Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-04-22
A MEXICAN FAIR.
NEARLY AN ENTIRE TOWN rs
GIVEN UP TO BOOTHS.
Many Things Oh Exhibition - The
lax Gatherer Calls Daily
Most of the Visitors
Are Indians.

lar wall, down to which they sloped in
two graceful scallops. This arched gate
way framed view ola fine palm tree
just beyond the church, with the steep
hillside rising id the background.
Close by, OH the right, rose the mag
nifcent great church, one of the hand
soonest and richest have seen in Mexico.
The church. yard was very large, and
beyond there stretched great open space,
towards which the church faced; it car
ried the width of the yard down to the
lranverse street upon which stood the
Town hall. This space, which was bor-
dered by shops on one side aud the ar.
eades of a market on the other, was filed
with booths made of mating, and ar
ranged along several temporary thorough
fares named accordingly. There was
for instance, the Gale de las Jicaras, the
Gale de las Atoleras, the Gale dc las
Tortilleras, etc.-the Street of the Jicar
as, the Street Of the Atole.sellers, the
Street of the Tortilla-sellers.
Every morning the tax-gatherer would
make his rounds among the various ven
ders, and gather bis tribute of fcw
cents from each. This amounted to a
very considerable revenue for the town
IN the course of the entire week. The
heaviest rates were laid upon the gam
blers, who had TO pay very roundIy for
their privileges. Their trade here was
conducted in far less elaborate mlaner
than at the Cuautla fera, and there were
few of the devices there used for en-.
tlcing customers.
One of the chief articles OF commerce
here at Tepalcingo was the jicaras, over
thirty thousand dollars worth of which
are annually sold-morc than at any
other place in Mexico. These are bowls
Of various sizes made from gourds, and
usually elaborated in brilliant colors with
q sort of lacquer-likc paint. The most
popular is a gaudy style that includes
lavish use Of silver-Ieaf with variety
of crude colors. Far more beautiful,
however, is a simpler kind, with a rich
green figure upon ground of dark
orange. This seemed purely aboriginal
art, with the same feeling that is ex-
hibited in the Aztec symbolic decora-
ton. These jicaras come from some
where in the State of Oaxaca.
Another staple peculiar to Tepalcingo
is the light poles of bamboo used for
proddiug donkeys and mules. Thou
sands and thousands OF these are an
nuallv sold. Then there is great sale
of dry-goods of various kinds-clothin =,
cloth, blankets, sashes, and minor artl-
cles: hats, boots and shoes, saddles,
dressed skins, and hides arc 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 expected-probably because it is
one of the conmonest of wares in Mexico,
an everyday sort of article, on sale every
where and at all times.
l 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 centres OF population
seems inconceivable without the modern
means OF transportation. Should any
thing happen to suspend railway com
munication for two or three weeks, how
disastrous would be the consequence in
most of our great American cities! Yet
these facilities 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 of the
masses of humanity that annually gather
at this fair to be abundautly met, ,and the
supply appears to adjust itself to the
demand with automatic nicely.
The great mass Of the throng being
Indians, their wants in the way of food
are comparatively simple. Maize in
various forms makes up the basis of the
supply. Atole, Cruel of corn meal, and
tortillas, the national bread of Mexico
thin cakes made of lye-soaked corn, with
a flavor similar to that OF our New Eng
land hulled corn-are the chief of these
viands. Yet such a gala occasion de-
mands to be recogu zed with something
extra iu the way OF edibles, aud probably
few are the visitors who do not indulge
themselves in some of the savory stews,
highly seasoned with chile and onions,
that simmer in huge pots on every side.
There arc also huge stacks OF sweet
meats in great variety, aud quantities OF
refreshing drinks are disposed o.. The
atterincludcd strikingly few intoxicants,
and did not gee a single drunken per-
ION during the two days Of the fair.-
Harper's Magazine.