Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-06-30
A MEXICAN MEAL.
Eatables and Drinkables at q
Wayside Inn.
Bread Like Cannon Balls, and Native
Fruits Washed Down with "Pulque,'


At an Indian village OF unpronounce-
able name, says letter from Mexico TO
the Philadelphia Recort, we stopped Tor
luncheon, in its only public resting place
"A typical tondha, which is Spanish for
'IittIc restaurant" The earth floor OF
this waysde inn was neatly swept, and
its whitcwashcd inner walls hung with
pictured saints wrcathed with gaudy pa
per roses, Rickcty-lcggcd benches
were ranged GmmoyaLly) around the ta-
bic; and the only two chairs the estab-
lishmcnt aITorlcl-which were kept as
articles Of reHu, of little actual use to
their owners. were brought for the ac-
commolation of lO8 AmerictQas who
were suspected of not wishing TO con-
form to the rural custom CT fsouatting up
on a petate STRAW maO spread on the
floor. The windows, of course, were
gultcss of glass, and had the usual iron
bars before them, but | observed that the
rude born-door-likc shutters were of solid
mlhogany--N n WOO by the way, which
is cheaper in many parts OF Mexico G.
cause less rarc) than common pine The
great oakcn door, with its enormous
hinges and lock like the breastplat9 OF
medieval warrior, vas quantity carved
probably not less than century ago by
some Iong-lorgottcn artist. There arc
many thing IN THIS wonderful country
which are calculated to arouse the spirit
oil highway robbery IN the breast Oh tho
most honorable tourist lloA9eu TO tear
that door from Us hinges ana run OH WIN
It, or to selze from tac shoulders ot inc
master oil the mansion MS zaFape-a ma
tive blanket OF sollIy-oleno'1 oriental
hucs, with inc ha''ola' eScuVchcoh III
the centre "a big e'g'o p'fchcl upoa
cactus Du'A' VITA serpent In MS oeaD
winch would make Il most f"'lSl'h5
pCrtIcrc.
Our refreshments were speedily scrYel
upon wcll-scourca tao'c u whlcA inc
addition oil cloth would have been an
lhcon9ruou' supcrllulty, anu inc men"
was as l'llow': ote"'l J'ej'|eS Vea
bcan), with our choice as TO season.
ing whether we would pour rancid
goats mix over them or m'ios'cs from
the Chlncsc sugar-caAc small D'acN lolVes
oil Mexican bread thlt wolId nave maze
excellent cannon Da'Is, oil course without
I butter, Wh!cA does not grow IN thls
country; watcrcresSc' and fresh olive oil,
from winch we compounded II SALAD III
for an emperor table; Wild honey anu
stcwcd aprlcotS anl basket oil ripe tam
arlnds, pomcgrAnatcS llg5 and m'ngooes,
arranged IN their own green leaves as
the poorest OF these people have taste
iul habit OF doing Inc inevitable
pulque was at hand In plg-Skln pot
tie" which retains the perfect shape oil
the animal, minus head and tail, and
gurgIcd an approving note, a'armlngIy
like life, while Its contents were beng
emptlcd into our mugs. These so'ca'lcd
"pig-sklns" are really the undressed hides
OF sheep with the woolly side turned In.
Nothing else Is considered so good for
holdlrg the popular beverage, though
we are told that skin Of small SIZE costs
not less than S!.5o, and lasts little more
than a month, as the constant icrmcnta'
ton gong on inside soon cats the WOOL
oil. In TINS volcanic country the travel
Ter must eschew water, or suffer srou'
consequences and one must drink some
thing besides the D'ltcr Mexican cot'c;
therefore we long ago made up Our MINDS
to puIquc-the cheap drink OF the ma
tlves-and pulque 1t IS every DAY oil our
lives at dinner, lc'ntess' how YER that
it required considerable effort to educate
ourselves to it, and 1t wIS only accom-
! ,,';ebol h,, roeolr+ ale, fyip,r O,,r thOucrhts
unon that Glorious product of the vrar-