Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1888-01-20
THE MEXICAN DUDE.
A Wealthy Young Sugar Planter
on His Prancing Steed.
Trousers Decorated With Rows
of Half Dollars.

From this balcony of mine, writes
correspondent of tho Philadelphia Press,
oac may sec tho grandc danes aud dons
oil Yantcpec out on dress parade, the
former mostly in their carriages, and the
latter on horseback Tho well-to-do
citizen is seldom seen on foot, aud
among tho upper classes In Mexico
walking has become almost lost art.
II is positive fact that because these
people walk so. seldom their feet have
become dwarfed and shrunken to in
credible smalIncss. Fancy New
Yorker or n Chicngoan In ladies' shoes,
No. or 5, with toes tapcring to an In.
fiaitcsimal poiat aud enormous high
French heels set exactly under the in-
step What caa you expect in the
way Of great deeds and worthy
achievements from rncs OF mon
whose feet are shod like thatf
fondcr goes the dude OF Yautcpec,
wealthy young sugar planter, whose aa-
ccstral acres stretch away beyond the
limits Of vision. IIo bestriics n pranc.
Ing stced, tho pace of which is hero
known as "single step" and the gor-
gcous saddle and trapping' that cover
the animal almost out OF sight must
have cost moderate fortune. O serve
how gingcrly he holds his gold headed
whip aud how the big diamond sparklcs
in the end OF IL. See his pearl inlaid
reyolvers protruiing from the sash of
crimson silk, which hi, short, black
jacket imperfccily conceals. His panta-
looms, tight as two candlemolds, nrc
decorated with double rows OF genuine
half dollars up the outside seams.
set on so closely as to overlap aud
braided together with gold cord. The
pointed toes OF his tiny shoes thrust into
silver stirrups Of enormous size, and
from his heels danglc silver spurs that,
ten to one, outweigh his feet. Ills
great sombrero OF white felt has gold
cable large ne your thumb wound round
and round it, and its broad, thick brim
bears heavy arabcsqus of gold. His
horse IL so perfectly trained that the
rider never uses the rein, but bends
slightly TO the right or left TO Indicate
his wish.
The mozo, or groom, who rides be-
hind at respectful distance, forms an
admirable foil to tho gorgsousncss OF his
master, whom he constantly eyes with
an air Of excessive pride aud dignity, rs
one who says: There bc goes, Just
look at himl Amt no a dai,yl His
hacienda covers 1000 square miles, and
that white sombrero cost 800 II II cost
a cent" The mozo is a good deal more
soberly dressed than the dude hc fol-
lows, though his som brcro il equally
broad, aud the coins on his brooches arc
madros (e-cent pieces. instead OF half
dollars. Besides the dagger and brace
Of pistols which he sports Il his cot ton
sash, broad, savage looking sword
called meehate, is stuck In ths saddle
sheath. This warlikc rir. though
scarcely needed now, IS survival Of
the time when personal defence was
matter OF daily necessity.
The elaborate dressing OF the upper
classes makes the simple drcssiax Of the
lower strata OF society more apparent
by contrast. The street below our bal
cony is full OF peoas, who are as ig-
norant, squilid and superstitious a, they
arc gGilcles anl warm-hearted. Most
Of them wcaF a shawl q some sort. the
masculine shawl bcing calIe zarape.
and the feminine rcboso. Many Of
the women have a piece Of black paper
pasted on either tonplc, which looks
iiEe the label Of spool Of cotton.
Should you ask one Of ihcm what that
is for she would reply, "For the head.
ache, fcnor Were y not for that pre-.
ventiyc would perish Of doior de
cabesa."