The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-11-22
CITY OF THE MoNTEzUMAs
4 Charming Letter from an Aus
tin Young Lady.
CuoE Mmoo, November Is, ISIS.

To E.5so- q TIE Sz,szln:
II Americans Who have never gvsiIsd
Themselves Of the privilege OF visiting this
grand, historic old Sity would see il vhIs
sill 30 much of its ancient grandson re-
mains, let them do 30 before the changes
occ1r. which. il the revelations OF tine.
are 80 surely TO be wrought 6y the in
sztisb!e American. Even the improve
ments that are daily being made By Eae
progressive Mexican of to-day seem
almost observation o. eucrosc6-
neut zpon the rights OF other
days, and II the vivid Imagination, the
voice Of the past can almost be heard %
cry ous sgzils. such . tispensa,ion OF
Pro7idenee as that stOzLd cause the hand
OF tine 20 80 cruelty lay hold OF and met
amorphcss is sacred precincts, forever
o!oi'ing oQt the impress Of AGES. Bui IL
reality there i 10 cruel Providence, for
into these changes are So7ea blessings II
Disguise and sad re.rosp ectiOrs OF tn
pas. are lost II behO.diug the iniuitsble
and marvellous wonders of the present.
StIn Eo= ZrsHdly stands this magnificent
old city in one OF the Ioveliest valleys ID
the world, with It's many church spires and
lofty towers lifting thsir heads high up il
the air a. if 20 chsll=pge their only &C.
kno=.edged rivals, Mounts PopOca's-
eetl and IIrscihus:l, 20 proud
y hold up their Elttsriug
Snow covered head if they will, but dare
not attract more attention than they.
The principal gates Of the city on the
north, sOu-h- east and vest lead TO near
villages, which being connected with tn
city By horse cars seem almost part of
il, and in fact are in;ludei in the ineorpo
ration. Guadalupe, three miles north of
the Central plaza, the hoiest shrine
in Mexico, IS the scene of the well
known tradition Of 1881. Il is pic
turesqu=ly situated az the foot of lovely
mountains, and contains among other
celebrities the cemetery on Mt. Tepeyec
nose OF the mountain), where Santa
Anna. and others celebrated in Mexican
history, are ertoubed. Winding steps OF
stone lead from the bs-e to the brow OF
Mt. Tepeyec, on which, in front of the
cemetery, stands the chapel where the
sppsritiOa of the Virgin OF Guadalupe
first appeared TO the Indian, Juan Diego
on the 18th Of December, 1881. He i'm
medistely reported the sight of this mi
reeaIous sppsrition to the bishop, and on
being demanded by him a proof from
the Virgin that she really appeared as
had been syoved, be went away discour-
aged, and passing a spring at the foot
of the same mountain, the Virgin again,
appeared to him, and he complained to
her that the bi-hop would not believe,
without proof, that ne mad before beheld
the vision. The Virgin then told him to
go to the top of the hill (Tepeyec, which
-,
his tilms, which he did and presented to
! the bishop. When the roses fell at the
bishops feet the image of the Virgin vas
| Immediately stamped upon Diego's tilma.
This identical tilma is still preserved on
the al ar of the grand old cathedral of
Guadalupe, around which is a silver
raiIiug weighing twenty six tons.
and of metal composite for which its
weight in silver has been refused. Over
the boiling spring, where Diego last saw
the apparition, a beautiful little chapel
has been erected, facing which Is life
size statute of the Virgin on the spot
where she last revealed herself to Juan
Diego, and avowed to him that she was
the true mother of Christ, and had come
to protect the Mexican nation. This de
vout belief still exists among the people,
and thousands come on journeys of many
miles to worship the Virgin, proclaiminE
her the "Patrona de Mexics." They con-
slider the spring and chapel very sacred
and carry away with them some of the
water, which they believe has been
blessed by the Nirgin. Tue flag of
Hidslgo bore the i'm .ge OF the Virgin
of Guadalupe. When the emperor, I5ur-
bide, was crowned he established the Cor
der de Guadalupe" in honor of the Virgin.
The first president of the republic, Felix
Fernandez, changed his name to that of
Guadalupe Victoria for some reason.
General Guerrero deposited in the affairs
of the Ssln;ed Image the flags captured
at Tampico during the last Spanish in
vasion under Barrsdss in 1928. Maxi
milan, before entering the Ciiyof Mexico,
first visited this temple to express his
alteration of the Virgin. 1t is said that
people coming from distant parts of the
republic care more to see the Virgin of
Guadalupe than to visit tor the first time
the City of Mexico.
San Cosme, in the northwestern portion
of the city, is part of the old causeway
of TIacopan, along which some noted
events trsnspired many years ago, among
VIC LOuLlAS VI OOlbCI vi LuC Big Nv
of June 30, 152O-the DISMAL night" On
this road also is the place remembered to
this day "a "AIvsrsdo's leap" where that
chieftain, by his agility, saved his life, al
though not an act of bravery. The tragic
spot faces the entrance to the "Tivoli del
Eliseo." Where the old causeway ter.
inmates is the village Of Popotla.
Here is the gigantic cypress (Ahuehuete) },
ct the foot of which Cortez wept.
Its imposing appearance is almost de-
stroyed, having been scared by fire, the
work of fanatic few years ago. An
other large cypress remains at Tscuba
Told Tlscopan) that marks the place of
Cortez's encsmpment.
On the south side of the city ia the
"Psseo de la ViRa," alongside of the canal
which conveys the waters of lakes Chalco
and Xocnimilco through the eastern por-
ton OF the city to Lake Te1coco. At
Santa Aunits and I1tscslco the old float
ing gardens, although now sta
tionary, can readily be defined
and afford interest to the stranger, are
reached by canoes on the canal. They are
divided into oblOng squares of about six
ty by twenty feet, aud are separated from
each other by narrow channels or bitches
three feet wide, now used for irrigatiny
these gardens which are teeming with
flowers and vegetables the year round.