The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-04-22
ON A MEXICAN STREET CAR.
Protection from Brignnds - Dogs and
Fleas Abosrd-Other Passengers.

Protection from Brignnds - Dogs and
Fleas Abosrd-other Passengers.
Let us 60 by Mexican street car to st.
Angel, if you please. And let us take
the second-class car. This is the best for
several reasons. In the first place it Is
safest from disease and vermin. For the
frst-class car is cushioned, while the Sec
ond-class is hard wood andwashed white
every day. And then it only costs "bit,"
while the frst-class car costs quarter.
We do not want to take the third-class,
because that carries freight, as rule,
and you have to stand up. Nor do we
care to take the fourth class if we can
help it. For the fourth-class car is
black car. and carries only the dead.
Yet they all go at the same time and in
solid line, every hour, starting from the
grand plaza before the palace, where all
the street-cars in Mexico City start from.
You may ask, if you like, why they all
start at the same time and travel in solid
line. You will be politely told that it is
done to protect the street cars from
brigands. And, maybe, the httlo Amer
lean lady traveller will gasp and find her
smelling bottle; and, most certainly, the
special correspondent gentleman will
whip out his notebook, write it down,
and believe tho nonsense to the letter.
The secret Of it all is .:tips." The street
car driver and conductor and collector
of fares-it takes three men to run one
car-ouly receive 81 a days Mexican
dollar equals Is cents-and 30 they have
to be pretty sharp to live. One Of their
resources for revenue is to tell startling
things 10 travellers, frighten them a little
if they can, and 80 secure Tip" out OF
them in return for information OF this
sort along the historic routes. But the
truth is there Is as little danger OF
brigands or anybody else in going from
the Mexican palace to st. Angel as there
is in going from the Battery to Harlem,
New York.
The driver, with q big brass horn, blew
long blast in the hall, the other drivers
followed, and we Chamber in as the ten
packed, crowded cars trundle on down
the paved and brillisntly-colored street.
On down the streets we trundle, going
out by the very street by which Gen.
Scott entered forty years ago next sum-
mer. Color! Color! cheap color, and
bad art, it is true, but still it is color.
These painted horses, with impossible
horsemen and dancers and ell sorts OF
things painted on the walls are "gin-
mills" - pulque shops. Thousands OF
flags futter about and above the doors.
But not the flag of Mexico. The govern
ment forbids the use of the national
colors for such purpose.
What kind Of people in the cars? Look
and see; listen! Cocks are Growing on
either hand and under your seat. At
least half dozen big fellows-not Aztecs
but Mexican 4gentlemen"-have fight
ing-cocks in their laps and are on their
way to Tacslya, where Gen. Franklin
Pierce fought his way to the presidency,
and where there are at least fifty monte
tables and ever so many cock-fghts in
full blast at this season of the year. This
busy, tuniultuous and most popular place
h an SUBURBAN Mexico is just half way
to St. Angel. We pass the gates by
which the Americans entered up the
long, lofty and graceful aqueduct, like
that one in ruins at Rome, only smaller;
on, on. out the long lane of trees, over
the acauseway" on which Cortez fought
and where SO many Of his men found
muddy graves with their loads Of gold;
on, to the base of Chapultepec. And the
red-headed and beligerent roosters crow
ing and str1tting, trying to get at each
other as much as they can.
There are at least dozen dogs in the
cars. They growl and bark and snarl.
But they are too lazy to fight, these
dozen Mexican dogs. Heavens! From
the feas climbing up your legs and turn
ms sornersaults there you would think
there was nothing but dogs and fleas in
the car. This is good place to tuck
your pantaloons inside your boots.
aChapultepec!" cries the conductor.
And the driver blows his brass horn. The
crowded cars stop in park. Some old
Mexican women with heavy baskets get
out with great effort, every man helping
them. Sometimes a pretty Mexican,
Spanish, or half Indian girl gets in or out.
If she is very pretty you must not notice
her much. You may give her seat if
you like; but it is bad taste to even look
at her for second. She, on her part,
will not lift her eyes to yours all day; nor
will you be permitted, under the laws of
OF politeness here, to speak to her or
glance at her, or even sesm to know she
is near you. But, if you are very polite
and want to do some q favor, you are
permitted to exhaust your attentions on
the old and ugly ones to your hearts
content, and these are plenty. Yes, we
can teach these people down here by the
warm seas to plow, 70 plant, to cut
grass, make money and machinery; but
for solid, and honest, and unsel6sh
poIteness commend me to the Me1cans.
The poorest Mexican in all this latitude