The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-20
AMONG THE MExIcANs.
An interesting Description of
Their Habits.
Special Correspondents to TnE TINES.

the 1eeltng IS 1nO1SCrlDaOle- III naQ
suddenly dropped from the clouds my
surprise could not have been greater.
The people, the language, the houses,
the streets, the habits and the customs
accustomed to as one can imagine. Even
nature herself has put on a new garb,
and one luxuriates in the foliage, flowers
and fruits of the Tropics.
The life here is thoroughly Mexican.
Elsewhere, accessibility to tourists and
the presence of great railroad interests
and of foreign population, both modi-
fled Mexican life or imposed restraints
upon the past Mexican customs, that
rob 1t of much of its uDiQueness.
Lenares is city OF 10000 people,
one half of whom live in the city
proper. 1t is typical Mexican city.
The houses are either stone and adobe
structures or arc made of sugar-cane,
covered with thatch. Poverty and
wealth abide side by side. Here stands
the strong, well-built stone structure,
succeed a la Mexicanie, and the
thatch-covered home Of the poor man.
The streets in the central portion of
the city are narrow, but are well-paved
and SO arranged as to drain in the cen
OCt. uSI0 dEO OtE "a pluLtS III
different parts of the city. The ono
upon which the residence of the mis-
sionary fronts is barren. save the pres.
ence of the market, which stands in tho
centre.
Another was planted with flowers of
all sorts and wellkept, and about it
were stone benches upon which the
loungers could sit. About this flower
space were two wide walks, separate
from each other, and made of cement,
one of which-the OUTBREAKS intended
for the lower classes and the other for
the higher, but the spirit of democracy
has penetrated this spot, and the upper
walk is fast losing its exclusiveness.
One is impressed with the absence of
grass. The sand, the rocks and tho
droughtS are too much for this, and
save where the irrigating canal runs, its
absence is most marked.
Orange trees, laden with fruit, are
seen everywhere. The fruit, fresh from
the trees, is delicious and cheap. Figs
grow in abundance. and bananas reach
perfection. Lemon, lime trees and aliga-
tor pear also grow here. The,air is filled
with the songs, screams and cries of
strange birds. The jackdaw, with his
proverbial curiosity, is perfectly at
home here. The rover flaps his black
wings in the city and chirps as if he, too,
was at home. To-day, as | stood in the
yard under fig tree, became aware
of the presence of some very pretty
little birds, which seemed scarcely dis
turbed by my presence, They were
very diminutive doves, that cooed as If
they felt no fear whatever.
One is impressed with the proximity
of incongruous things. I am sitting
and writing in one of the best built
houses in the city, and near one of the
plazas. Just across the street is q
house made of sticks and interwoven
with cane and matched with straw.
The buildings are almost surround ed
with stacks of fodder, while the stable
shed, with the donlkeys and horses run.
ming at large, is just in the rear and in
full view of the street and of my win
dow. In fact so near that donkey
furnished us with an imprompt sere.
made while at dinner.
| The houses, except those of the poorer
class, are built to withstand q seige
This in which am now sitting is q
fair sample. The building is built Of
heavy stone, succeed and from two
to two and half feet thick. 1t is about
100 feet long and twenty feet wide
There are only four rooms. The cell
ings are at least eighteen feet In
height, with the joists exposed. The
main entrance is wide hall in the cen.
ter. which leads to the wido court OF
| yard, which Is surrounded by a high
wall. In this yard are the trees, the
stable, the kitchen and tho servants
room.
Heavy doors, with iron bolts, open
from each room into the street and
court. Toward the street these are pro-
tected by iron bar., which make the
better class Of Mexican houses look like
jails The Mexican evidently likes
| plenty of air. In the room in which |
am now sitting four heavy doors open
| elsewhere. The floors are cement and
would be colo and unhealthy in a colder
| or damper climate, but here it is sc
warm and dry that TO inconvenience,
except from dust, is experienced from it.
A Mexican kitchen is curiosity, per.
haps as much for its emptiness Of all
modern implements for cooking as any-
thing else, but besides the primitive
iron work and crockery, is the fire.
place. 1t is large and wide, and is not
level with the floor, but so high that
one need not stoop at all to do the
cooking. thought that Mexican con-
siderateness for q woman's back was to
be commended.
The household implements are very
simple and unique. This afternoon I
saw two girls walking rapidly into
their home, each bearing jar upon
their shoulder which would hold about
a gallon and half water. The Jar
was rather egg-shapped and well pro-
portioned.
This evening as walked out l saw
in moro than one place the stand upon
which the jar Is placed. 1t was three
pronged stick, planted in the ground,
with the prongs upright, and into ths