The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1892-04-25

My Dear News.
MEXICO CITY, Hotel del Jardin,
April 1.-THE transition from "The
Land OF the Free and the HomE of
the Brave" to the land of the flea and
the home of the slave, is wonderful
one, but altogether very easy one. |
left Waco Tuesday night, rather We'd
nesday morning April 9th at 1:45 and
Friday afternoon 1:l5 Mexican time,
which is fifteen minutes slower than
Central time, / reached the city
over the Mexican National road Per.
haps | have done an injustice to the
country in parodizing the Gland Of
the Free etc., as | have, but since l
have visited Morilia ] will let it STAND;
however, to be just, | must say the
country is full of beauty and interest.
No other country has history Of
more romantic interest. Rich in min
erals and every thing that a productive
soil can produce, 1t should be land
Of pure delight" indeed, land where
peace, plenty and happiness should
prevail, but alas, it is filled with pow
erty, ignorance and superstition. The
student of history is well acquainted
with the causes which have produced
such condition of things. However,
it is not so bad now as it was a few
years ago. The light of truth has been
let in on the people and the shadows
of the days of the Inquisition are dis
appearing slowly, but surely. But l
find l am laying out too big CON
tract for myself, that Of moralizing
upon the condition and possibilities OF
the country. | only intended to give
you an account of some of the inter-
estlng sights l have witnessed since
my arrival,
| reached the city Friday, April Sth
in time to witness one of the most
unique and brilliant sights it is pos
sible for one to conceive, Of the Floral
offering to the Virgin, on the banks of
the Viga canal. 1t was sight to be
seen no where else in the world.
This flower festival for the past few
years has been held in the Alamada,
the principal park of the city, but this
year it was decided to restore it to its
primitive locality, the banks Of the
Viga canal, where it was annually held
for hundreds of years before the land
ing of Cortes, in honor of the "Indian
Goddess of Flowers" No fingers in
the world are apter in designing and
decoration than those of the Indian for.
t,who for days before the festival were
weaving and designing wreaths for the
adornment of alters set up in the
many households of the city.
The fete began at O'Clock in the
morning with the arrival of the Mexi-
can Indians with their rude fiat
bottom boats loaded down with flow
ers of every description from the
many gardens that are to be found In
the picturesque and beautiful Mexico
valleys for miles on each side of the
Viga canal.
Perhaps at noon the best display of
flowers was to be seen. The flowers
had been emptied out of the boats and
were placed under a large pavilion
near the banks of the canal. This
being much too small to hold all of
the flowers they were arranged up and
down the hanks of the canal on each
side of the Paseo de la Viga for
long distance. All day, by all man
ner of conveyances multitudes of PEG.
pie of all classes from the grandee to
the peon, strolled about and enjoyed
the display, and nearly all purchased
some floral Offering with which to
adorn the household alter. My dear
News, think l can safely say that
you have never In your life seen to-
gether so many flowers as was to be
seen on the banks of the Viga that
day-and a more beautiful sight can.
not be imagined. This is indeed a
land of flowers, one may travel the
world over and not find so beautiful a
collection of flowers as may be seen
any morning of the year at the flower
market of this city. This being the |
case you can form some idea of what I
the floral festival was when all con-
tributed to render the display an I'M
posing one. 1t is said that long be.
fore Horticulture was practiced in other
countries of the world Mexico had