Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1886-08-20

wagon bed is unknown here, butin
place of it they build a small
house on balance over the axle,
using the rear halfof the shafts
for sills. 1t is built of square tim
Der or round poles With floor and
wall made of green COW skin. This
house is sometimes fifteen feet
high and all are usually covered
with kind of coarse bagging.
There is no door to the structure,
hence every thing must be loaded
in over the top at the gable ends.
When long caravan composed of
these carts is seen moving slowly
over the plains each loaded with
almost every class and kind of
products known to the tropics, the
observer is able to form better
idea of the resources of this coun-
try, but when he looks at the tackle
of the mules and the odd and
ancient garb of the drivers and the
ranchers, he can form a still better
idea of the things of antiquity.
Well l hardly know how to describe
this procession but in the language
of Mr.. Jackson, formerly of the
Normal, every thing appears won
derful "out of keller" In the
distance beyond we see a great
cloud OF dust rising in the plain,
this is the signal that the evening
stage will soon be here and also
that it is lightly loaded and that
the mules arecoming sin full tilt"
1t is the evening hour and the
market woman is passing out of
the city on spry little donkey
that seems anxious to get home.
She is seated on an aparejo (pack
saddle), closely wrapped in a
shawl and has baby in her lap,
her husband following behind
is driving the donkey and thus
the whole is a fine representation
of the flight into Egypt A peone
on board his burro is passing out
to the distant hacienda, now he
dismounts to take his evening
drink at the way side pulgueria;
but what will he do? there is no
hitching post. All he is equal to
the emergency for he has hitched
his donkey to its own hind foot.
Over the way there is an humble
lacal. 1t has but one room with
a dirt floor and a decayed canvass
roof. The chickens are pecking
each other for their respective
positions on the roost in one end,
while the family and pet goat are
taking their supper in the other.
soon the front entrance will be
closed by means of suspended
gunny bags, after which the hap
Ply family will bid adieu to all
things external until tomorrow
Now the ranchero is passing.
He is mounted on fine horse
which is prancing under a silver
mounted saddle. This is made so
strong and fastened so tightly that
we have often seen a pair of
horses draw a heavy load when
hitched by the saddle horns. The
tenders and panels are very large
and richly embroidered with col
ored thread and silver tinsel. In
place of saddle bags there is a
pair of baquerillos. These are
long, black hairy appendages fas-
tened to the rear of the saddle and
hangs half way to the ground on
either side. They are provided
with deep pockets ON the inside
and the whole in the distance
looks like half side of undressed
bear skin. The rider is dressed in
the popular garb of the country
and carries a belt of cartridges
around his waist and a large re-
volver, lasso and breech-load-
ing rifle on one side and long
sheathed sword on the other. In
appearance, and mode of life
among his peone subjects, he is a
fine representation of a Feudal
Lord of the middle ages and he,
at first sight, seems to be formid-
able object, yet he is not at all
dangerous, neither in peace or war.
His sons follow in his footsteps and
are the would be Mexican knights
of modern times; but however sad
it may be, their race is near
| ly run and unless this much tend