The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-08-06

round her knees as she did so. There was
mat Ia one corner spread upon the ground and
here the father and the mother aud all the chill
dren slept together. There were two stones
just under the cradle, which / recognized NJ
those upon which the Aztec woman grinds the
corn she makes into t0rtillas, the bread OF tho
family, and in pot Of limc-Water beside these
j saw the corn in soak for the evening meal
bunch Of red peppers hung from one Of the
IaiterE, and there were neither chairs, tables
nor any signs of furniture The woman who
WAS squatting on the floor when ] came in,
rose and said BucnOs dos" on " Good day"
and She was pleased when ] told her in broken
Spanish that AUr baby was pretty. She was
pretty woman, and j could sec no signs Of her
Icing an unhappy one. Her clothing consisted
Of a white waist and RED flannel skirt which
fcil 70 within about on inch Of pair Of very
brown and very sllapely ankles. Her feet were
bare. aud 4 doubt not that the clothing size had
OF WAS al she possessed. with the exception Of
blue cotton shawl or rebo,a, which was hung
on the end OF one OF the railroad ties project
Jag little farther inward than the edge OF the
roof While ] was looking az the baby the
father entered Be WAS better clothed than
bis wife, and bis cluthing seemed cleaner. II
consisted Of big straw hat with a rim as big
around as the circumference OF parasol, and
with "A crown which went from the brm 10 tho
top like q sugar loaf. lie had or a cotton shirt
and a pair Of wide cotton drawers Tapped
around his bare ankles, while gorgeous red
teTapc or Blanket was thrown over lis shoui-
der lie had no shoes on his feet, and the s0es
OF these looked as though they might make
heather Of the kind used for saddle flaps
Upon inquiry ] found that his entire income
amounted 10 ls cents q day when DC worked
and that he owed debt Of $500 10 his master
On tic Mexican plateau the most of the huts
of the poor are made Of sun-dried bricks aud
tie poorest have only ono room, about six feet
square. Such luts have no windows and the
door iE Of the rHdcst Of lumber. The huts are
often not high enough for q man 10 stand up
right in thcm, and one has always 10 duck
BIS head when hc goes into the door. They are
jnsi like the huts which you roc on the banks
81 the Nile and tie poor Of Mexico Hre almost
o. poor ns The Egyptian fclahin. Tn, Sc hut.
arc 1at-I00ied and arc ia fact only boxes made
81 mud bricks ln Mexico City, within Z
stones throw Of tie finest houses. ] found huts.
Eome OF which contained several families. which
were no better than these aud the furniture in
9th cnses WIS nothing but "a mat aud fcW
cfoc6ery bowls for cooking. Iu tile mountains
about IOluca many OF the people live ia house,
~ fhanties not more Chan four feet high, and
along the railroad j SEQ places where board,
have been stuck Up against a hill, and the fam
lly are living iu these half caves
saw curious lsttle grocery store when
came into Mexico al III PasO Del Nonc
wanted an orange aud ] WIS told that
might gel one at store across the track.
went over aud after looking about for som,
tiuie found q ricEcty box standing over boil
with thc WOfd grocery above b aud tho letter