St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-12-28

They appear neat in their dress, and
many obtain employment in some
wealthy family, where they find good
home, and seem cOntented, the men
rs coachman, and the women as nurses.
The rest of this class, are the majority
of the people in the country. They
are without any ambition, further than
to have whatever they care to eat and
drink, with the least trouble still they
are Woodworking people. for they
are obliged to work, and to Il great eX-
tent are the support of the city. In
the morning they come in from the
country, men, women and children,
walking long distances, and bringing
in eggs. live chickens, all kinds of fruits
and vegetables, pottery of their own
make, and everything that they think
could he sold. Very near the Palace
is Il large market where these people
90 to sell their goods, the people of
the city sending their servants to buy
enough vegetables for a weeks use.
This manner of buying does not seem
to be convenient if you go yourself
you have to hire a boy, who having Il
large shallow basket balanced on his
head, you fill it with as much as You
can and he will follow you home.
Then, again, when you want meat, you
go to a market, buy the meat boy
is there who puts the meat in box,
balances It on his head, and if he does
not know where yOu live, you must 90
with him and show him. These Poems
are an oppressed race, and their con
dition is II poor and pitiful one, and
from what ! can learn, is the same rs
it was in years past. They do not
seem to belong to the city or country,
but as Il foreign race, being driven
about by some unseen power, and not
knowing where they will he tomorrow.
They never laugh, and even when full
of Pulcue, and naturally would be
hilarious, they have the same oppressed
look on their faces, which seems to be
stamped there.
The costume of the people is very
simple, consisting of two pieces only,
and they all dless alike. Both men
and women wear large piece of cloth
of Il heavy blue stuff, with IL slit in the
centre through this they put their
heads, the slit fitting around the neck.
This cloth when gathered ut the waist,
covers the upper part of the body, but
with nothing around the arms. The
women in addition to this, wear piece
of cloth of the same material tied
around the waist, and reaching some
distance below the knees the mems
costume being completed by pair of
leather breeches, open ut the sides for
one half their length. Why this is,
can not say, but saw one day Il PcOn
who had evidently had pair of Amel-
lean trOwsers given him, take a knife
and open the outside seam on both
sides for half its length. Neither the
men or women wear shoes, but Il thick
piece of leather cut somewhat large,
which they strap to the bottom of their
feet with cords while, if they weal
anything on their head, it is a coarse,
broad brimmed straw hat.
Another interesting class of these
people are the water carriers, who also
contribute their part to the life of the
city, for they have as much of busi-
ness and are rs much of Il necessity as
the markets. The water of the city is
distributed in fountains which are
| found in nearly all the squares of the
! y.
Jugs. and deliver the water at the
hotels, restaurants and private houses.
They are dressed alike, with leather
caps, jackets and aprons, with white
cotton trousers, their jugs, two in num-
Der. being of Il dark brown earthen-
ware. a large circular jug is hung on
their back, by a strap running around
their forehead, while they carry 4
smaller jug in front, suspended by 4
strap running over the top of theil
head. In this manner they carry i
large amount of water, for which you
pay a small price, but during the day q
carrier will make quite sum o
money. The Poems who are in littl,
better circumstances dress "A little bet
ter, the men wearing white cOttor
waists and pantalOOns, the latter being
very wide. and swing from side to side
with the motion of the wearer. TIL,
principal part of the women's dress
consists of a wide scarf of IL dark color
which covers the head, shoulders, anC
a large part of the body. They us'
them also to strap their babies on thei
back, i'll fact they are convenient II
many ways and no costume is complete
without one.
Social life among the better class o
people is to foreigner very fascinat
ing, though it takes long while to SCI
it, as the MeXicans are slow in wei
coming Il stranger to their houses. !
is the same however among themselves
and few families have an extende'
visiting acquaintance, and it is just a
difficult for a Mexican to obtain en-
trance into another house as it is for
stranger. When one, however, ha
been introduced into a family here
then he is to certain extent one o
the family. They tell you their hous'
Is yours, come whenever you like, a