Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1892-01-13
LETTER FROM MEXICO.
Editor OF FREE Press /:

hNAlNDf NHTNiHS H'I
that have longed 10 see rs long as have
read of its wonders ali day of Yesterday
and all night We passed through barren
land, some of it too dry for even mesqult
and cactus nothing TO lose by agood nights
sleep. This morning found us climbing up
to Zacatecas, the highest city OF Mexico
1t was lovely to wind up the mountains IN
the early sunshine, to find traces OF water
in cultivated tracts, and fields of barley
then the city thought of Jerusalem
beautiful for situation 1t is an oriental
city-hat adobe houses, people in bright
colored clothes, burros with their packs
on the tip of the mountain, adding another
thousand feet to the 5000 of Zaca;ecas,
church with adobe walls, and narrow foot
paths winding up the side of the hill. The
Catholics have always had an eye to the pic
turesque and romantic as adjuncts to their
religion. We have hardly left Zacatecas
before we see Guadaloupe, another large
city, with a beautiful little lake by the side
of it. This is my first mountain lake. and
it lies not far below the clouds. But the
largest cloud that see this morning Is
heecy bit not larger than Mexican SOM
brcro. floating over a mountain to the east.
While am doing this very shaky writing
we are going down to Aguas Galleries, the
Hot Springs of Mexico. The cactus is high
err than my head, but the conductor says
have not seen any yet. am seeing my
first palms, too. am the only lady in the
Pullman so can absorb great deal of his
attention and find him much more inter
esting than the guide books, tho bought
one as Il matter of course as soon rs | got
on the train Did forget to say that Zac-
atecas has street cars, electric lights, and
lust such station as you will see anywhere
on the b. d O., with Wells, Fargo u Co.'S
express wagon by the platform. Oh, me
what pity--that is for the tourist, but,
probably, not for the residents. Now we
are passing through fields of cactus OH one
side and corn on the other. The former is
regularly cultivated here for It's fruit, out
of which they make 4 conserve like a very
stiff jelly. Aguas Galleries is behind us.
| preferred view of the town to dinner,
so made first for the stream of hot water that
flows through the town, but did not get
therefor while; | was 5eset by vendors
of various wares-Mexican drawnwork,
beat work, baskets and fruit. | yielded
to the extent of five large oranges for ten
cents. and some Mexican work. They had
great piles of the cactus apple, too. went
up to a group ofmen and women sitting on
the ground eating some which they had
pulled They Immediately offered me q
share and | took one 1t was beautiful
red. slightly sweet but rather insipid. Next
[ foand the warm, not hot, water. Scores
of women and children were bathing or wash
ing their clothes. One old woman was vUru-
biuing the operations. They all greeted me
with laugh as L walked among them with
my broken Spanish. One poor child was
being most ruthlessly scrubbed-she would
have done to advertise Pears sOap-lather
from head to foot in hair, ears, eyes, and
mouth when she dared opea it to complain.
We have just passed another pretty little
town called Encarnacion de Dios THE In
caruation of God in which, like all the
rest. the church is the most conspicuous OBJ
iec, | stood on the rear platform while we
went over g bridge of the same name, very
long and very high. We went down to
Aguas Calientcs and are now going up
again Tor it was only t 200 feet and Mexico
is 900 Ii is very warn find my worst
ed dress oppressive.
have lust seen one of the ioyelieSt views
from the rear OF he car that has come be
fore me in all my wauderings. 1t is of Ler-
do the city of The ake-a beautiful city
right ON the borders of the lake of the same
name, whose waters irrigatc all the country
around The station was Swarmng with
people in their gayest clothes, like the
Young folk of some towns know at home.
taking the station for their evening prone
uade have come upon MY first giant
cactuS-urgan cactus it is called-tall rs the
house aud growing in straight shafts near &
foot IN circumference How wish You
could share in this glorious sunshine it is
five o'clock. and must draw down the
shades To- moderate its powder. At eleven
tonight we will reach Queretero, the place
where Maximilian met his fate, aud also
interesting fsc; the place where opalS are
mined. shall try to look out for both Eea-
sons. In the morning Mexico City-and
that will take another letter, for this is now
too long. Az. W.
The January Vide 4rakc comes with q
store OF good things for young and old that
are as entertaining ~ they are varied 1t
brings t. IL, readers stories by Mol lie Eliot
Seaweil, G.. Albums, Captain c. A. Curtis,
Maria Mcintosh Cos aud the two bright
story tellers who write under the nom dc
pIuDies Of Dorothy Holcomb" aud "Abd ell
Ardayau. the Arab. 1t has sketches by
Amanda h Harris. Lieut. Col Thorndike.
Harriet Maxwell Converse, ZiteIla Cooke
Otis I. Mason and Sallie Joy White. It
has poems by Celia Thaxter, Anna j. Nc
Keae. lara Doty Bites and others. 1t has