The sun., 1893-07-09
SOCIAL CUSTOMS OF rrC4riN
Gambling md MnrrinEc Among Its Spanish,
American and Native Peoples.

| American nnu NhtFe FcOples.
II you 20 to the Colum bian Fair you will sea
the Yucatan ruins. at least part OF them:
then you will want to know what sort Of a
country that land OF ruins is. whether inter.
estng in its aspect. 1t is. for side by side with
| the romantic Moorish Spanish element wa
have it's opposite. the stern native Maya race.
whose past history is full OF tragedy and hero.
| ism. But, in spite Of the difference between
| tho two races. human creatures nre 30 much
alike In their vices and virtues that both the a
| peoples. as we'll rs the Mestizoes from the
| union OF the two. have tho same failings.
Probably the worst one is their passion Tor
| games OF chance-from the State lottery to the
simple loto. with everything between the two
| At Merida, the capital. the street cries are
"Compra dulces!" "Compra billetcs"' Hay
pan dulce" buy sweetmeats Buy ticke,s
Here is sweet brcadN
Those tickets are tucked away under tic
bread. Each vender has the numbers that are
sure to win. and will make it quite clear to
any one that 1t would be folly to lose such an
opportunity. though Just such opnorunitie,
will offer themselves dozen times during the
day. The woman who opcned the door To- the
yender intended buying twelve cents worth Of
bread to serve with the morning cup Of choro.
late. She Is induced to give one silver dollar,
enough to. buy sweet brend for whole week.
in return for piece of paper that will Ee"r her
worthlessncss is decided A poor woman is IA
great n diii:ulties she &. has bu, couple Of dol.
tie fourth part Of a ticket: perhaps The luck luck
before the saint She. rarts with twenty i've
hope. meanwhile burning candle DIS and
night before some image oil, picture which ,hs
terry is played, The woman has but a law
cents left. Nth what consuming anxiety shs
eGiutcnes at tne printed list ni lucky numbers
lsS a AMI hn,l ,.i,p
on her the candles we're not wasted. She
Eel feels rich: that scrap Of paper is wort S3 or
saint IN ust know what is best for her: she may
have better luck next time. SO she says. and
genarous-henrted good woman once said
tous: Il spend Mt least SIS month in tie
lottery. and am often, troubled for the want i
i've cents: but will not give it up. because
one day big prize may fall to my share"
When last heard, Of her she was in great
always to tall to those who need them NOT.
Mhile passing through an interior town ~
In Very large roo room NJ there E '"S wcre two ions nS
tables. with benches on each side OF them At
one only men were seated: at the other. men:
Of the players was rivetted on cards spread
ners. from to 80, arranged In various ways.
Each player could choose the combination he
Sr a six ssrds aa hs the sa h
one end Of the room; Before him was cya.
loud voice boy in the %idd . Of the rom
have chosen the number called. then piaceds
grain Of corn on the number marked on his
card. card As soon rs one had five grains in q
"Aqui!" tIlere!l The boys, rested: the own:
ss sms OF the table ascertaiPed that tho
wn1s Anf Phe eneds Ssfs Sss,
again paid for and a new game started. The
band Of i instruments en- % paying Aou ou,.
side the door to attrast a CT owd created an IN
tolerable din; and as men. women. ana children
hitting a fresh one from that yet between their
lips. the atmosphere became sitting. But
while the game went on for several Grail hours with n
no abatement OF. interest. CALCULATIONS were
W Henrd sosa all ever the r9Pm hnd such as
may get it !" All. now rs gone .'Jusr seel
seemed, to be forgotten except the ten or
fifteen dollars at stake. and the faces weres
aid not strike us as very heaithiaI pastims
'or children.
Gam bling is a feature Of all festivals. nation.
md old Of both Sexes. @ % We Watched d' aSfay. 'gn.
SIS s he ee then ssfsd
l3o ast and i9st It, He continued tll he had
,ie estate but he Year sfter Ssnr vMa up
Q the time Of his death. His idolized % daugh. Haa
er Is now suffering dire poverty.
,ietqTesque: Though almost fallen into dis: Dis.
the Masa formerly general the Gsps
ears gone by from the Isthmus OF Tehuan.
From time imm em oral the Maya wome N have
vorn ot simple form OF dress. which they do
G ists 81 afd two will MT vary +
b ankles, and q loose upper garment called
ipiL This is like . Peruvian poncho Joined
IN %sdf ,H
Greek pepum. Cotton or linen is the ma.
erial 2 ia employed e , always plain white. though
ewelry. each woman loads her neck, fingers
nd ears with as much as she can obtain For.
neSry nSiyn ihey wore nose rings. as the women Of
Decked Dc ck d out in her flnery the bride is con.
se ueteu fany oy t9ose who give her IN marriage TO
! poth iami.ies have been invited for the oc.
hsa1n ha fatSns Snd y they sit n line around the room
'ony by scattering cacao beans over the floor
ens sIs a and Kept ~ the
onna couple must always T sSh hestow on om" thef f
'llow ! men hospitality being there regarded q,
2 .isss essential duty. Long before the Spanard'
,e cacao bean served as . Current CON q
nall yalue:while chocolate was. four hundred
WaSs sGS Gf,essd as Is now. favorite beveras"
,rnf. mhe beans t having been gathered. the you9.
:. 'uPie kneei side by side on mat t. r"c"im
70 pressing OF the young mans parents, ms
other's first. then his fathers. This tone.
ction does not consist in laying the band 90
rue dipped In pure water This IS followed
second scattering of cacao beans after
men the bride and groom have to partake OF
mixture OF pinole and honey. piuGles Is
asted corn; used as a substitute for coffee
II is very bitter when eaten dry. as 10
ls case. and Is called kux. lis use b"
z ,symbolicni. that word likewise mean.
Z ais;gust annoyance anger, from VIII no
of.ai ni can hope to be always free, while tho
'hey represents the pleasant feature ot
ppy union. The use Of the rue also hns ~
gaming, Its MEDICINAL properties being knowa
thos" people. The parents OF the brue taKs
active part In this ceremony.
10, day none OF the natives venture 10 con-
% theInselves to this simple form Of mar.
ige. The priest assures them that without
9 sanction OF the Church they are not lIrop..
y married SO they 60 to the altar IhS
,xican law tells them that only It's choSeo
lcers can make their union legal: therelJEs
by pay another fee to the Judge