St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-12-28
'S4. DIARIES. 'S4.
5 and 10 CENT COUNTERS.

all hours of the day, if no one is at
home, to sit down and read. If you
admire anything of theirs, the horse,
furniture, books, or any article, it is
yours Immediately. | had no idea to
what an extent this WAS carried, until
after admiring very pretty bedroom
of young lady, was told by her
brother that it was at my disposition !
These people work little, live and dress
well, and enjoy life. Their manner of
living is the same as at the restau-
rants. In the morning all they have is
a cup of coffee, with class of bread
which we would call cake-then at
noon they have their breakfast, con-
sistiug of soup, eggs, and two or three
kinds of meat, the days living ending
with heavy dinner in the evening.
This being the principal meal of the
day, they always have soup and fish,
many kinds of meats, but few vegeta-
bles, and after finishing the meats
huge plate of large beans, boiled, are
brought on, which they eat, and some
times call for more. These are eaten
every day, and it is one of their princi-
pal dishes. Most of the Americans
here cannot accuStOm themselves to
this heavy meal at night, and as it is
impossible to get anything in the
morning, but coffee, the midday break
fast is the principal meal for them.
The amusements of the Mexicans
are varied, but their Sunday is perhaps
the best example of the life they lead
and manner in which they enjoy them
selves. At about IL o'clock the ladies
90 to the churches, which are mostly
Catholic. They only remain few
minutes, and Joining their husbands
or fathers outside, and starting for the
Iocalo, which spoke of, they walk
around the large music stand, where
always fine military bands play, es-
pecially OIL Sundays. This band plays
until one o'clock, the people staying
until the music goes. There you will
see the best dressed people in the city,
but as there is so little difference in the
days here, there is no established time
for coming out in a new dress, so
miss the Easter Sundays ut home. AT
ter the music, the people go home for
breakfast and nap. At four o'clock
they are in fine dresses again, and TAX
ing their coach. they drive up to the
passO, which is short, level and hard
road leading to Chapultapec This
road has elegant statues erected at
regular intervals, and others in process
of building. Up and down this road
the people ride until dark, their only
idea being to show off either their
coach or their dresses. In the evening
they go to the theater or to the Zocalo
again, but Sunday afternoon and even
ing is the best time during the week
for the theatres, and they generally are
crowded. The stores and restaurants
are open in the morning, while the sa-
looms and billiard rooms are open all
day. This is the Sunday to which one
very soon becomes accustomed and
likes, and on reading in the Gazette
some time after | came here of the
feeling made because the select men
allowed performance in the town hall
on Sunday it seemed as queer to me as
perhaps this part of my letter may
seem to the people of Northampton.
The MeXicans are not given to large
balls, or in fact small parties, and
don't think, know what Il picnic is, but
they give a small party once year,
which is on their Saints day. This is
an institution of the church, in that all
persons are named after some saint, of
which there is one for every day in the
year, the rest coming in under GAN
Saints Day" The person to whom the
party is given, receives at the door all
guests, and you must wish him or her
long life, etc; if you are stranger
you are introduced to all in the room.
every one rising until you sit down.
Their manner of Introduction is good
one, but at my first party ! did not un-
derstand it and wondered at it. When
presented, the person repeats his or
her name twice, then you are supposed
to do the same, say that you are at
their service, and that your house, Civ
ing full directions, is ut their DISPOSE
ton. | only wondered why they all
told me their names so many times
After the company arrives, generally a
musical is given, or else theatricals,
after which the orchestra, consisting
mostly of guitars, arrives, and at once
strikes up a "danza." After one or
| two dances, walters bring in some hot
| punch and small cakes the company
all take some and go on with the dance.
| This is repeated between every other
| dance, aud it is considered impOlite to
refuse when offered, consequently, with
| just enough punch and the influence of
/ a pretty pair of black eyes, the stran-
ger, although knowing nothing of the
/ dances, is whirling away among the
company, which does not break mp un-
| til six o'clock in the morning. T. II. NJ.