Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-05-18
LETTER FROM MEXICO.
Citu of MeTicO, Mch.

CUy " M6UCCO, INCG. 10, CO.
The City of Mexico is 153 miles
from Queretaro and 1928 from
the Rio Grande at Ell Paso. 1t
claims population of 100000. The
streets are regularly laid out, are of
fair width, well paved and well light
ed with gas and electricity. The
buildings are of stone and we'll built,
and to a casual observer from a car
riage in the street not unlike those in
the better class of American cities.
And not until the traveller reaches
his hotel and is ushered through a
great stone doorway and across a
great open court, up through which
are seen the sky and the stars, to the
dimly lighted little office where he reg
listers and then is shown to his
room by bright boy who promptly
lights the tallow candle and puts in
order the bed on a little iron bed
stead does he begin to realize that he
is in strange place. Then when
you try to tell the boy, by motions, that
you want a towel, and the boy under
stands that soap is wanted-which
hotels in Mexico never furnish and
constantly shakes his head till you
show him your cake of soap, when
light suddenly dawns upon him and
with an apologetic smile he
brings the towel, you still further re-
alize that you are in strange place.
Then as you go down to the cafe for
tea and encounter beggars in the
court; and when fairly seated at
your meal little lame yellow dog
comes limping forward and pitifully
wags his tail and beseechingly licks
his chops, and, Notwithstanding you
remind him that he is a stranger and
has no claim upon you, he deliber-
ately sits back upon his launches
and views you with a patient, i'm
ploring look till a morsel is thrown
him, when he retires and big speck-
led fellow steps forward and stays
till you again pass the bread, you
cannot help saying to yourself, sure
ly this is strange place where the
dogs even recognize a new conner
and hold out their hands. And then
as you take Il stroll upon the
street and notice that every building
has great opening through the solid
wall large enough for a coach and
six. which is hung with massive
doors and a glance within reveals
a first and sometimes a second court,
frequently set with flowers and trees,
in which children are at their sports
and the dog, cat and game-cock are
happy family; and then look upon
the motley scene in the street; upon
droves of donkeys loaded with mer-
chandise from the country upon the
rapidly driven carriages of the rich
carrying ladies without bonnet or hat
or wrap of any kind; upon squads
of soldiers both foot and horse in
uniform of blue thanks for the
blue upon the mounted ranchero
in his elaborate sombrero, who sits
his horse like prince; upon the
crowd of pedestrians one-half of
whom are barefoot; upon the peon
beneath his heavy burden; upon the
gay cavalier and the starveling who
is everywhere present and if upon
the plaza on concert nights, or on
Sunday, when the band speaks Sin
music's golden tongue to thousands
of promenaders. you see, and per-
haps within few feet of each other,
the elegantly dressed senorita, always
accompanied by her mother or father
or trusted female servant, and the
half CLAD Indian mother with her pa
poose-and in one case / saw two-lash-
ed to her back with her rebozo and if
you join the promenaders yourself
as you pass the portales de flores you
catch the sweet perfume of flowers.
great quantities of which may there
be found every day; and at the 9TH
er end of the plaza at the portales de
mercdrderes you see great heaps, in
fact cart loads of every variety OF
tropical fruits then at last as you cast
your eye for relief from the strange
sights of the city, on Mt. Popocata-
petI, near by, standing $4,000
feet above the sea, and wrapped in
eternal snow for three thousand feet
down its sides, and, as seen through
the clear atmosphere in its dress OF
white, looking like ghost among the
other mountains of lesser height.
whose somber sides are bathed in
purple hues and dusky shadows,
the conclusion is inevitable that
you are, indeed, in a strange
country. And you recall what
George Augustus Sala, the dis
tinguished French journalist, thought
of Mexico. Said he s'Of all the
strange countries to me Mexico is
tie strangest. 1t is the only coun-
try about which / dream; its quaint
and picturesque scenery and tropical
products lingering in my imagina-
tion.''
But not alone in scenery and prod
ucts and in her population as seen
to-day is Mexico strange country.
Her history both ancient and modern
is passing strange; and strangest of
all is the origin of her people and
their highly civilized condition when
discovered by the Europeans. They
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