Durham daily recorder., 1886-06-22
AMONG THE MLXICANS.
SIGHTS AND SCENES IN The CITY
or MEXICO.


The Parks and Their Stone Benches.
Tho bad Complexions Of All SIexi-
cans-People who Dwell ON Curbstones.
Especial Correspondence
CRY OF MEXICO, ss-The streets In
Tie vicinity Of the Iturbide hotel answer to
the Fifth avenue and Broadway of New
York, when compared with other parts OF
the city. Here one has but little annoyance
from dust. Numerous parks with plenty OF
seats afford an agreeable relief from the pre-
yailing aridity. The streets are very wide,
afYording space for double track street car
lines in the center, with ample room for car
riageways on either side. Instead of names
for streets each block has distinct name.
In this quarter the streets are lined with
shops, displaying in their windows the most
costly jewelry and elegant dress goods.
Bonnets are never worn here. One article
Of female street apparel is in universal use:
scarf three yards long, with long fringes at
The ends, wound around the person, with one
end thrown backward over the left shoulder.
This garment would be very picturesque but
FOR its color, which is uniform indigo blue.
Cotton goods are dear, prints being twenty
cents yard; but Of woolens, in great variety
and Of good quality, Of home manufacture,
there Is plentiful supply and at moderate
prices.
The parks are numerous and well cared for.
The leaves are carefully swept Off from the
fresh green grass In the larger parks are
numerous fountains, with large basins. In
all the parks, large and small, are great num-
bers of stone benches, mostly occupied by the
poorer classes, though occasionally ladies and
gentlemen may be seen enjoying the dolce
far niente Geraniums and callos, sweet
marguerites, blue violets and many other
kinds Of flowers, in great profusion, I'LL the
air and delight the senses with their
fragrance and beauty. Many other flow
ers, shrubs and plants are not yet in
bloom. In the less exposed Enclosures
such abundance that the bushes are hardly
able to support their lovely burdens. Every.
where, excepting along the streets, trees and
shrubs in great variety and Of singular
beauty, all in full leaf, afford grateful pro-
lection from the rays Of the tropical sun; for
though at this elevation the sensible heat Is
not excessively intense, yet exposure to the
suns rays very soon ruins the complexion and
seriously affects the health of all who have
not become accustomed to this peculiar eli
mate. Even among the residents fine COM
plexion Is exceptional.
One effect of the rarified atmosphere Of this
elevated region is the fatigue occasioned by
an amount of labor or exercise which at lower
levels would occasion no discomfort. If there
were no other reason why the houses are gen.
orally Of only one story, and hardly ever ex-
coed two, sufficient cause would be found in
the fact that climbing single fight Of stairs
exhausts the strength quite as much as
mounting to the fourth and fifth stories Of
New York residences. It severely taxes the
strength Of an invalid to walk these dusty
streets
often visit the cathedral, not alone nor
chiefly for devotional purposes, nor to feast
my eyes upon its architectural magnifcence,
Of which dare not attempt description, but
70 regale my senses with <epsight and per
fume of the lovely flowers which abound in
the charming little park by which 1t Is sur
rounded Splendid bouquets are offered for
sale on every hand, such as in New York
would sell for "a or IS, bringing here only
twenty-five cents
As ageneral thing the streets swarm, es-
pecially at midday, with squalid and filthy.
hooking mass of humanity, whose one redeem.
ing quality is that, instead Of the listless air
of the Italian lazzaroni, every one Of thess
people appears to have something to do upor
which he Is intent, or else he Is seeking en-
ployment This class do not appear to live
in houses. Whole families may be seen
squatted on the curbstones or In corridors
eating their monday meals. Wages arr
cheap, female domestics receiving "a or IS Q
month, and males about IS; but in this eli
mate, and living as these people do, Their
wages seem to be quite large enough.
/ noticed with great satisfaction the entire
absence Of those numerous insects which arr
the ever present torment Of residents Of Tho
lowlands in the tropics.
In Mexico there Is no family breakfast
such as we have In the states. The family d.
not assemble. Each one goes to the dining
room at convenience. You take q seat at thu
table, and the waiter asks your choice Of cot
fee, chocolate, milk, eggs, etc. The bread 4
excellent, and sweet bread or plain cake L
often served at breakfast The first regular
meal Of the day, called the adesayono,n 1
taken at from Ito O'Clock. The course:
and their order are soup, eggs prepared In .
variety Of ways, beefsteak-I have seldom
seen roast, but their steaks are excellent
and o mush Of black beans, with caulifowel
and spinach, but potatoes very seldom
have not seen any Irish potatoes as large n
hens eggs. Tho first I saw mistook fol
olives The dessert consists mostly Of dulce
and fruits, but no pastry or puddings Tn
wines are excellent.
Ihaye had my strong desire gratlfed :,
stand on the spot where Montez,ima passes
his innocent and peaceful life until the incur
sion Of the Spaniards. could hardly keel
back my tears while standing there, thinking
OF the slaughter Of tho Aztecs and the cruel
ties inflicted upon them and their monarch b,
those ruthless invaders. ! looked out from
the corridor upon q scene Of rare beauty. Tn
castle OF Chapultepec Is built upon rock,
mound OF considerable eminence. Besides th
very extensive buildings suitable for rega
palace, there il a tower Of three stories whicl
must have been the residence OF the roya
family. On the north and east sides, secon,
and third stories, d magnificent corrido
connecting with q garden on the third story
Here ] asked for n pensamiento-
and was permitted to pluck II for myself
The views from this tower are exceedingl,
beautiful and extensive. The City o
Mexico rises In the distance-two mile
and more away--in the pure atmoa
phere, It's white buildings sparkling
In the sunlight, while the beautiful
Alameda park looks like great emerai'
set IN silver. The woods Of Chapultepe
spread out on the opposite side, and the beau