The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1885-07-23
STREET peooLeRs OF MEXICO.

Catching the Fancy Of tho Fair sex-Sell-
ers OF Notions Innumerabie.
Fanny Brigham ward
Among the established institutions Of
Mexico are the itinerant merchants, who
continually perambulate the streets, for
if the mountain can't come to MahOmet,
it naturally follows that Mahomet goes
to the mountain. Besides his little tray
of goods. and the ribbons, laces, scarfs.
and embroideries hung over his arms and
shoulders the peddler carries a camp
table, which he spreads upon the pave
ment, and deposits his tray thereon
while conducting business between the
bars Of the windows, for, being a.'hor-
rid man" Of course he must not go in
side. fzssM
Apparently the female heart is the
same the wide world over, and the de.
light which these dark-eyed women take
in purchasing all manner Of trnmpery,
from silk dresses to ginger bread horses,
is identical with that of their northern
cousins who haunt the stores of New
York. At all hours of every day, but
especially Sundays, in every city and
hamlet of Mexico, these perambulating
comercientes swarm the streets, offering
all imaginable commodities, from q
lunch of hot tamales or sweet potatoes
to hair puffs and switches. They thrust
into your windows and insist upon your
purchasing, not only notions innumer-
able, but the goods Of tailors and hard.
ware merchants, milliners and grocsrs,
shoes, jewelry, saddles and harness,
chunks of meat, pigs, alive and dead.
goats and the poultry, young kids that
cry like babies, cages Of birds, opals
fresh from the mines, and pearls from
Pacific fisheries, antiquities from ruined
pyramids and buried cities, sometimes
Of priceless value, which they sell for a
few cents because they are old-in
short. everything the imagination can
conceive.
The fruit peddler bears his figs, ba-
nanas, grapes, onions, peppers and po-
tatoes all mixed together in the huge
wooden bowl upon his head. The duloe
Candy vender carries his sweets to the
sweet on tray, slung around his neck
with rope Of maguey; the milk seller
totes his cans upon his back; the water
carrier has two enormous jars, one
hanging behind, the other before, both
upheld by leathern strap around his
forehead; while the petroleum man car
ries his we'll. watered stock in a tin box
and retails it by the gill, or WHOLESALERS 1t
at the rate Of 81 a gallon The baker
comes around twice day, at
early morn, and dewy eve, with his
bread, which would make excellent can
/. non balls, in q big basket balanced upon
his head. He always carries his pre-.
cious sombrero, which probably cost
him years earnings, In the basket
among the loaves, and il q thrifty fel.
low he economies his shoes in the same
( manner. Meanwhile the air is vocal
4 with other cries. The cake vender
shouts in -vowelled Castilian, Gar
ditas! Garditas! Aqui son buenas gar,
ditasv' C''Fat little cakes! Fat little cakes
Here are good, fat little cakes
Carbonero.o-o.o bowls the coal man.
Tortillas de ena. adaa icurd cakes inter.
rogates another. Aantequilla! Mantle.
Quilla! croaks the half naked creature
who thrusts under your nose q pot oil
odoriferous grease, while the vender oil
poultry, sauntoring along in tho SUI
with his cane cage on his shoulders,
sings in sleepy monotone, ducks and
chickens. Oh, my soull Good ducks
and ChiCkens!"