Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-06-26
AN EARLIER RELIGION.
Mexlcoss Feast Of FlOwers-An Indian
Festival Still Made Much Of.
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La fiesta de la flores, or feast of the flow
ers, classic among the sun.kissed children of
Montezuma, is the one of all festivals that
strikes a responsive chord and awakens an
agreeable emotion within the breast of the
foreigner who visits this fabled country.
Full of delicate poesy and an ever prominent
love for the beautiful in nature, significant
and thoroughly characteristic feature of the
Mexican people is this charming custom.
During these sunny days, when the streets of
Mexicos fair capital are bedecked with wav.
ing flags and beautiful tropical flowers. the
Indian florists are In their glory, and no fin-
gers in the world are apter and more crowded
to the tips with a subtle, delicate taste than
those of these humble people In whose veins
yet flows the bronze blood of the ancient
Aztec kings, and who even to this day have
faint conception of what the national feast
of flowers was in those halcyon days of long
ago.
displayed by these Indian florists draws
forth ordinations of admiration and won
der from the American ladies who visit this
country, and the executive ability developed
by them where q display of natural flowers
is concerned ia remarkable. In the matter
of weaving and designing wreaths and gar
lands for the adornment of altar or foun-
tain, ballroom or palace, the Mexican Indi-
ans have no superiors. In their hands the
flowers are arranged in such manner, toned
here and softened there, that dumb, inde-
scribable melody Ia attained that strikes with
startling distinctness the heart and the eye
of the lover of the beautiful in nature, and
could the flowers which at this writing adorn
the beautiful alameda del paseo be converted
into musical notes and chords, they would
produce harmony 80 rich and varied that it
would touch the sensitive soul of the immor-
tai Lisxt himself.
The festival Of the flowers Is one looked
forward to with pleasure by the people of
Mexico, and, whilo the plans for the celebra-
tion In these later days are not go extensive
as they were In times gone by, nevertheless
the goddess of culture and civilization has
the Aztec Indian to the gilded halls Of Mexi-
co.'s palaces, and what was once an Indian
custom has In these later days resolved itself
into national festival observed by Mexicane
| from Paso del Norte to Soconusco and from
Tampico to Naxatlan.
EARLY this morning before the first suns
| rays had glinted from the snow-capped
peaks of Fopocatepetl and Ixtaecihuatl, the
canal which connects the city with the uppe1
lakes presented scene as varied as it was
beautiful. From the Chinampas, or floating
gardens, to the city itself the bosom of the
| little river was covered with one mass ol
| waving, gliding gondolas, Indian canoes ano
Aztec dugouts laden to their gunwales VIII
richly tinted tropical fruits and flowers, al
hurrying to the city with their fragrant car
goes. Many pleasure parties were starting
to the lake for all day outing, and the broad
passo which borders the bank of the cana
/ was crowded to its utmost with the hand.
some equipages of the elite of Mexico's CAPT
tai.
The Indian conoes, padded by their sol
occupant, generally the women, presented
pretty and novel spectacle as they threade'
their way under the huge. arched ston
brid2ea and past the long flights of stair
which lead down from the houses that borde
the banks Of the stream. Beautiful orchids
blood red poppies and flowers innumerabl
, filed the air AZ they were tossed from on
. friend or party to the other--a. flying gree,
ing and salutation to tn virgin of D lores.
The swift little chalupas, or gondolas, {
{ the Indians darted hither and thither, II
gsyly eolorsd bunting flying from the pain
lShatched roofs which covered than e H.
I Nound THAR Na3 sEAong the more naode