Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1886-07-30
THE INTERIOR OF OLD MEXICO.
Home Life Among the Peones.
Written for the Graphic.


into the torrid zone and on. to the
ST r.mmit of the central plateau. We
al 9 now about one mile end half
above the level Of the sea. AL
most everything is entirely differ
emit In the terras calientes (hot
]ands) of the border the children
often go entirely naked and the
older people wer no more clothing
than their partial civilization de-
mands. There the flat rooted
adobe houses, the palm covered
cane huts and the caves in the
hillside answered every purpose
of an earthly habitation for those
whose lives were passed within
them. But here nature has SO ele-
vated the country and lowered the
ten oerature that clothing is a
necessity. Then there is sufficient
rain to penetrate the flat roofs and
browne out the cave dwellers,
hence we find the people living
above ground and under inclined
roofs. Thus far they have adj
vanced by the sheer necessity of
their external surroundings. Yet
where nature has not acted with,
a compulsory force, they still re-
main in a condition which in many
respects is scarcely above that of
the lower animal. The houses are
built of mud, stone and adobe.
They have dirt floors and shed
roofs which are covered with mud
mortar about six inches thick.
They seldom have windows or any
other provision for light and ven
tilation, except the door. We
often find large family living in
one of these rooms. When the
evening comes family circle is
formed around a few ancient earth
Ell mugs and jars which are set
on the dirt floor. From these they
take their scant and simple meal.
after which round of corn shuck
cigarettes are smoked, then the
door is barred, the Pickering tai
low candle is blown out and while
the unsavory fumes of the smoking
wick is permeating the entire room
the last one retires to rest in this
dungeon home. A home then
darker than the blacklist night, as
unsavory as the dungeon Of the
doomed and almost as sicklv and
deadly as the "Black hole Of Cal
cutta.'
Our world is a good and lovely
one. 1t is filled with free light
and pure air and the supply al
ways exceeds the demand. Then
what sin the creature com mits
and how benighted he must be
who stubbornly persists in depriv-
ing himself and his innocent little
ones of these the greatest blessings
on earth. We see these creatures
on their knees every day and with
out stretched arms they bemoan
their lot and beg of God in his
mercy to grant them more bles-
sings, after which they employ
what little mental and physical
force they possess in rejecting
these which have already been
granted. "What fools these NOR
tails be-
Their diet consists of the vari-
Gus fruits of the tropics, with goats
milk, goats meat and tortillas
/ (corn cakes) baked with salt and
water. The meal is ground b.,
hand between two stones simil;lr
to those used by the ancients. In
place of stoves and iron cooking
utensils they use elevated fire
places and earthen jars. The lat
ter are placed over charcoal fires
hence chimnies are not in use.
The knowledge of cooking among
all classes of women is meager as
the means used, hence the light
breakfast biscuit, white loaf bread
pies, preserves and puddings of
the o. S. are not seen in Mexico.
The women of every class wear
shawls over their heads in place
of hats and bonnets and the fash
ions never change. Their feet are
small and they wear tight shoes
with very high heels. Among the
lower classes plain cut, bright red
dresses are worn, while the higher
classes prefer a combination of
bright colors. The men of every
class have passionate fondness
for suits made of dressed sheep
goat or deer skin. These are
often brightly painted, fringed and
embroidered with silver. The
pants are ornamented with rows of
buttons and buckles down the
sides and the wide brlmmed SOM
brero is adorned with silver stars,
tassels and heavy gilt roll around
the crown. The poorer people
wear very low crownd straw hats,
scandals and heavy wooden blan-
kets. To-day July 18th while [
write, the natives are passing my
door or summing themselves with
their blankets wound around them
up to the nose. Mothers are pass
ing with their babies wrapped up
out of sight Among the higher
classes OF men they are wearing