Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1886-10-22
OLD MEXICO.
From the Interior to the Capitol

Leaving thescity OF Zacatecas we
went to Guadalupe. This town is
located in the valley while the
former sits on one Of the highest
m ountain ranges in Mexico. The
grade down around the mountain
peaks is such that gravitation is
the only motive power used be-
tween the cities in making the
down trip. So when all was
ready they gave the cars start at
the top and we put on brakes and |
went like the wind. 1t was de-
having the combined fea-
lures of car ride and a coasting
sled, for we glided around the
curves with locked wheels. Yet
one could hardly help having fears
Of premature switch off while We
dashed along at this break neck
speed. For if the brakes should
break our destination would be de-
tel mined by our past lives. So
with these feelings we almost
wished to be school boy again
and be at the top with our
sled when there was plenty of
snow On the ground and a long
play time, then life would seem
smooth till books. Guadalupe
is renowned for its fine orphan
school and grand cathedral. The
latter has a gallery Of sacred
paintings representing the en-
trance of the Savior into Jerusa-
lem; also his trial, crucifxion and
ascension on Easter morn. Here
we see the Roman soldier in ar
NOR, the cruel torturers at the
cross, the crown of thorns and tn e
weeping mother, all life size and
making a scene which is sufficient
to move the hardest heart. In
another gallery we see the Trinity
surrounded by the hostsof Heaven.
Here too the early Christians are
seen battling against an army of
hideous, fiery eyed devils with
long ears, crooked horns and clov-
en- feet. The scene is finished by
a painting representing the death
of martyrs. In these dusty,
gloomy galleries the monks of the
past spent much of their time in
solemn meditation before the sta
tions of the cross. And indeed
the scenes will cause any observer
to reflect deep and long on the
good and evil of this life and the
bright sunshine or the dark shad.
ows of that to come. Leaving
here we took the train to Aguas-
calientes, the capital of the state
by the same name. This is the
garden city of the interior. Trop-
ical fruits here are the finest and
cheapest that have yet found in
Mexico. The Almeda parks and
plazas of the city present a wilder
ness of flowers. In places we
rambled under covered walks
shaded by clusters of mammoth
moss roses and on either side there
were thickets of geraniums more
than five feet high besides numer-
GUS creeping and climbing vines
laden with perfumed and varia-
| gated flowers, which we saw here
for the first time. Here too are
the renowned hot springs from
which the city and state are
named. From here we passed on
to the states of Jalisco and San
Luis Potosi, passing the cities of
Lagos, Leon and on to Silao. The
entire rout is dry and almost with
out timber or coal, yet owing to
the mild climate neither are need
ed, only for cooking, hence they
don't feel the want of either and
by irrigation two crops of corn
, and wheat are raised yearly, and
in every part the yucca, palm,
! tuna, magney, and nopal are seen
growing wild on the plain. The
people live in small towns, cities
and haciendas and we never see
what could be called country
house. Here as in other parts
the houses are usually without
windows and we have yet to see
one with chimney. The lower
classes are very ignorant and sci.
dom wear shoes or sleep on beds
{ In very few places we saw plows
; used or any modern farm imple.
ment. The lower class are op
posed to the introduction of any
thing new and not in few easel
they have destroyed plows, etc.
; when first introduced. ALI tn,
, peones present tired, shiftles
! appearance, yet they are very po
, lite and accommodating to all.
Queretaro, the capital of tn
state of the same name, was tn
next city we visited. It has
population of about 10000 ant
, was founded by the Aztecs fft,
: years before the discovery o
| America and was conquered b
, Cortez in 1881. 1t has a fine eli
mate, a fertile soil and plenty o
, good water which is drawn from
a neighboring mountain by mean
of stone aqueduct built on stop
|. arches, some of which are ninet,