Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-04

they bowed rs the flowers were laid on the
grave. The crowd about them was also silent
and the scene was full Of the solemnity of sor-
row. After il was over President Diaz returned
to the palace. where he changed his citizen dress
for his uniform and came out in the full mill
tary costume of q general Of the army, his
breast covered with the silver medals he has
won in his many campaigns As he came out
of the national palace. on the same spot where
CorteZ stood with Montezuma more than 500
years ago. he met his favorite troops Of the
Mexican army, to the number Of at least
$1,000 and. with them as his escort, marched
to the beautiful park in the center of the
city known the Alameda This procession
was grand sight. The senators and repre-
sentatives who constitute the Mexican con-
gress preceded the president, and he walked on
foot with his cabinet at the head of these
II. 900 troops. The crowd cheered as he went
BY and there was a waving of hand
kerchiefs a throwing up Of hats and din
of shouts in welcome to Mexico's greatest man
and greatest president At the Alameda there
we're exercises like those at one Of our big
Fourth of July celebrations. The greatest poet
OF Mexico read poem, one OF the greatest
orators spouted out his spread eagleism in
Spanish and the crowd roared ont their
applause just as our people do in the United
States. Then President Diaz gave to the
invalid veterans of the war Q present and
the procession formed to march back to the
palace where the grand review of the parade
was to be made. This time he rode. The state
carriages came to the side of the Alameda, and
their gorgeous footmen. in their livery Of the
national colors, opened the doors for the presi-
dent and his cabinet.
THE REVIEW.
The review o; the troops in front Of the pal
ace was one of the most picturesque military
sights you can see outside Of a great war The
$1,000 troops were massed in grand
column. at whose head was the general-in-chief
and his staff This column contained the cav
airy and the infantry, to the number of
10000, and all OF the armament and
machinery Of warfare represented in
1t. There were the hospital ambulances, the
cannon and ammunition wagons the mules car
ryiug their kegs of water, and the music to
which the whole marched was by mounted
bands do not know of such bands anywhere
else in the world. The Mexican is a born
musician. and II he were not q born horseman
as well he could never handle 3 big bass from
bone and 9 half tanned mustang at the same
time.
The most wonderful part of the parade. how
ever, was that division Of the army known as
the rurales, or the rural guards OF Mexico
These are the presidents fsvorits troops and
they are among the finest soldiers of the world.
! have seen the best troops Of the Sultan of
Turkey they accompanied him in a great
army on his way across Constaptinopls to kiss
the mantel of Mabomet on their Arabian
horses. and have witnessed some of
the great reviews of Europe. but
! have nowhere seen such wonderful horsemen
and such picturesque troops as the rurales Of
Mexico. The gay costumes Of the Turkish
soldiers with their gold braid and their turbans,
do not compare with those Of these Mexican
centaurs. They ride in battalions on the finest
of fiery horses, and each battalion has horses of
the same color. They ride SO we'll that horse
and man are as one, and it is
hard to tell where the horse ends
and the man begins. Both horse
and man are gorgeous in their silver and
leather decorations. The men wear suits of
terra Gotta leather. consisting of pantaloons
laced down the legs with silver cords wind
ing about big silver buttons Their coats
are something like loose roundabout
with vest in front and both coat
and vest are profusely embroidered
with gold and silver which shines out under
the sun against this dark red leather back
ground. The boots of the rurales are OF the
finest leather and great silver spurs stick out
from under the gorgeous saddles which adorn
every one Of their horses. Their hats are the
most gorgeous of sOmbreros They are of a
fuzzy natural felt. of pearl gray color. and the
brims of each stand out about eight inches on
each side Of the dark faces of the soldiers while
the crowns rise in the shape of a sugar loaf at
least foot above their heads. Around each
hat is a silver cord an inch thick and silver tas-
sells hang from the end OF this out to the edge
Of the great brim- They wear bright red sashes