Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1886-10-02
A MEXICAN MEAL.
Eatables and kables at q
Waysfde Inn.
Bread Like Cannon Balls. and Native
Fruits Washed Down with "Pulqua"

At an Indian village Of unpronounce-
able name, says a letter from Mexico to
the Philadelphia Recori, we stopped for
luncheon, in its only public resting place
"a typical .Jondita, which is Spanish for
"little restaurant" The earth floor Of
this wayside inn was neatly swept, and
its whitewashed inner walls hung with
pictured saints wreathcd with gaudy pa
per roses. Rickety- benches
were ranged GmmovablD around the Ia
BILE; and the only two chairs the estab-
lishment afforded-which were kept as
articles Of eertu, Of little actual use to
their owners--werc brought for the ac-
commodation of los AnaericanaS, who
were suspected of not wishing TO con-
form to the rural custom of souattinG up
on a petate STRAW matt spread on the
floor. The windows, of course, were
guiltless of glass, and had the usual iron
bars before them, but I observed that the,
mahogany-a wool, by the way, which
IS cheaper in many parts Of Mexico (oe-
cause less rare) than common pine The
great oaken door, with its enormous
hinges and lock like the breastplate of
medieval warrior, was quantity carved
probably not less than a century ago by
some long-forgotten artist. There are
many things in this wonderful country
which are calculated to arouse the spirit
Of highway robbery in the breast of the
most honorable tourist. / longed to tear
that door from its hinges and run off with
it, or to seize from the shoulders of the
master Of the mansion his Zarape-a ma
tive blanket Of softly blended oriental
hues, with the national escutchcon in
the centre "a big eagle perched upon 8
cactus bush, with serpent in his bcak)
which would make q most ravishing
portiere.
Our refreshments were speedily ser Ted
upon well SEQ Ired table to which the
addition of a cloth would have been an
incongruous superfuity, and the menu
was as follows: Stewed Jrejoles (red
beans), with our choice as to season.
ing'-whether we would pour rancid
goats milk over them or molasses from
the Chinese sugar cane small black loaves
of Mexican bread that woIld have made
excellent cannon balls, of course without
butter, which does not grow" in this
country; watercresses and fresh olive oil,
from which we compounded salad fit
for an emperor's table; wild honey and
stewed apricots and basket of ripe tam
arinds, pomcgranates, figs and mangoes,
arranged in their own green leaves, as
the poorest of these people have taste
full habit of doing. The inevitable
pulque was at hand in pig-skin "bot-
tie" which retains the perfect shape Of
the animal, minus head and tail, and
gurgled an approving note, alarmingly
like life, while its contents were being
cmptied into our mugs. These so-ealled
'pig-skins' are really the undressed hides
Of sheep, with the woolly side turned in.
Nothing else is considered so good for
holding the popular beverage, though
we are told that a skin Of small size costs
not less than 81. so. and lasts little more
than month, as the constant fermenta-
ton going on inside soon eats the wool
of. In this volcanic country the travels
Ter must eschew water, or suffer serious
consequences, and one must drink some
thing besides the bitter Mexican coffee
therefore we long ago made up our mind:
to pulque-the cheap drink OF the Ia
tives-and pulquc it is, every day Of ouI
lives at dinner. Iconfess, how yer, tha,
it required considerable effort to educate
ourselves to it, and it was only accom-
p.ished by resolutely fixing our thoughts
upon that glorious product Of the year
the century p!ant-from whence 1t came
and By repeatedly assuring one another
that the thick, white, nasty liquid re
scmbles home butterHilk, though VI
know it to beA an ou;rageou, libel O:
northern dairies Bat, even now
Betsy and I sometimes anuse ourse!ve
IL leisure moments striving 70 comput
the quantity o: sleeps wool which w
must have absorbed :n the course OF the
last two years, s.nce the contents o. eacl
alleged P;g-skin contains good deal o.
it-''.n solution. 50 10 speak.
Immediately following this dainty re
past the mistress G: the f9ad.t1 produce
her private cigarette holder and ;enaerc<
Us the customary courtesy "'.:a the air .
princess, 81 act .: kindly hospiiaIi;.
which we xlu.I not for the world Aav
wounded her feelings by refusing
Netting pigeons Is 1 simple 81 etTe6tiv
method Of capturing the birds U whole
sale. 4 pigeon ret Is q section Of orli