The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-04-23
NO.
MEXICAN LIFE.
Some of the Epicurean nIorsels Enjoyed by
the HfdaIgos.


the HidaIgos.
Tortillas is not only one of the great
Mexican dishes, but one of the women's
chief industries. In almost any street
there can be seen women on their knees
MASKING corn between smooth stones,
making it into batter and finally shap-
ing it into round, fat cakes. They spit
on their hands to prevent the dough
from sticking, and bake in a pan of
hot grease, kept boiling by a few Jumps
of charcoal. Rich and poor buy and
eat them, apparently unmindful of the
way they are made. But it is a bread
that Americans must be educated to.
Many surprise the Mexicans by refus-
ing even a taste after they see the bak-
ers.
There are some really beautiful girls
among the low class of people. Hair
! three-quarters the length of the women
and of wonderful thickness is common.
1t is often worn loose, but more fire.
| quently in two long plaits. Wig-mak-
ers find no employment here. The men
wear long, heavy bangs.
| There is but one thing that poor and
| rich indulge in with equal delight and
! pleasure. That is eigarette-smoking
| Those tOttering with age down to the
| creeping babe, are continually smok-
| ing. No spot in Mexico is sacred from
| them; in churches, ON the railway cars,
| on the streets, in the theaters-every
where aIe to be seen men and women,
| of the elite, smoking.
/ The MeXicans are unsurpassed SER
wants. Their thievery, which is a his
| toric complaint, must be confined to
| those in the suburbs, for those in
! houses could not be more honest Their
! cleanliness is something overwhelming,
! when one recalls the tales that have
! been told of the filth of the ''greasers.'
| Early in the mornings, the streets,
walks in the plaza and pavements are
/ swept as clean as any thing can be,
! and that with brooms not rs good as
! those children play with in the States.
| Put an American domestic and Mex
lean servant together, even with the
| difference in the working implements,
| and the American will "get leftn every
| time. But this cleanliness may be con-
! fined somewhat to such work as sweep
ing and scrubbing; it does not ceg-
tainly exist in the preparation of food.
The meat express does not by any
means serve to make the meat more
| palatable. Generally an old mule or
! horse that has reached its second child
hood serves for the express. A long
iron rod, from which hooks project, is
| fastened on the back of the beast by
means of straps. The meat is hung
on these hooks, where it is exposed to
! the mud and dirt of the streets as well
rs the hair of the animal Men with
| two large baskets, one in front, one
behind, filled with the refuse of meat,
| follow near by. If they wear trousers
they have them rolled up high so the
blood from the dripping meat viii not
| soil them but run down their bare legs
and be absorbed in the sand. 1t is as
serted that the poor do not allow this
mixture in the basket to go to waste,
but are as glad to get it as we are TO
get sirloin steak.
Men with cages of fowls baskets of
eggs and bushels of roots and charcoal
come from the mountain in drovcs of
from twenty-five to fifty, carrying
| packs which average three hundred
| pounds.
Pulquc, which is sucked from the
mother plant into mans mouth and
thence elected into a water Jar, is
brought to town in pi9skins. The
skins are filled and then tied on to
| burTos, or sometimes-not frequently
carried in wagons, the filled skin
rolling from side to side. Never less
than four filled skins are ever loaded
on to burro; oftener eight and ten.
The burros are never harnessed, but 90
along in trains, which often number
fifty. Mexican pOliteness extends even
among the lowest classes. In all their
dealings they are as polite as a dancing
/ master. The moment one is addressed
off comes his poor, old ragged hat, and
/ bareheadcd he stands until you leave
him. They are not only polite to other
! people, but among themselves. One
/ poor, ragged woman was trying TO sell
n broken knife and rusty lock at
pawnbroSer's stand. "Will you buy?"
She asked, plaintively. "No, Senorita,
/ gracias" q thank you), was the polite
reply. - Merico Cor. Pjttsbatrgh Dis
! patch.