Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-02

| Gabriel mission, been exceedingly pros
porous, and large garden could now be
traced, fast going to decay which sur
rounded it. I should judge that we could
walk quarter Of mile within these
walls. Here the various garden veg
etables were raised, and some fine old
trees still standing told TIE story of the
fourishing old times. Near the east face
large corral, with walls in more or less
decay, with rooms built here and there
evidently for the Indian cattle and horse
keepers. On the south front were several
series of rooms, evidently the residence
Of the priests and attendants, one set
being now occupied by Antonio Bautlsto,
| the captain of the Pala Indians. The
walls in every case were of mud or adobe,
and or the rudest description, with no
| flooring but mother earth. East of the
captains, and under red-tiled roof that
might have come from Holland, was the
church or mission, long room, destitute
of seats foored with tIling, and having
about the altar number of saints in a
| Iudicrous state of neglect. They remind,
| ed me of the wax figures of eminent men
in the old Broadway museum. To the
| east Of this, and not visible from the high
windows, was the graveyard, well filed
ornamentation and rude crosses. Cur
iously enough, the belfry was not cen
nected with the church, but rose on the
south side of the graveyard and was
reached by pair of weil-Yorn adobe
steps. The tower was about forty feet
| high Of adobe and pierced for two bells
made in Spain many years ago. Later in
the evening the captain assembled the old
belfry and struck the bells, first slowly,
then increasing the time, until jingle of
sweet notes arose and was echoed far
away in the mountains. Owing to the
priest having decided to hold the feast at
Parma, most of the Indians had gone
there, though the half-breeds and MexI-
cans lad prepared ramada, and some
| Indians were on hand. The ramada was
g house made of green brush about fifty
| feet square. It had four doors and was
one-storied. In the center was left
place for dances, a square platform hav-
ing been laid and around it wooden
benches placed. The sides of the ramada
were divided off into into booths, useful
for a variety Of purposes. Here a family
slept; in the next one a key of beer, wine,
or whisky served as a barroom; then
followed a restaurant, butcher-shop,
wheel of fortune, game of faro, and SO
on, all occupying booths about eight by
ten and facing the center. Here the In
dams and Mexicans congregated after
confession, and gambled and danced for
perhaps week.
The ramada was exceedingly pictur-
esque. It was made by taking young
willows and planting them and binding
others with them, SO that perfect green
box was the result through the leaves
and branches of which rings of tobacco
smoke curled and sweet sounds arose
from guitar and mandolin.
In former times the afternoon would
have been spent in horse racing and a
bull-fght, but single race was our only
excitement except a ride upon a white
mule of singularly obstinate disposition
to the top of the mouRtain to visit a
marble mine. In the the evening the
people from all around began to collect
and by O'Clock the ramada was well filled
with senoriGas, and men, young and old,
the band Of violins, guitars and mando
Inns struck up. Seven young men, with
out smile, walked over to seven young
ladies also without smiles and a mom ,nt
later they were stepping the intricate
mazes of the Spanish dance. In old
times [ had taken a hand at this myself,
dance would have chilled the spirit of
Terpsichore herself. Not smile or a
word did these maidens or youths indulge
in, They had evidently taken a contract
for SO much work, and had no time to
spend in talking or laughing. So the
dance went on, the oreaking of. 1.-THE fddles,
the tTang OF the mandolin, and the
stamp of the feet alone constituting the
revelry.
The dance most in favor was quadrille,
the chief part of which consisted in each
young man placing his arm about the
slender waist of his partner and walking
around in circle-a Spanish all hands
around. This was continued until they
probably became dizzy, when the motion
was reversed and for ten or fifteen
minutes more the march was kept up
until all that was miserable aud humble !
Is monotony was deeply sunk into the
souls of the observers. When the
musicians became exhausted the dance
ended; the young ladies were escorted to
the hard benches, and the young men be-
took themselves to the other side. Some
tried their luck at gambling, others pat
ronized the wine and lager, bat there was
no ice cream for the senoritas. Indeed, |
no attention was paid to them until late
men stole around and pretended to break
eggs upon the black, glossy hair of the
maidens of their choice-the eggs con-
tanned bits of gold and silver paper, that
flashed and cleaned IN the candle light.
As the evening wore on and the wine be
gan TO circulate, it became little livelier
but I vainly watched for word or smile
between the dancers. Near midnight e
gambler came in and began to deal a
game of faro. The men gathered around
and lost and won until Solomon, in all
his glory nearly fell asleep ana decided
to close up. Only one man was intoxi-
Gated and he drew rasor-(shades of
Ethiopia. and slashed a fortunate
player. The Indian constable clapped a
pair of handouts upon him and turned
him loose. There he sat the rest of the
eight, picture of misery, and really the
cause of the only excitement at the
fiesta.
The next day at dawn the chime of
the old bells awoke us, and 1t WAS later
proposed to visit Parma, where the priest
was expected. Parma is little Indian
village about eight miles down, or rather
up the valley. Here were perhaps twenty
Indian houses of adobe, a small mission
and ramada of willow extending in
line for about one hundred yards. The
booths were occupied by the same stores,
and here, also, were the faro games and
the wheels of fortune. They day was
warm, about 1G4 degrees in the shade, but
owing to the peculiar climate, not SO
disagreeble as IS degrees would have been
in New York. We made the tour of all
the Indian houses, and bought every
basket they had in the town. The bask-
cts of these Indians are much in demand,