Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1890-09-10
LETTER FROM MEXICO.
Notes by the Way.

Miss A. V. Wilson ana MISS Matte '.
Dorsey, both of this town, arrived in Chi
huahua, Mexico. on the 9lst of August
We give some extracts from Miss Wilson's
Ietter-from Mexico, but not about it.
We reached our journeys end this morn
ing. We we're not tired after our ride III
the sleeper. so. after eating the breakfast
waiting for us, freshened up as well as we
could with our trunks the other side OF the
river, and went in to our first Spanish ser
vice. About twenty grown people and as
many children we're there. | could only
understand an occasional word, but sang
the Spanish hymns as if to the manor born
| find am rather shaky in my nerves after
so many days in the cars, but nave ENJOY
ed the whole journey. 1t is hardly possible
| to realize the fact that we are scarcely out
of our own country, everything Is so won
derfully different. am just beginning 10
realize how very big is this little ball we
call the Earth, after rushing for hours over
the great stretches of barren land in South
ern Texas and Northern Mexico-where no
man lives, and even the beasts OF the held
would fail to find sustenance. If this Is
only one little portion of our unused re-
sources, the millennium may wait for thou
sands of wears. The census reports show
millions of increase every decade, and yet
there be abundance of showroom for all.
1t is curious as we come southwark TO rec
| ognize in plants and skies and styles of liv-
ing the decrease in latitude. At Memphis
we saw the first magnolias. We spent sun
day there. Heard good sermon by DR..
| Miller, after which we received a greeting
so cordial from the few in the congregation
who discovered onr identity, that we were
| glad of the delay in our steamboat which
brought about this opportunity. l think
chihuahua will have some good friends
there. Saturday was spent in viewing the
city and its surroundings through the cour-
tesy of the President of our Conference So
ciety. who called for US and carried us to
every point of interest. Next day, finding
our boat still an uncertain dependence, we
took to the rail again and reached New Or
leans in time for breakfast Here we took
a hack instead of hotel, and went in search
of the Old Things. 1t was very hard to
make our driver take in the truth that we
were Indifferent to the growth and prosper
| ity of the city-did not care at all for the
beautiful residences all along st. Charles
Avenue, but wanted to see the old French
quarter and market-the levees-old grave
wards and Cathedral. We had our way,
however, by dint of persistence, and feasted
our eyes on things that had heretofore been
but descriptions in books, | wish | could
make you see that old cemetery right in the
heart of the city-wth its high wall, its
long blocks of tombs three deep, like the
inside of some vaults we have seen, just a
square compartment about eighteen inches
high and wide by six feet deep, with square
tablet of marble cemented into the front
bearing the name, &C., of the dead. But
the ornaments l-wreaths of beadwork, with
an image or a spray Of flowers, covered with
glass. in the centre. Some wreaths were
made of metal, painted white often there
was a vase for flowers, generally of colored
glass,-all so tawdry, in such bad taste, and
in so many cases by their neglected appear
ance showing how soon the dead are forgot
ten. All of the dead were inferred above
| ground-the individual tombs like small
vaults. some of granite and marble, quite
handsome All through the city the Grape
myrtle and hibiscus was radiant with bios
som. while vines unknown, chirra trees,
live oaks draped in moss and other luxuri-
| anu RIOWlllS HlduG lilC cuOui 10 Oib Nphbiuh-
Gus flower garden. We peeped into every
corner of an old Catholic Church-found
five confessionals, all empty. A vast deal
of ornament that must have cost great sums
of money, but nothing fne-all snowy and
common. Ordinary painting Astounding in
colors too vivid-great vases of artificial
flowers, crosses and images. The one ex-
ception was the stained glass-it was beau
tiful. We came to the depot through the
curious old French quarter Here the
houses had large doors right on the street
with gratings to some, heavy locks alto
gether a reminder of the time when police
were not and every mans house his castle.
We bought some fruit in the market which
we paid full Baltimore prices for. Strange to
say, we were offered apples and grapes at
the hotel but neither oranges nor bananas.
1t is not really the season for the former
which we saw hanging green on the trees in
private gardens. My letter is long enough
for good-byes and I'll travel farther on my
next.