Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-25

here in San Luis. It was really the Gov
eminent, owning thousands of leagues of
the richest lands, all the finest mines-in
short, nearly everything in the country
that was Forth possessing. 1t erected
hundreds III useless buildings-huge piles
of masonry, any one of which would have
held whole populations of the hungry poor
who were heavily taxed to support them.
l think it was in the year 1872 that.
under the plea that these possessions had
been unjustly accumulated by working on
the superstitious feelings of the people.
to whom they rightfully belonged, it was
decided by the Government to confscate
all the real estate of the Church, the con-
vents and many of the churches.
Hard as it seemed in many cases-espe-
cially in the Punishment OF the nuns and
nlonks-this period was really the begin
| Mig of Mexice's prosperity. it must
| indeed, be trying to the fathers of to-day
TO note xhe changes which a few shcrt
years have wrought. The Custom-hoUse
now occupies one of the churches; Others
| are converted into schools and public
/ offices; in one lumber and OIL are stored a
swarthy blacksmith FORCES iron in one that
is 50 thick with legende and lichens that
the sooty smoke leaves no stain in the
! gothic notches In one is located e tomb
stone-maker, and the inscriptions he carves
seem like so many monuments TO its own
demise. In others worldiyminded people
have made their homes, and many of them
have met with even worse usage, having
| streets cut through their sacred precincts
| exposing naves and architraves that once
sounded only to the low footballs and pray
ers of sad-faced nuns and hooded friars tc
the rude noises Of passing traffic.
Though there are thousands of gooC
Catholics yet in Mexico, the priests say thai
neither is attendance nor revenue nearly
so large as in the old days Of compulsory
church-going and they do not hesitate Il
declare that consequently the whole
country is rushing to ruin. To Americans
the people still seem Dlarvelously devout
On passing a church door the peon immedi
ately removes his hat and crosses himsel
with reverence; and repeats the perform
ance always when the noon-bells ring, a
do all within the sound of the same, Will,
many kneel. This is the rule for the poo
and ignorant-somehow riches and edu
cation seems to modify ones religion won
derfully in this country. Not long ago, il
Leon-the sacred city in Mexico, with
population of l50,000-the priest told som,
Mexican ladies, who happened to come il
during mass, to "take off those ungodly hat
or leave the church" This was Just befor,
the railroad had reached that place Their,
is great change now-and not by am
means for the better, so far as picturesque
ness is ooncerned-for ugly American hat
and bonnets have become more common OF
the streets than the Indian reboso anC
graceful Spanish mantilla.
Although the Plaza del Colegio is mucl
more beautiful, and the Plaza de Anna,
equally so and central, yet the Alarmed;
is the fashionable resort of San Luis
especially on Sundays. There are two
market plazas of Importance, in which
strange sights are encountered at every
step; twenty others for business or pleas
ure, most of them bearing the name of some
saint. For example: there is the Plaza o.
San Juan de Dios (''Saint John of God y,
and, stranger still, that bearing the name
of the gentle Virgin Mary is devoted t:
the brutal sports of the bull-ring.
San Luis Potosi is too great city to dc
Justice in one short letter-we must resery,
the remainder of its attractions for another
week FANNIE B. WARD.