St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-05-13


shoe or stocking in the family line
since Cortes landed on these shores.
As class they are also cruel, appar-
emily taking satisfaction in mal-treat-
ing their animals. This vice has
been referred to heretofore. The man
makes his wife bear heavy burdens
and very many children. She works
in the field under the hot sun and is
used as a pack-animal for carrying
heavy loads to market.
Mexicans are not progressive, and
do not take kindly to or even tolerate
modern implements and modern ways.
They are centuries behind this age.
When they we're furnished wheelbar-
rows in the construction of the rail-
road, they filled the barrows with dirt
and placing them on their heads car
ried the loads to their destination.
When given modern plOws they first
cut off one of the handles because their
fathers never used plOws with two
handles. The man brings water long
distances in earthen jars or pig-skins
for makes his wife or children do it,
instead of laying pump-lOgs or lead
pipe. He waters his garden by throw
ing water over it from the canal by
means of a huge wooden spoon, in
stead of using force-pump. He has
very little ingenuity with tools, con-
sequently the implements, both for
man and beast, are of the rudest, heav-
lest and most bungling sort. His cart
wheels are hewed out of whole logs
and a pair will weigh half ton. His
harness is simply strips of rawhide and
rope.
In religion the Mexicans are devOut
One can scarcely enter church, be il
ever so early in the morning, but he
will find worshipers, the great major
ity being of the poorer class. But the
Sabbath in this country is emphatical-
" holiday. Every Lords day, and
on no other day in the week, occur
those brutal and degrading exhibitions
called bull-fghts; and thousands upon
thousands thrOng the cars that run 70
the ampitheatre and fill every availa-
BILE space within the enclosure. 1t is
estimated that there were ten thou
sand spectators at the exhibition yes
terday near this city, and tickets on
the ''shady side" sold for $3.50 each.
Six bulls, one at a time, were torment
ed for a while and then killed, and
several horses were gored to death.
1t was the greatest sporting day of the
ity of these exhibitions may be had, l
quote from the local columns of the
Two Republics of yesterday morning :
TO-DAY's BULL FIGHT.
The bull fight to-day is TO be an ex-
traordiparv affair. The proceeds are
to 90 to the Spanish Benevolent sOcie-
ty. Hon. Jose j. Zubieta, governor of
the state of Mexico, will preside. Three
Young ladies of high Mexican society
will deliver to the lucky fighters who
tokens. The professor in equestrian
ism, Vicente Falco, will open the per-
Torrance in the costume of Philip ~
and mounted on a pure blooded Anda
lusian horse, will give an exhibition
for half an hour. Six magnificent bulls
of the Trijillo hacienda, State of Ia
catecas, will be pitted against six cap
tains or first swords, picadOres,6 ban
Il fvu0 10 a
Central railroad will run two trains, at
2:l5 and 2:45 p. M, and the National
will run four trains at las, PIG, 2:3O
and 3 p. m. Entrance price $3.50
with seats in the shade. The entrance
price, which is rather higher than
usual, is explained on the ground of
unusual attractions. Such bull fight
as will be given to-day has not oc-
Cured for many years. Gov. Zubleta,
who is to preside, will be accompanied
from Toluca by at least 500 Toluca
people, and his two daughters are ex-
pected to act as two of the awarding
committee. Secretary Romero RubiO
will be present in his private capacity
with his family. Several of the lar
gest stages owned by the Diligencia
company are to go through the streets
to-day to pick up passengers for the
bull fight The coaches will be deco
rated and be accompanied by music.
1t will be seen that this "entertain-
ment" was not only graced by fair la
dies but sanctioned by the presence of
a live governor and the secretary of
the interior of the republic, Sin his
private capacity" After recording
such facts as the above, it is perhaps
needless to add that the shops are
open on Sunday as other days; lottery
tickets, ice cream and drinks are
hawked about the streets brass bands
are playing in the parks, soldiers are
out on dress-parade and the circus
puts in the best days work of all the
seven.
1t may occur to the reader that this
letter is rather a severe indictment of
a neighboring people, and that the
United States, with it's communism,
gambling, cruelty, drunkenness, Sab
bath dissertation and other sins, is not
the pot to call this kettle black. The
same thing has occurred to the writer.
But 1 started in to write up Mexico
as l saw it; not as it should be; not
even as some one else has seen it.
The view is of necessity a cursory one,
but it is an honest one and in the in
terest of the Caledonian readers only.
The question has arisen hundred
times, what of the future of this peo
pie and this land l cannet answer.
The American missionaries are doing