Omaha daily bee., 1883-01-11
and industry have brought them at all

no idea of It's towns, cities, people and
customs. Everything lie 40 unlike the
civilization Of the nineteenth century
that one is almost tempted to imagine
the 8 o.cslled civilization of the Aztec
race a myth. The buildings those
Of Mexican architecture-,re of adobe,
or sun.dried bricks, are never more
tian one story In height and are gen.
orally built in tho form of a hollow
square, with two entrances, II fer
animals and vehicles and one for the
human inhabitants. My hotel--the
Laredo Hotel--will serve al a fair
illustration of the average dwelling Of
the more p%retentiuus Mexican through.
out the Republic. 1t is a low, one.
story adobe building built in the form
of a square and occupying about ono.
quarter of an ordinary block of grourd
The rooms are situated all around tho
80 r or courtyard formed by the
walls, with the door opening on the
square. A shed, or awning, OF lum.
Der, runs all around the inside of tho
court. affording shelter from the sun
as we'll as the rain, when either would
render crossing the courtyard undo.
sirable. The floors are all of brick,
which are scrupulously scrubbed and
dried each morning and actually pre-.
sent a clean, tidy appearance. OF
course, such a thing a. comfort is i'm
possible under the above described
circumstances, but the Mexican cares
very little for that, particularly il it
costs anything In the shape of labor to
obtain it..
Just now all Mexico Is alive with
excitement and gala day joys, for the
fiesta season Is at its height. l. Ike the
Italian. Portuguese, Spaniard and
| other Latin races, the Mexican lie
never happy unless enjoying himself,
and the slightest pretext serves to Sc
cure a holiday. What the Mardi Gras
and cafnivals of other nations are to
them the fiesta season is to the Mexi-
can, and that he fully enjoys himself
1 am thoroughly convinced. The
fiestas or nations! holidays began
about two weeks ago and will continue
some two weeks longer. In company
with q friend l sailed out last even.
Ing to visit the scenes of festivity and
general jolliication, and shall attempt
Q description Of what l saw during
sae nights short ramble through the
streets and plazas of a typical Mexi-
can city. The night was dark and
gloomy, and the streets of Laredo are
guiltless of gas or any other illumtn-
ator; 30 we were forced to feel our
way carefully along the walls and to
walk slowly because of the numerous
pitfalls which abound, for know, dear
reader, that sidewalks wider than two
feet--and scarce at that--are totally
unknown in Mexico. But the Mexi.
can Is patient and humble
In his aspirations; he prowls
around at night 80 much
that he sees equally as we'll in
the dark as at midday; he needs nc
sidewalks, asphaltum or granite pave.
ments. The sand of his native heath
Ia good enough for him, and less try.
Ing TO his unshod, or sometimes
sandal-shod, feet. The newspapers
of Mexico too do not have leaders on
the execrsble condition of the streets
and the duties of the mayor, city
council and street commissioners, and
hence all ar happy because of opt
mind, namely, that it was good enough
for the fathers, and that improvement
of any kind would be nothing less thar
rank heresy.
And 30 discussing these matters and
snathematizlng the sidewalks and
Laredo's city fathers, we arrived upon
the main plaza, where the fiesta wal
being held. l had expected a soehe
of semi barbaric splendor, something
like a chapter from the Arabian
Nights, unusual, startling, gllttering,
grand, magnificent; but like all grea'
expectations, the reality, as is always
the case, did not begin to approach
the ideal. Booths or stalls, both large
aud small, have been erected al
around the plaza, In the form of Al
inevitable square, some tents and the
rest of rough boards, hastily nailed NJ
and all illuminated with candles
lamps, lanterns, Chinese lanterns
naptha burners, etc, etc. Upon en-
tering we Hrst behold \ bar, an I'm
usual long one, against which
crowds q motley mob of Mexicans,
co Iboys, senoritas and even white
women, all clamoring for their favor
ite beverage, q drinking, shouting
bowling, al yet good-nauured mob,
the most picturesque imaginable
Next we come upon a fakir Offering
In stentorian tones a genuine one hun
bred and fifty dollar gold watch snc
chain for fifty cents provided yor
show the right number of spots witt
dice, q feat as yet unaccomplished sc
far as the sucker is concerned, fol
know all men by these presents tha'
the dice are loaded. The fellow pick
up an incredible amount of halves
however, although each one Ia accom-
panied with a hearty malediction, {
circumstance that does not seem tc
trouble the takir in the least. Here
Is a wheel of fortune, a veritsble
"bonarzi" tU-the fellow behind
the table. An eager, excited,
good -natured crowd of men, women.
boys, girls, and even children
jam and push each other In the etfort'
to reach the table with the magic
numbers. The wheel turns, the bets
are made, and the croupisr calls GU;
the result in Engllah and Spanish, the
loser sses his coin disappear, the via.
ner Is made happy, and the scene il
repeated. Very frequently as high Of
81 LOCO Is lost in n night by one Gfn,
gle individual at this diabolical gam,
of bsrefsced shameless swindling. ]
noticed one woman, a Mexican, who
played persistently for half an hour,