The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-08-20
AT A MEXICAN FAIR.
Scenes and Incidents Peculiar to the LanS
of the MOntezumaB.

JiIul piece Oh ldTculIecbuTSs u llBhJ TOuhu
arch of a single course of stone spring
ing from two square pillars 1anlSed by
plain sections of wall built higher than
the regular wall, down to which they
slope in two graceful scallops This
arched gateway framed view of fine
palm tree just beyond the church, with
the steep hillside rising in the back
ground.
Close by, on the right, rose the mag
nificent great church, one of the hand
soonest and richest l have seen in Mexi-
co. The church-yard was very large,
and beyond there stretched a great
open space, towards which the church
faced; it carried the width of the yard
down to the transverse street upon
which stood the town-hall This
space, which was bordered by shops
on one side and the arcades of a
market on the other, was filed with
booths made of mating, and arranged
along several temporary thoroughfares
These booths extended through other
streets, and occupied large portion of
the town. Those intended for the sale
of one kind of ware were grouped to-
gether, and the thoroughfares named
accordingly. There was, for instance,
the Gale de las Jicaras, the Gale de las
Atoleras, the Gale de las Tortilleras,
etc.-the Street of the Jicaras, the
Street Of the Atole-sellers, the Street of
the Tortilla-sellers.
Every morning the tax-gatheref
would make his rounds among the
various vendors, and gather his tribute
of a few cents from each. This
amounted to very considerable reve-
nue. for the town in the course of the
entire week. The heaviest rates were
laid upon the gamblers, who had to pay
very roundly for their privileges. Their
trade here was conducted in far less
elaborate manner than at the Cuautla
ferSa, and there were few of the devices
there used for enticing customers.
One of the chief articles of commerce
here at Tepalcingo was the jicaras, over
thirty thousand dollars worth of which
are annually sold-more than at any
other place in Mexico. These are bowls
of various sizes made from gourds, and
usually elaborately decorated in bril-
liant colors with sort of lacquer-like
paint The most popular is a gaudy
style that includes lavish use of silver
leaf with variety of crude colors. Far
more beautiful, however, is simplc~
kind, with a rich green figure upon I,
ground of deep orange. This seemed =
purely aboriginal art, with the same
feeling that is exhibited in the Aztec
symbolic decoration. These jicaras
come from somewhere in the state of
Oaxaca.
Another staple peculiar to Tepalcingo
is the light poles of bamboo used for
prodding donkeys and mules. Thousands
and thousands of these are annually
sold Then there is a great sale of dry
goods Of various lkinds-clothing cloth,
blankets, sashes and minor articles;
hats, boots and shoes, saddles, dressed
skins and hides are in much demand.
There is also an extensive sale of
hardware, mostly of native make, and
some of the articles, such as the locks,
are particularly quaint in design. Con-
siderable pottery is disposed of, but
less extensively and not in such variety
as had probably because it
is one of the commonest wares in Mex
ico, an everyday sort of article, on sale
everywhere and at all times.
was particularly struck with the
completeness of the arrangements for
catering to this multitude. We are so
accustomed to draw our supplies from
great distances that the provisioning of
one of our great eenters of population
seems inconceivable without the mod
ern means of transportation. Should
anything happen TO suspend railway
communication for two or three weeks,
how disastrous would be the con-
| quence in most of our great
| American eitiesl Yet these facil-
tiles are not essential in the
teeming cities of China, for instance,
where the machinery of distribution is
adjusted upon different lines. So here
long usage has enabled the wants oi
the masses of humanity that annually
gather at this fair to be abundantly
met, and the supply appears TO adjust
itself TO the demand with automatic
nicety.
The great mass Of the throng being
Indians, their wants in the way of food
are comparatively simple. Maize il
various forms makes up the basis of the
supply. Atole, a Cruel of corn meal
and tortillas, the national bread o.
I Mexico-thin cakes made of lye-soal1eC
corn, with flavor similar TO that O
our New England hulled corn-are the
chief of these viands Yet such a gals
occasion demands to be recognized will
something extra in the way of edibles
and nrobablU few are tha visitors w n,
do not indulge themselves in some o
the savory stews, highly seasoned will
chile and onions, that simmer in hug,
pots on every side. There are ais,
huge stacks Of sweatmeats in great va
riety, and quantities of refreshing
drinks are disposed Of The latter in
cluded strilSingly few intoxicants, ant
l did not see single drunken persoi
during the two days of the fair,-Syl
vester Baxter in Harper's Mapazine