The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-03-15
Mexican Women.

since my arrival IN this country /
have kept my eyes wide open, and, to me.
one of the most interesting things has
been the everyday life of the people Of
Nlllaldama, which may be taken as a
fair sample of the ordinary North Next
can village. The great majority Of the
residences of the town, which occupies
small area, level, and entirely walled In
by high mountains, are of the usual
adobe, seemingly constructed more for
comfort than for display. Instead Of
glass windows, jail-like gratings project.
ing somewhat in front, are used. Some
OF the older houses are covered with
matched straw, and the floor of brick,
stone, or hard adobe. The adobe walls
inside are unusually low and without
ornament, very little furniture being
used. The members of the household
mostly sit on a rug spread upon the floor,
and in a majority of dOmiciles there Is
but one apartment, Very few houses
have more than single table and one or
two chairs. The wealthier people, how
ever, live in style more nearly Ameri-
can. The average Mexican does not
sleep on bedstead but coils up on rug
or blanket on the floor, or else on a cot
made of white cloth, and believe snoozes
about as well as the Galvestonian who
SHORES upon a seventy-fve-dollar French
bedstead, or the Houstonian who spreads
his enormous limbs and big feet in all
directions ON an old-fashioned mahogany.
The siesta is an important element in the
customs as well as business of all parts Of
Mexico. For instance, the doors Of
all stores in Villaldama are closed
between eleven o'clock in the morn
ing and three in the afternoon.
During this interval no business is trans
acted or sales made. The reason is the
heat of the day. The custom formerly
prevailed at Laredo, but the Mexican
merchants were forced by the American
business men to keep open during the
siesta hours or lose trade. The style Of
dress among the men of Yillaldama is a
good deal like the American-very little
difference. In hot weather the ordinary
male attire is simply pantalOons and a
short white or yellow flax blouse, and
no vest. With the exception Of the
rebosa, sort of shawl, thrown over the
4ASt4O anu S11OQluClb hIGA Vic ldulC5 Va
Villaldama are visiting or walking in
the street, they dress pretty much like
the ladies Of Galveston, only they are
hardly ever arrayed in costumes so ele-
CANT or costly. In the park of Villal-
dana, last Sunday evening, | had an
opportunity of seeing some of the finest
and most beautiful ladies of the place.
As they promenaded to tire time of Span
ish music from the band in attendance,
their fine forms were shown off to much
advantage by really handsome dresses
and jaunty American hats. But the
figure and apparel of the Senoras and
Senoritas are probably less attractive
even than their faces. Indeed, the ladies
of Mexico, so far as | have seen, are
among the most beautiful women in the
world, especially those of the pure Cas-
lillian blood, descended from the old
Spanish stock. The dark eyes of the
Senorita, dreamy, yet full Of fire and
passion, her long, flowing black hair, reg
uIar features and finely formed shoulder
and neck, make superb portrait The
English woman is generally dull and
fat; the French woman too frivolous;
the Italian too treaeherous; the Amerl-
can girl either too cold or too naughty,
but It remains for the Castilian Senorlta
of Mexico to steer clear of all these faults
and bethe really divine being Of love and
truth that she is.-- Car. (iateeston Ae'os.
1t is stated that the city of London
spends over S25, 000,0 900 a year for oys
tiers, and that more than twice the mum.
Der of these bivalves would be used II
they could be obtained at as reasonable
priees as in America. The genuine
Whitstable oyster fctches about seventy
five or eighty cents dozen. Oyster
culture in England is yet in its infancy;
Large numbers of oysters are now carried
to England from this country. The most
popular size for eating is in shell aooul
as large as dollar. They are packed IA
barrels very closely, and kept right slas