Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-28
MEXICAN LETTER.
The Crudlty with Which fhe Children
are Gotten Up In the ''Hand-Me.
Down" Clothes OF Their Parents,
The Girl at Fen Iniaated in the Art Of
Making TortiiIas-Oompuisory Edu-
cation Law Passed.

Correspondence of the Gazette.
VILLA LgRDo, MIX Jan. 29.-Boys
and girls of the peon class in Mexico
have the appearance of SO many little old
men and women. This is due TO the fact
that their clothes are fashioned after the
pattern of their fathers and mothers. No
doubt that "dad's old breeches and
MANS old skirts" make the home made
"hand me down" suits that cover the
majority of these youngsters.
One thing is certain, and thst ie, that
the straw hats worn by these boys are
only prevented from covering the entire
head. ircluding the face, by reason that
they are supported upon the ears and the
back OF their necks. II gives them the
appearance q trying to peep out from IN
der huge umbrellas. l don't think these
people have learned the art OF reducing
mems hats to boys sizes. All females OF.
this class wear shawl head coverings, con
sequently the girls are not subject TO the
same inconvenience experienced by their
brothers, but can adjust their mother
last years shswls upon their heads SO
nicely that stranger, at least, would
presSlY for each OF them.
But, Notwithstanding their odd appear
snce, these children are rarely rude or
mischieyous, and are taught TO respsc.
their seniors. When boys arrive At the
age Of ten years they are made an auxil-
liary IN the support OF the families. Girls
of equal age find employment at home,
learning to make tortillas corn meal pan
y To HA Isl H..
must require great deal Of eX-
perience. The cakes are formed by
placing the hands together 10 trout
at about the height of the face. Then
by continuously slapping the hands
| together and turning the cake like O
wheel, whose aXel would be supposed to
rest in the palm of the hands. TIE cakes
are made Systematically, about an eighth
of al inch thick and six inches in diane.
ter, and form the principal bread diet OF
| these people. Late of an evening and in
the early hours of the night, the sounds
produced by the clapping of the hands OF
| those engaged in making tortillas, can be
heard in all directions, and can be
likened to the sounds produced by
children playing st the familiar old game
called "chOpping wood"
| While in this line OF thought, 1t msy moi
be out of place to mention that all the
cooking utensils and table ware of these
people, sre made OF clay, fashioned
largely after the Egyptians and ancient
Jews. In fact, there are many habiis,
customs and manners connected with
these people, that will carry the reader
OF history back TO the time when the
tragic scenes depicted in the Bible
TRANSFERRED.
The same kind Of bricks made Of mud
and straw, called sdobes, formed the
principal building material in the II >ly
Land and adjacent countries, While the
manner Of construction is almost similar
Many spacious structure gradually
assumes the shape requisite for 8
dwelling or business house, under the
hands Of these workingmen, and not the
sound OF 8 hammer can be heard, rela,
| lively speaking.
But, turning to the boys and girls first
described in this article, have been In.
formed by good authority, that the gov.
eminent has passed compulsory educa-
tion law, which will be of great benefit &c
the rising generation. EDGAR RYE.