News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-04-19

oy at the rate of 80 miles an hour
= Happily the movement of the train
. creates breeze, which makes it more
, comfortable. We are steadily climb
ing the heavy grade. and just beyond
| Gracia we enter the canyon proper
! now we go through deep cut, then
| around a curve and you are on the
) brink of precipice, while on the
/ other side towers an almost perpen-
dicular wall of rock hundreds of feet
in height. In many places the track
is not visible $50 feet ahead; then
again you are in kind of enclosure.
Looking back you cannot see where
you enter, nor, looking ahead, you
cannot see where you are to get out,
but by following the rails we finally
get out. 1t is trip not to be forgot
ten. Seventy miles from Monterey,
and at height of 1000 feet above
the sea level, we arrive at Saltillo, a
city of $1,000, and the capital of the
State of Cohuilla. On eur arrival we
proceeded to the hotel, where we re-
lieved ourselves of lots of dirt and
eat dinner. Then as it was still very
warm we seated ourselves in the shade
around the open court. Nearly every
house has these courts. They are
paved, there is usually fountain in
the center and in the intervening space
are planted trees, shrubs and flowers.
They are very pleasant on a warm
day or evening. Immediately after
dinner every one takes siestd until
8 or o'clock, and during this time
everything seems exceedingly quiet
and sleepy. In the evening we "took
in the town. A Sunday evening in
April, mild and pleasant like June,
we are seated on the Plaza de lara
gosa, the main plaza of the city, lazily
putting at corn husk cigarette. The
true Mexican never chews nor smokes |
a pipe, and rarely will you see him |
with a cigar, but the cigarette deli
cately rolled from a corn husk, every
body smokes-boys and girls, men
and women. So it is no uncommon
sight to see the pretty dark eyed SEN
orita smoking. ola Luna" from al
most directly overhead throws her
soft and mellow light upon a large
crowd congregated upon the plaza
tonight, for Sunday in Mexico par
takes more of the nature of holiday
than that of day of rest. Every
seat is filled and a continuous stream
of people flows in both directions
around the plaza. Assembled around
the large fountain in the center of the
plaza are two or three bands discours-
ing some very fine music, for they are
a nation of natural musicians. The
space between the fountain and out
side walks is occupied by trees, shrubs,
climbing vines and flowers of all
kinds, which throw out fragrant per-
ume. This space is intersected by
crooked paths, and along
which are scattered seats. The bells
# the cathedral near by are Ginning
he quarter past nine, so we will leave
his scene, which at best soon be-
ONES monotonous, especially to the
'gringo." Directly opposite the ca
hedral stands government building,
magnificent building of stone, COW.
ring whole square. Several of the
arge double doors, now wide open,
re hung from top to bottom with
laring red curtains, which futter
ackward and forward in the Sigh
reeze. We push one aside and en-
er. Whir-r-r, rap-a-ty rap-a-ty rap,
nd the ball has caught "diez-y-ocho 6
dorado" eighteen on the red) cries r
be roulette dealer, for such IS the .
anne in progress. Beside the wheel t
re piled stacks of silver dollars to
empt the passer-by to stop and try :
is luck. The spaces on the board
re numbered from l to Sc inclusive.
)ne half the numbers are red and the 5,
'ther half black; odd or even, high
" low at even chances, or if YOU fc
could designate the exact number on a
which the ball would stop you would s.
vim Sc for l.. There are two wheels d
n operation and dense crowd sur y
ound both. In another room adj il
onining we find monte is king. This o.
the Mexican's favorite game and .,
he room is crowded to suffocation.
weird spectacle it presents to the
tranger: the dark faces, the wide
silver trimmed sonabrero, the O
litter of the ominous six shooter,
'aich they nearly all carry, the NJ
TRANCE cries of the dealers, the clank- Ill
1g of spurs and the jingle of silver at
it is nervously fingered by the play ID
RS, all contribute to make it sight
OF to be forgotten by the spectator.
'hus in the shadow of the great cathe-
raj fourishes a veriLable 'tgambling Sc
ell' and this is only one of many. of
unday is indeed the holiday of Mex g.
%. On this day everything is open. b fS
III the stores, saloons, churches and in
houses, cock-pits and the wi
reat ''Plaza de Toros," or bull fights. on on
his, indeed, is great country, (this j
Expression is positively not Originally ~
lis land of God and Liberty, where
lere is little God and great deal
IS liberty; where they call corn O,
aize, pronounced mice) where they
e up their hogs and let their dogs NC NC
IN loose, where they pillow with wood, hls
I'D a barber-shop is not complete at
ithout grind-stone where every sal
'anch has thorn and every insect
ing; where they climb for water =
Id dig for wood.
Vive Republica Mericana, |
WHISPERS