Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-01-08
LETTER FROM YDA Adds.
Christmas In Mexico- Pesadas,
Written for tho HERALp.

huVAHc6 10 ettS1iO u COulpictc scIios
Of posadas, including a grand ball,
but on the 4th Of December l started
with some adventurous spirits to
make tho ascent of Popoeatepetl. !
made it, too, and was the first OF the
party to reach the brink Of the crater,
leaving behind at least one gentle
man, stretched on the snow, whim-
pering like bsby. But the season
was particularly unfavorable one,
and the snow was frozen SO hard that
we were out from 80 A. NJ. until 7 go
r. NJ, and in consequence both my
feet were frozen, one quite badly. 1t
was go swollen that l was unable to
wear any footgear except pair of
canoe-shoes of large caliber, which
one Of the party fortunately had with
him. Besides, my face was blistered
by the snow-glare, and puffed out
till it did not look human. Thus
it viii be seen that I
was in no fit plight for
posadas and dances. Stronger reason
yet there was q scientific commission
going out to explore the famous cav
eE,s of Cacahuamilpa, and the
thought Of not being able to Join it in
spired me- with a profound disgust
for all tanner pleasures. The difficulty
was lack Of transportation. and when
twenty-four hours before the start,
the chief OF the expedition came up
to say he could offer me seat on top
of the diligence, ny JOY knew no
bounds, and I fervently blessed the
Minister OF Public Works for taking
it into his mind to visit the head gov
ernment astronomer, and thus vaca-
ting the seat OF that honorable func-
tionary. / had been back from the
volcano trip but forty-eight hours,
yet, with my face poulticed up for
threatened erysipelas, and my "foot
in sling" perched up on the coach
top, and we rolled merrily out Of Mex
leo "while it was yet night" ] was
the only layman in the party; all the
rest were swells In science. Mr..
Frederick Ducane Goldman was there.
and all the rest were nOtables, and
we had grand time generally, and
that is why l missed the posadas this
year in Mexico, as on the return had
to take wing for Chihuahua,
to spend Christmas with the mother.
as per promise. Yet stay! did miss
the posadas altogether? Ihad faithfully
agreed to stop over from one train to
another with friends at Lueritaro,
and, walking in without warning, l
thought had mistaken the house.
The arches of the corridor were hung
with CAV banners and lanterns, and
even the banana trees in the court
and the yellow cat sleeping on the
rim of the fountain had an unfa.
millarly festal aspect, not eongruous
with the sedate character OF the FAM
lily. It was not until six girls, all
hugging me at once, simultaneously
coocd "Oh! how opportune is your
arrival! tonight you will break the
pinata v'--not until then I say,
did | realize that they must be hold
ing posadas. Being warned that I
should have no dinner before ,0P.
NJ, mildly begged for cup Of
chocolate. having brought all my ap-
petite home from the caverns.
Shortly after nightfall the guests
began to assemble, and a little later
they passed into u room set
aside for the purpose, and kneel-
ing, prayed and chanted hymns, be-
fore the Nac;miento. This is species
OF shrine, or altar, typifying the great
Mystery at Bethlehem, centuries
agone. On the summit oil an artificial
hillock, raised against the wall, in a
little chapel, are small images of
Joseph and Mary, to which are added
on Christmas Eve figure Of the
Holy Babe. The little mound is COW
cred with mosees, diversified by little
trees, flowers and lakelets formed by
bis OF looking glass, and it is studded
with clay, waxen, or porcelain figures
of domestic animals, shepherds,
kings and magi, all going up 10 the
worship Of the Holy Stranger. Some
times the arrangement is made a
snow scene. by the use Of cotton wool
-four, or diamond dust. Concluded
the ceremonies before the Naciudn,to,
Joaquinita's guests formed in process
sion behind two young men, who car
ried on platform some OF the house,
hold heres In the shape of images OF
favorite patron saints, and, bearing
lighted candles and chanting the
Litany, they moved in and out Of the
different rooms and about the court and
corridors. now and then pausing to
ask for posada lodging, from which
the name of the festival] in memory
of the weary search OF the Holy
Family for shelter at Bethlehem.
Finally the march broke up and then
social converse and merriment were
in order. Fruits, cakes, sweets and
other refresc0s came on the carpet,
together with bonbonniecres and trim
kets to be carried away as souvenirs.
At last arrived the all-important mo-
ment for the breaking Of the pinato,
| which, be it understood, is cousin
g. rman to the good old-fsshioned
American, grab bag, dear to the hearts
of Sunday school festival people. But
the pinata Is very apotheosis of
grab bags. Made Of clay, or OF tissue
paper on bamboo framew' rk, to
insure a fragility sufficient to crush
under smart blow, they are modelled
after thousand patterns, and very
clevcrly are they executed. Cooks,
comets, butchers, gigantic roses,
brides, turkeys, ballet dancers, fishes,
such are some Of the varieties l
noted among tho myriads on
sale in the Zocalo, or main
plaza in Mexico before leaving. 1t
having been decided that / should
have the honor Of breaking the piflata,
some manGuvring was necessary to
accomplish that end. SO the aspirants
frat blindfolded, were led wide OF the
mark, and l am not SO sure that the
piaata was not held aside from them.
At last pretty Cholita bandaged my
eyes with careful carelessness, and
on the plea of avoiding injury to my
lamest foot, held mo close up to the
doorway, from whose Intel the object
OF interest was dangling. Even q
baseballist could have hit it under
-,,, oh conditions 60 f1,o rayf ,r,oypop$