Democratic messenger., 1888-03-17
MEXICAN MANNERS.
uNFAILlNe COURTESY OF A POLITE
AND PuNcTiLlous PEOPLE.

Isoorisi,ncss of Tourists-An American
who Had Learned Observation-Disclosures
to Latiies--AImost n Tragcdy-A Severe
Test Of Courtesy.
In their philanthropic and highly land
able efforts To reconstruct Mexico to suit
their own ideas VI proprieiy, Americans
flnd their throats swell oftcncr, perhaps,
than for any other reason, at the excess
sive degree of form and ceremony which
attends, Il may be safely said, every trans
action, great ar small, IN Mexico. II Is a
great mistake, however, to set oneself In
opposition To these things. Mcxicais,
like nil Latin races, are siicklers So. cti-
quettc, and they class rs rough and under
bred people who ignore the superficial
forms Of politcncss. Ia Mexico one finds
land where courtesy goes farther than
coin Of the realm: and this with all ranks
and classes. Mark the street greeting Of
PelagiO and Mercedes, two pclatliios of
the lowest. OF goes the hat of pclagio
and Mercedes puts out to him her hand,
horny and toll hardened, but friendly and
cordial.
"How do you do, Don Pclagio! How
did you pass the night, How Is your wife
the children--are they wclli'
'sAh, Dona Merccditas! I am glad TO
see you. And how is your good familyi
! hope you have no illness or trouble.
Will IL please you to make TO them all my
humble grectings"
Poor, half starved, dirty, miscrably clad
In rags that scarcely cover their nakcdncss,
these poor creatures still practice an nm.
failing courtesy that have too often found
lacking among our parveyu aristocrats,
sitting aloft on their money bags. And
they responded, too, to this trait in their
superiors more readily than TO the chink
OF tlacos. This Is practically demonstrated
wherever IN Mexico Americans do congre-
gate. a little group will be gathered on
acorner, aquadores, public carriers, mozos,
what you will, and an American will come
rushing past. 4 block away can hc read
In his eye the intention 10 rush through
that group OF low horn mortals. who are
certainly dirty and ignorant, bu, who are
nevertheless entitled to the rights and
privileges Of all humanity. Does hc seat
ter them In catapult fashion really: All,
no! The mula Of the carga,!or--n heavy
leathern cushion, on which the carrier
supports his burden, strikes lin some.
how carelessly, but with almost force
enough TO knock him brcathlcss. The
aquador slops some water out Of br:m-
ming chococol over his worship's na;ty
garments, and his shoulder will bc black
and blue for n fortnight from the force os
his collision with the sturdy moZo. Ey
stepping into the gutter he manages TO
pass them, brcathless and raging They
look at each other complaccnily, grin
silently and fall into place again rs an
other gringo approaches. But this ono
did not come 10 Mexico the day before
yesterday. lie slackens his pace slightly
rs lie comes near them. perhaps touches
his hat, perhaps waves his hand In token
of greeting, and says cheeriy: "Con su
licencia your leave" The ranks
fall open, hat or two Is sna;chcd or,
with "pasc ustcd, seno amo'-''pass, my
mastey'-and perhaps q sandalcd foot ij
thrust out to rub AWAY spiotch Of mrd
on the pavement that might soil the shoes
Of this courteous foreigner.
When first went to the City OF Mexico
was quite i'll, and so fcycrish that used
20 stop ut every pila or public fountain I
passed in exploring the suburbs. where
dwell the masscs-the mos: intcrcsiin.
part of the city To the humanitarian. IL
chanccd TO have forgotten my irivcl!t:
cup, used TO dip up the water like tho
Bhacbhaii Of Edwin Arnuld'S "Mill
Song''-"in my followed palm"--and
that would always be the sigma, 81.
rush Of women Offering me little jarras-
carthern jugS-to drink from, and often
Of men Of the lowest orders from horrible
pulquc shops. rendering glass at which
they rubbed nssiduously To make IL spot
less. This WAS no question OF u tip, Us I
learned after one or two blnndcrs-it was
4. 4 II
ent from the services for which payment
Is expected, and, II withheld, Ir-rdily de-
manded. And I am sure that only tho
Irish peasantry could turn compliments
rs neat rs those bestowed on me IL return
for the simple acknowledgment, with
which soon learned 10 rcquiic ,hs ~.
Again, one night cainc OFT VI Or.!n's
uhe permanent American circus In Mex.
icu) and two men Of the canaila distracted
the walk. My escort imra;icn,ly caught
one Of them by the shoulder nnd slung
him aside for me TO pass. Some Instinct
impelled me 20 glance past my friends
shoulder. and saw u big knife descend.
Ing about six inches from the shoulder
blade Of the American. threw AL my
weight on his arm and jcrked lin aside so
far that the blow missed him. At the
same moment the other lcpero caught lis
comrades arm and cried:
'Y0u fool, don't you see the Lady,"
son. said the would bc assassin. ''it
was for lady he showed me. WAS iti
That's all right, then. didn't see her
ustcl per,lonc" O'cg pardonl, and he went
on, fcclisg no aiIront II 1t were suli red
for lady.
When such traits exist among the lower
classes, u can readily be seen what SUPER
lative polish Of manner must prevail
among the higher. II cost n,c no little
mental self fiagcllation TO learn To say
pray cover YOURSELF 10 n gentleman who
should pause Ia greet me, and ! remember
more than one pang | have felt nj having
left this To be said by my escort to men
whose silver locks streamcd on IA bleak
wind or were moistened by small rain,
yet who would not replace the hat with
ont instigation. And no greater test than
this could bc offered IT McXican'S pune
tilious courtesy, careful n they are on all
hygicnic maticrs.-I. II. Adds IN san
Francisco Chronicle.