Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-30

emerged from the water joyfully sancti-
fied-and let us hope, a cleaner-savage.
Even the little fonda (restaurant) where
we purchased refreshments in the shape
OF goats milk and pomegranates, curd-
cheese and honey, had, painted in spraw-
ling characters all over its front. the some
what ambiguous title, "Vamos al Gulfo de
Mexico =" Let us go to the Gulf of
Mexico but what the application may
be no man can tell, unless in depreciation
OF the poverty of its entertainment. For
tunateiy our visit happened on the fiesta
day OF the patron saints of the town
SAINT PETER AND SAINT PAUL.
In the yard of the old church were
band of men, funnily dressed to represent
Joyful Indians" with beads, wampum
and feathers, making weird music on pri-
mitive reed instruments, which might, in
deed, have had "charms to soothe the
savage breast" An enormous cross, at
least twenty feet high, and composed en-
tlrely of corn-leaves and peoples, had been
paraded about the streets in solemn pro-
cession, and now formed the central figure
in the church-yard, around which the
i'adios would terminate their festivities
later on by dancing fandangos and zapa-
teros.
The moldy sanctuary was prcfusely
decked inside with yellow marigods pop
pies and corn-howers, while the Holy
Family was arrayed for the occasion in
their choicest vestments and glass Jewels"
surrounded by suffering candles and vo-
tive offerings of fruit and grain. The entire
floor was strewn with wild flowers (the uni
versal village custom on fiesta days. which,
crushed by the knees of many worshipers,
gave forth doors more powerful than the
incense. Feeling that we, strangers from
tar country, have no business intruding
upon the pleasures of these simple folk
without conforming-at least in outward
appearance-to their customs, Betsy and |
dipped our Protestant fingers in the holy
water, and knelt with the throng upon the
hower-strewn floor, whose worm-eaten
boards cover insecurity vaults trimming
with the bones of dead Canadians and
crossed ourselves as devoutly as our neigh
bors when the Host was elevated. "Sacri-
ligious," says my Methodist brother? BY
no means. Any act of homage cannot be
displeasing to the one God whom all sects
adore and who shall say whether the I'M
questioning faith of these ignorant chill
dren may not be as acceptable in His sight
as our colder forms of worship.
In the rear of the church, reached by
climbing over crumblinS wall, is
THE VILLAGE CEMETERY
1t is a CHASTITY place, with no blade Of grass
or cheerful suggestion about it. In the
center is the usual cross, surrounded by its
heap of human bones, to which no sacred
ness is attached after the souls that ami
mated them have gone. The celebrated
baths, which bubble up not far behind the
church, are warmed in natures laboratory
within the heart of volcanic hills. They
are covered with commodious houses of
red plastered adobe, leaving outside cir
cular pool for public use. At all hours of
the day this Mexican Bethesda is full of
bathers, male and female disporting them
selves amicably together, their Estate of
nature" but partially screened from public
view by the low adobe wall. On bench
outside the principal bath-house row of
black gowned Padres sat blinking in the
sun, and we joined their sun-like company
while waiting our turn to secure private
rooms in which to indulge in the dusty
travellers greatest luxury-a warm sulphur
bath. Afterwards we hied us to the Fonditd
del Espirita SdRt0-" The Restaurant of the
Holy Ghost Ia solemn fact for mug of
chia-a refreshing drink, made from the
seeds of flower, mixed with pineapple or
orange juice-and then drove slowly back
to Queretaro between bloSsoming hedges
No tourist should leave Queretaro with
out having visited the famous Hercules
mills. They are about two miles distant
from the city, and may be reached by car
rage or via the Mexican Central Railway.
whose track runs close to the outer walls
of the hacienda. The factory turns out
annually an enormous amount of I'M
bleached cotton called mdnta, producing
never less than
TWELVE THOUSAND PIECES PER MONTH
The institution forms a village within it.
self, and gives employment TO more than
1,500 men. 1t was begun by the elder
Senior Rubio, in 1910, and is now the prop
erty of his son, Don Cateano Rubio The
founder went to England when lad, and
learned the trade of cotton-spinning at
Manchester The machinery now in use
was mostly brought from England, and the
factory is furnished with one of the largest
overshot wheels in the world, being fifty
feet in diameter. The buildings are all of
stone, and their entire cost was about four
millions of dollars. 1t is like citadel, its
several acres inclosed within a high
stone wall, with moat and portfolios for
guns. The proprietors keep " standing"
army of forty men, and have successfully
defended their property against the in
surgents of several revolutions The Rubio
family live in elegant apartments over
looking garden, which is beautifully laid
out with flowers, statuary and artificial
lakes. The workmen are all Mexicans,
except half a dozen Europeans employed
as superintendent. A force is kept con-
stantly at work, six hundred by night,
alternating with six hundred by day.
Strikes are not in fashion in this lazy
country, and but one has occurred during
the last quarter of a century. Strangers
are always cordially received by Senior
Rubio, and clerk is detailed to conduct
them through factory and grounds. To
foreigners who are calculating on the fl-
ture of manufactures in Mexico, the Her
cules mill offers material for study. In
this country, as in any other moderate
amount of capital and clear head are the
first requirements to success. This is no
place for poor man-unless he desires to
starve esthetically under sunny skies.
With fair executive ability, some knowledge
of human nature, and disposition to deal
justly by all, the enterprising foreigner
may get along with these ot-headed but
simple-hearted people as easily as with
any under the sun. FANNIE B. WARD.
Prohibition in Kansas.