The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-08-19

During the morning nearly three hum
dred persons have passed my windows;
fully twelve per cent. were poems whose
attire showed an abiect poverty equal if
not greater than that of the miserable
creature described above. Not six per
cent. have been individuals in what we
know as the conventional attire of mod
ern civilization worn by the better class
of Mexicans, except those who have
clattered by in carriages driven by coach
men in the picturesque Mexican garb,
and very early in the day equestrlans re-
turning from the first morning ride,
which is CONNIE il faut here.
Later the equestrians have been equally
numerous, but of another class, all Mex
ican men, easy, daring riders, some OF
them on beautiful horses, most of them
dashing by at break.neck pace, swing
ing round the corners, guiding their
steeds with a word, Gathering up the
street, bound on all sorts of errands-
servants, farmers, police, soldiers and
what not. A boy has this moment lid
den by on fine white horse. He passes
often and is evidently the mozo Tor SER
vant) of the young caballero ne ire
ouently accompanies. He Is clad in
gray trousers, fitted tight to his legs and
:,uttoned all the way up with silver
clasps. He wears a blue cloth jacket
which scarcely reaches the saddle, and
"A gray sombrero of soft felt bound ana
trimmed with wide silver gimp.
The most picturesque of the passers-
by was one of the rurales, or rural police,
VINO have been in town this month, for
the great military parade of the CinGuo
de Mayo. The lurales are sort OF cross
between soldier, police and country gen.
tleman. One story goes that they were
all bandits who infested the mountains,
but whom Diaz turned into servants OF
the Government by creating this impor-
tant and fascinating branch of the cav
airy; another story is that they are SONS
of rich men, infatuated with the daring,
adventurous life. Whatever they be in
dividually, collectively they are the finest
band of mounted men ever saw, magnlf.'
Gently mounted, picturesquely atSlred
and perfect masters of the animals they
bestlide. Their uniform is tan-colored,
undresscd leathern trousers, fitting as
close as leggings and like them buttoned
up the sides with rows of silver clasps,
short jackets (roundabouts) and waist
coats of the same leather, most elaborately
embroidered with braids back and front.
A bright scarlet sash encircles the waist
and gray, silver trimmed sombrero COW
ers the head. Their saddles, too, are
works of art, ornamented with silver EN-.
broiderles in great raised flowers and
vines. As they dashed up the street at
full gallop on Cinquo de Mayo toward
the palace, where the President reviewed
them, they held their shor. carb'nes,
pointed straight in front of them, In one
hand, and with the other kept tneir
horses in perfect line.
have dcue a part of my Saturday
marketing from my window. SoIeoao
(one of our womeu) was the first to ln-
tercept me with ':El carbon, senorlta,'
and | went out to the diui1g-room win
dows to buy my supply of fuel for the
week. There was a man with nall
dozen Of those faithful little burros,
each laden down with great square bales
of charcoal slupg across their backs
each one being twice as big and more as
the patient little creature itself-and
this he sells from door to door. Al
though charcoal is clean dirt it is black
dirt, and one would not fancy that
either donkey or vender would present
pleasing appearance. The man, 1t IS
true, was black enough. but the charcoal