Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-01-16
IN OLD NEW MEXICO.

Who're They Press Wine With Their Feet
 and Thresh With Goats.
 The language of most of the people of New Mexico is the Spanish language of the time of Ferdinand and Isabella. The people still thresh out their grain with sheep and goats, and tread out the juice of the grape with their naked feet. They plough with wooden ploughs, and until within the past ten years had de- parted in hardly any respect from the customs of the first colonists, who were only generation or two later than Cor tez and his conquistadores.
 The country reminds one of Palestine. Patriarchal customs prevail and the wealthy Mexicans cons titutes an until tied aristocracy, who are followed implic- itly by the retainers living on their great domains. The country is pas torial one, the wealth of it's people con- sisting mainly of sheep and cattle. All crops are raised by means of irrigation, and in the valleys surprising results are obtained in grains and fruits, and partio. ularly in the grape. Tho great artery of the country is the Rio Grande river, which diffuses fertility throughout it's wide, sandy valley.
 Unlike the other frontier settlements of the United States, the New Mexico towns are built compactly, each about plaza, so that the houses form a strong wall of fort. The principal house in such a settlement is usually that of the owner of tho great Spanish or Mexican grant on which the town is built. This method of construction was rendered imperatively necessary by the continual war made against the whites by the sur rounding savage Indian tribes of the plain and mountains, and which has only ceased in the last five years.
 The hidalgo, or wealthy Mexican of Spanish descent, retains all the best characteristics of the Spanish cavalier. He is brave, hospitable, generous, and one finds behind the walls of the great, one-story adobe houses women who sus- tain the reputation of the beauty of An dalusia. The mines of this territory, once famous, fell into long disuse. Hero are found gold and silver mines the richness of which is just beginning to be realized New Mexico is also the land of the chalcquihuiti, or turquoise, which precious stone is only found in New Mexico and Persia. It is stated on high authority that in the seven teenth century the finest turquoise in the world was obtained from New Mex: ico.-Cosmopolitan.
 Tho Jewish Sabbath.
 It is curious fact that, while even the reformed Jews of New York are averse to changing their Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday, those in smaller cities throughout the country have come to a point where they are seriously considering the subject. A Jewish newspaper of character and standing in the interior of this Sta Is championing such a change and advGnc- ing arguments, drawn from the Bible itself to prove it's position. Tho main point put forth by it and the other champions of the change Is that the oh- servance of Saturday as a Sabbath is certain to become almost obsolete in this country, and that unless the Jews want to sec their religion gradually fade away they should take into coAsidera- tion the drift of modern opinions and the ways of the modern man.-N. Y. Sun.