The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-08-19
BOOKS ON MEXICO.

Chambers Gooch's book on Mexico. They
will be found interesting to our readers
everywhere, but especially to the citizens
of Austin, they will have an especial in
terest.
Mrs. Gooch has lived among us for
more than ten years, and during the time,
she has enjoyed the esteem and confidence
of all who have had the pleasure of her
acquaintance. She has ever been ready
with willing hand and kindly heart to
minister to the afflicted or suffering, and
many are there in this community to. day
who bless her as benefactress, tender
nurse and friend when tortured upon a
bed of illness.
Austin has cause to congratulate her.
self upon this literary work of Mrs.
Gooch, which will soon be in the hands of
her publishers.
The illustrations are gems of the true
artist, and have been sketched by Mrs.
Gooch's special artist, Miss Waldo, an
American young lady, who has enjoyed
five years of art study in Europe under
the best masters. During the eight months
lately passed in Mexico by Mrs. Gooch
she has enjoyed the highest and most
cultured society at the capital. President
Diaz and his wife showed her distinguished
courtesies, as we'll as Mr.. Mariscal min
lister for foreign affairs, Madam de Itur-
bide and her son, Gen. Vicente Rira Pala-
clio, and numerous others. The Mexican
press delegated three of its members to
show Mrs. Gooch attentions, and the
American Press, OF which Mr.. j. Mastella
Clark, Texan, is proprietor, was equally
gallant. This book of Mrs. Gooch will
open to public opinion new view of
Mexico and the Mexicans, and as such it
will do great good to both countries. We
predict for it brilliant success.
The Texas Law Review of July in Civ
ing extracts from her looks thus intro
duces Mrs. Gooch.
Reference has been heretofore made to
a book on Mexico, in preparation by
Fanny Chambers Gooch. The exact title
of her work has not yet been announced.
The substance, however, has been com
municated to a few friends; and some
sketches, from the Forthcoming work,
have been published. Mrs. Gooch was the
friend and guest of Madame Iturbide.
Gen. jackson, the American minister, and
his amiable wife, extended distinguished
courtesies to the Texas authoress.
Looking over the few thoughts-four or
uN6 bh6bCllOS blldu nave DoGu given w bho
Review-there seems to be but one re-
mark to be made-A woman saw Mexico
the people of Mexico. These people
were unknown their habits, character, selves,
were unknown. With no unkind hand did
the woman who was their guest touch their
lives-their characteristics. She has en-
tered into their inner lives-she has pene-
trated the most sacred penetralia of house
holds. The book, so far as exhibited
and it is almost complete-will show a
generous -hearted-a gifted woman, writ
ing about a curious people, to whom
every impulse of her nature responded
for their kindness-ch -charity-courtesy.
r Texas has but few authors. She has
stood as a mere grand state-great in
4 boundary, beautiful skies, prairies-her
t cattle, cotton, corn, Indians and wild
Rangers. She has her history, has had
her statesmen, her heroes, her veterans
but little of authorship. 1t is with pride
that the student and scholar see dawning
the other stages of progress that marks
development, the dawn of Literature.
Mrs. Gooch went to Mexico in 1882.
She has revisited the country and made
extensive travel and acquaintanceship.
Understanding the object of
her visit to Mexico, she has
been met with the kindest treatm mt
by all classes.
Let the following beautiful, clear-cut
passages give some idea of what the com
pleted work will be:
catapetl-Smoking Mountain-the
highest volcano in the world, lifts his tall
peak and stands side by side with Iztac-
cihuatl (E-stas-se- -wattel) 1.-The Woman in
White. The two mountains unite in form
ing feature of interest to every stranger.
The grand old mountain, lifting his i'm
posing volcanic cone thousands of feet
into the clear sky, seems to keep ma
jestic watch over the motionless slumbers
of the Woman in White. The Smoking
Mountain is silent now; but who can pre-
dict that no more the sleeping citizens of
Mexico will be rudely awakened by his
cOnvulsive shakings and awful thundersY
The Indians, with their endless legends
and traditions, wove romantic story of
these mountains. With their love for the
marvellous they attribute the titantic NUT
terings of Popocatapetl to grief for his
beautiful Iztaccihuatl, who slept on re.
gardless of his thunderous tones.
The Woman in White lies stretched out
as in long and peaceful slumber-the
rugged brow of the mountain forming the
bier upon which she rests. The Toltecs,
the Chichimicans, the Pcolhuans-tradi
tional races-may have pitched their tents
and wandered under the shadows, and
looked in awe on the grand entombment
in the open heavens, of the dead woman.
They have come and gone-disappeare
forever from the sight of man-but clad
in her garments of perpetual snow-lying
on her grand bier-through summer suns
and winter frosts-Iztaccihua sleeps on.
With her arms folded over her icy
breast-her knees drawn slightly upward,
with her limbs gracefully sloping, the
figure of the sleeping weman is complete
outlined on the mountain top. Her icy
tresses flow unconfned over the dark
mountain sides. Thrown over all is
winding sheet, which falls in graceful
folds covering the dead, frozen woman.
Often when the sun is descending be-
hind the last dome on the western range,
she may be seen with a golden cloud
made scarf, shaded to pale pink, that fl
nally melts into gauzy serape, which
heightens the mystical charm OF this fasci
mating mountain. The handmaidens of
the sky who imperceptibly decorate this
sleeping lady, live and float afar off