The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-05-26
A MEX A HOME.
A Peep Into tho Domestic Sur
roundings OF a Well-to-
do Mexican.
Atlantic Monthly.

hbAAAAtSS hNH
On our way back to town we halt
ed in front Of \ tempting doorway,
through which we. could e bowers
of green and blossom, and an en-
chanting old we'll. In a second came
running forward the woman of the
house and her little girl, with smiles
and looks of invitation. 1t was the
morning; the man of the house was
at home. and he soon appeared be
hind his wife and daughter. VIZ
made signs of admiration of their
flower garden inside; they made
signs to us to enter. We hesitated.
Finally, the woman, mastering all
the courage she could, said "Come
in" She pronounced the syllables
slowly, with great effort, and with a
drnll, detached emphasis, which
made the "cOme' sound as If it were
spelled with a dozen ms, and yet
had several left to prefix to the Gin"
To their evident delight, we enter
ed; and for half Al hour what a
carnival of pantomine and ejacnla-
ton inside those walls! Common
min" was all the English the woman
knew, while the man spoke not a
word. We spoke no Spanish; all the
same we were eloquent Of interest
and admiration, and they were elo-
quent in hospitable good will
Through the house n the court.
yards and gardens they took us ;
laughing. pressing Us to see this or
that. plucking flowers for us, all the
time chatting with each other IN de-
lightful comment on our wonder. 1t
was evidently the house of a well-to-
do wine maker. In the open veranda
around one of the enclosed courts
were hanging one hundred rawhides,
full Of fermenting wine. The hide,
dressed with the hair left on, is
sewed with leather thongs on four
stout sticks, making a square mouth.
These queer irregular shaped sacks
with hairy outsides, red, grey or
brindled, swinging from the veran-
dab roofs, were a strange sight. The
aroma of the fermenting wine filled
the air, delicious, but almost heavy
enough to intoxicate.
Running ahead and opening the
door in the wall, the woman Eeered
out; then turned quickly around and
signed US to follow. IL was a picture
indeed, which the doorway framed,
opening Immediately on the ba
a wide ditch, full of water and
shaded by trees. Lying under these
trees were three men, smoking ciga-
rette, and watching a small still,
which stood on the bank putting
away fragrant steam as strong rs
wine, the contents Of which were
being made into aguardiente. There
was a world of meaning in the COM
placent nod whichthe woman gave
as she became satisfied that we I'M
derstood what she still meant.
Looking on this scene of lelsurely,
not to say lazy, industry, of disorder
ly plenty, easy-going contentment,
" recalled some of the words of the
old Yankee w~ine-seller, in the plaza:
"These people don't want anything
they haven't got,' he observed.
'"Tbey don't want to be bothered by
railroads. They've all got little
farms; they live all along the river
here, raj e all they need to eat and
drink, too, for every house has its
own still, and there's no. law to
hinder their making all the brandy
they want. It's a sort of bliss, their
ignorance. 1t seems most a pity to
disturb them. But they've got to
come to it,"
Warming under our evident inter-
est and pleasure, the kindly people
finally threw open the door of their
darkened parlor, the sanctum of the
house, and the only ugly spot in it.
1t was a Don not to be equalled out
side of Mexico, and I hope not often
there. 1t looks as if it had a worsted
smallpox. In balls on tides; in
humps on mats; in splashes on chair,
81 ia and table; in dutfs, bluffs and cir
cics; nodding On wire trees in corn
ers-everywhere the hideous, myriad
,lored wooden eruption was out. To
crowE i. all, the father, opening a
drawer, brought forth
a square of black broadcloth, |
with green, scarlet and yellow
crowels embroidered on it in bosses.
like huge apples cut in half and laid
down. This had been done by the
little daughter, who stood by full Of
pride, as we gaZed at her work,
sueechiessly; l hope not looking as
aghast as We felt. Disappearing for
moment, she returned, bringing a
card. on which she had written in
childish letters, a Mexican
name. Holding it out to US, she said
THAT my papa name; what
you name??" handing us the pencil.
So we wrote our name below the
papa name" and then, after more
handshaking and bowling and ejacu-
we babe the Lospitable, simple
creatures good bye.
On the threshold the. man offered
us aguardiente to drink. 1t was
as water and smooth as oil, |
but burned the mouth like a fiery
ordeal. He was surprised, and a
tritle hurt, by u evident dismay at
the first sip Of it. "Bueno, bueno,"
said the woman, laughing at our
eyes. "Bueno, bueno," we
echoed, laughing also, but waving
the glass away.