Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-08-25

within the next ten years, leaving all they
possessed to the family of another cousin.-
| think it was very likely that, as father af
ward said, my foolish faith in dream cost
both Bess and myself a nice little legacy.
Bessie lived to be fifty, and a grand
mother, and though her death was great
sorrow to me, 1 have survived it fifteen
years, as you see and hope still to spend
some happy, cheerful years before the Good
Father summons ms'to join her" ."-Youth's
Companion.
Mexican Customs.
SAN DIEGO, TEX, Aug. IA, 1886.
Editor Of the Spcctator:-
We will write of the social life of the
Mexican families coming under our imme-
diate observation, as they are all alike aud
the characteristics of few comprise the
whole, for it is as impossible for negro to
change his skin as for a Mexican to adopt
different customs from those of his fathers
gone before. These families embrace ev-
cry stratum Of society, from the poor Indi-
an, without the comfort of shoes or stock
ings, to the rich scion of long line of an
cestry, stretching away back of CorteS
toward the general deluge. A strong weak
ness III Mexican character is found in the
desire of the rich to draw near to the poor,
and vice versa. There may be smallpox
in reserve for the one, and kicks for the
other, but these do not contract the desire
for natural enjoyment in looking down on
or up at each other in their respective sta
tions. To the contact thus brought about
may be attributed the natural politeness
and grace, in which the poor Mexican ex-
GELS.
With the wealthier classes
THE MODE OF LIVING
is patterned after that in Spain. The morn
ing repast consists of coffee and hot tortil-
las (pancakes) made of mashed grains of
corn, after the same has been soaked in I've
until the husks or skins of the grains can
be removed, the same being afterwards
made into dough and is fattened by the
hands and baked upon Goals, and served
hot without salt, and, strange to say, Mex
lean will grow sick and die with the con-
sumption p) should he be compelled to
live on bakers bread or American biscuits.
The noon meal, called by them almuerzo
(breakfast) usually consits of chile con
carne pepper with meat), soup, and sever
al courses of meat, vegetables, fruits, and
dulces (sweet-meats) Our pies and Gus
tards are unknown to the Mexican palate,
but if delights in dulces, including the Pc
loncillo, which resembles maple sugar in
color and flavor. Eggs are used in abun-
dance, and grease-oh, my! everything is
swimming in grease. Between and in
the afternoon comes their comida (dinner),
which is not SO elaborate meal as the
breakfast, consisting of dulce-pan (sweet-
LII l.
all classes to excess, and one can't help but
think that if coffee don't make the Mexi-
cans black, it keeps them so.
THE LOWER CLASS.
The wages and wants of the poorer class
of Mexicans are small, and their bone and
muscle are their only capital. Education,
modesty, and refinement are almost un-
known among them, and morality often
exists only in name. The hopes and aspi-
rations of many are no higher than the
burdens on their backs, while their degra-
dation is often as low as their brute in
stincts and mescal (Mexican whiskey) can
make it. Their meals they take at any
time and at any place, and they will eat
anything from dog to a UNDERWRITING
that will fill up and stop the gnawing of
hunger.
THEIR DRESS
is composed of a low, wide -brimmed straw
hat, costing media (half bit), goat-skin
jacket and pants. Some only wear common
cotton shirts and cheap jeans pants-no
suspenders nor coats, and some with COM
mon cheap pants, with common hickory
shirts, worn outside the pants at the waist,
and sandals instead of shoes They carry
a thick pad on their backs, upon which
their burdens are placed. The whole is
held in place by wide belt, which passes
around the load and just above the fore
head In addition, some wear belt, from
which is swung a sack, sewing needle, a
bunch of strings, and long rope. In
Mexico these cargadores (freighters) take
the place of bakery and grocery delivery
wagons, as we'll as the drays, but here that
is done only partially, as we have the dray
in use, as we'll as the butchers cart, and
the barqueros (water -men) who peddle wa
ter over the city at Is cents a barrel-that
being their legitimate business-they need
but little capital, and that consists of bar
rel fastened on the top of dray.
Then we have our frutero fruit peddlers)
who carry their burdens on their heads, in
low, fiat baskets, which are sometimes
yard wide. These are placed OF circular
pad, which just fits the head of the carrier.
When peddling fruit, one man carries the
basket, while second goes along and cries
the kind, quality, price, and concludes by
saying, "Todo esta muy barato'' - all are
very cheap.
Then we also have the
wOoD-PEDDLER,
H. ,.oo, H. A. ,,oo,o &c C,,odon oxJ
sometimes you will find him at the head of
a yoke of oxen, which are pulling large
load of mesquit, and if you purchase the
same it is necessary to go with him and
see that he throws it all off of his wagon,
for if you are not careful, he will sell one
half of it to some other man in need of
wood
Then we again see a small boy driving a
burro donkey, which animal is complete
ly covered with wood and which moves
along as leisurely as if ne was picking his
dinner from the dry grass which grows by
the roadside.
THE LADIES
of the wealthy class are denied the freedom
of action permitted to our American girls.
Unlike our Virginia beauties. the Mexican
with bewitching black eyes and
long raven hair, is barred out of society by
her mother, who even insists on accompa-
nying her to church. But "where there is a
will there is a way" and this is how it is
done: The young man "makes the BEAR"
that u.s. he walks up and down like a Gagged
bear in front of her window. Inside the
cruel cage : and frequently among the
wealthiest, like in Mexico, tho windows
have iron bars like .jail-sits the young
lady. engaged in her embroidery. or with
her guitar, or it may be at her fan, into
which, by indescribably graceful move
ments, she throws all the passion, the in
spiration, the fire of loves young dream.
THEIR EYES MEET
for the first time, and both hang their heads.
They meet again, and their faces are illu-
m mated with SuaileS n,ra1rinu ali the lar,