crowds unsightly
presence and degrading contact.
Fol, a grave tfattened to the level Of the sur
rounding surfacel beneath the altar 81 900 Is
asked and stranger ,stlll paid for the same
sized hole outside the church but within the
enclosure. and sprinkled with holy water. $500
y the minimum and usual price But the hap
less peon, oppressed in LIE and contemned
when dead, is buried in some out-of- way
graveyard. with little ceremony and with brief
prayers murmured in unseemly haste. A
little reading less writing and digital arith-
metic constitute the extent OF his educa-
tQnal attachments.
To the American, to whom political discus
sions are ~ the breath oflifc. no characteristic
OF tho peon Is more surprising and repulsiye
tnhn the apathy he exhibits and really feels in
matters Of public concern. Local issues. In
V0ytns the orthodoxy and election Of local Off
gals, alone interest him. The members Of the
Territorial Legislature are real representatives
OF their constituents, displaying in their crud'
cessation the arrogance of the gentry, the
DIgotry OF the clergy. and the lliteracy and ig-
noranee Of tho MASSES. During the admins
ration 81 GOV Lew Wallace tho Legislature
. n