St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-04-08

/ neither halter nor Dfldle-theS6 three
or four brutes trOtting along the trail
like dogs, the rear one carrying n club
or sIIarpened stick with which he ac-
CELEBRATES the pace of his fellow trav-
ellers. This wood is peddled in the
city from door to door at two bits a
Loads cents. The burrO seldom
Occasionally one may be seen refresh
| ing himself on a piece of newspaper or
an old tin can. This animal is harm
| less, patient, hardy and cheap.
The ride from Santa Fe to the Mex
lean line, $40 miles, was uneventful.
One or two points may be mentioned
later. For dozen miles the course of
the Santa Fe railroad runs into Texas
before it terminates at Ell PasO the
town on the border between Texas and
Mexico. This town has snowy court
house and some very offensive rOwdies,
if the whisky soaked rutfian who strut
ted about the station platform with
full of profanity was sample. At
this place we babe adieu to the United
States and crossed the Rio Grande
river to Paso del NOrte, Mexico. A
few of the party, bound to see it all,
took a run through Ell PasO, and then
in hOrse-cars propelled by mules cross
ed the muddy stream of pretentious
name into a foreign land. By the
way, this is said to be the only inter-
national mule car line in the world.
At PasO del Norte the baggage was
examined by proper officials and the
travellers stocked up with Mexican
money at Il premium of "a per cent in
favor of American greenbacks. This
town is of some historic interest as the
place where the Juarez (HOO-arez)
government maintained it's foOthOld
on Mexican soil during the occupation
by the French in 1864. When the
support of France was withdrawn and
the empire fell, the republican gov
eminent returned to the city of Mexico.
Aside from this honor this little town
is of small Importance.
At Paso del NOrte the great Mexi
can central railroad is entered upon
which stretches off southwark on the
high table lands for 1924 miles to the
capital of the country. This is really
but an extension of the Santa Fee sys-
tenn and was built largely by Eastern
money and enterprise and is differed
and managed by Americans. The
road has been running the entire length
less than two years. 1t cannot yet
pay mere than running expenses if it
does that, as much of the country is
desolate and the average Mexican can-
not afford to ride.
A run of 225 miles through fiat and
barren country, brings the train to the
city OfChihuahua (Chee- wa way, where
it is side tracked for the Sabbath. This
city of 10000 people or so stands in
the midst of a mountain -girdled plain. |
1t is wholly Mexican in appearance,
the few foreigners having introduced
neither foreign architecture or GUS
toms. Like many other Catholic cit
fractions, mainly in this case on ac-
count of age rather than beauty. The
government is building an imposing
capitol which will be finished some
time. From the top of the cathedral |
a fine view of the town and it's sur
rOundings is obtained. The buildings
are low, fiat-rOefed adobe, enclosing
court. The streets are narrow and |
roughly paved, but kept very neat and
clean. The city's water supply comes
from the neighbOring mountains, and
where the aqueduct crosses the valley
in the outskirts of the town it is made
of solid arched masonry which reminds |
one of the pictures of the Roman aque-
duct. This structure has stood over
200 years and is pretty good recon-
mend for the cement and skill of the |
workmen who lived two centuries be-
fore the Brooklyn bridge was thought
of. The market-place is an object of
interest. The sellers sit upon the
stone tagging and parcel their vege
tables and fruits out in little piles of
handful or two, each pile representing
n small piece of money! quartilla,
medic or redl-3, 81, or 123 cents.
Sunday is the Mexican holiday and
for small tradesmen and
places of amusement. A visit to the
service shows people richly
dressed, people poorly dressed and
people in rags kneeling side by side
and saying prayers and responses to-
gether. Although the circus was in
full blast and the blare of the brass
band was plainly heard, Missionary
Eaton and his helpful wife gathered
the children into Protestant Sunday
school where they are taught in En-
ylish, and later in the day a regular
service was held in Spanish. The au-
Hence of so or GO people of all ages
was not only attentive and reverent,
,ut eager for the Word. Their re-
'pOnsss and singing were ardent and ,
he same gospel tunes were used as ,
ire so common all over the United ,
states. The story the minister told of
The loss of caste and employment and |
wen persecution endured, attendant a