Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-05-20


vendor, when showed no disposition
TO purchase. dropped 20 "dos fcalcs'
twenty five cents Finding that even
this liberal reduction failed to attract
attention he desired me TO name my
own price. Elaborate floral designs,
such as would cost several dollars at
home, may be purchased here for n few
cents.
One of a colossal heart, made entirely
! Of the finest white foses.Niphettos'whieh
would have cost in the States at least
twenty dollars, was offered me first for
"sair reals" twenty-five cents and
finally at my own price. Mexican resi-
dents tell me that flowers were formerly
much cheaper than at present, the. loud
expressions Of surprise at their cheap.
ness made by American tourists and
their readiness to pay without question
the sum first asked by the dealers having
considerably advanced prices.
Dolores, the principal cemetery OF
Mexico, and the one in which the most
elaborate floral display is made, is a
burial place OF great beauty and extent.
II is as tastefully laid out and has as
many and as handsome monuments.
grave-stones and mausoleums as the
average cemetery in our large American
cities. San Francisco (St. FfaDcis) Is
also large and handsome city OF the
dead and the floral display made there
on Decoration Day is likewise elaborate
and beautiful. In the American Gene.
terry in which, though not nearly so
large and ornamental as those just men
toned, there is good. snug lying, as
| Sir Lucius O'Trigger says, there are
buried $50 American soldiers who fell
on the battle fields OF Contreras,
Churubusco. FL Molino del Rcy and
Chapultepec, among the most famous
and bloody battle fields OF that war
which gave to the United States the rich
prizes OF California and New Mexico.
1 Over those dead heroes, sleeping their
last sleep In foreign land. handsome
| monument has been erected TO COM
memorate their deeds Of valor On
every Decoration Day their distressing
place Is literally covered with flowers,
while innumerable floral designs Of
rare beauty adorn their monument. II
was with great pleasure that saw many
OF these floral tributes placed there by
the people Of that nation by whose hand
my countrymen had fallen. II was q
striking proof that the fierce enmity OF
nearly half century ago had been
replaced by friendiness and good will.
| The MeSicans who placed flowers upon
the graves of those American soldiers
had only words OF kindness and praise
lor their sleeping foes.
AT the village OF Popotla. a short dis
lance from the American cemetery.
saw on that Decoration Day another
remarkable illustration OF the gentle,
forgiving spirit Of the Mexicans. Pop
! otla Is famous for its grand old cypress
| tree under which Cortez wept on night
in July, 1890, when retreating from the
City Of Mexico. The furious Aztecs
| or native Mexicaps have driven the Span
ish conqueror and his forces from the
capital. As he and his broken army
fled before their maddened aud savage
foes he called short halt at Popotla,
and pausing TO rest under the spreading
branches OF this cypress tree he wept as
he beheld his vanquished followers and
meditaied upon what then seemed the
complete and ignominious failure Of all
his grand schemes Of conquest.
The cypress is very large one, OF
great height and girth. Ills surrounded
by an iron railing, and strange as Il may
seem that the Mexicans, whom he sub
| jugated to foreign power which held
them in slavish subsection for 400 years,
should have any feeling OF regard for
the memory Of Cortez, yet il is fact
that ! saw hanging upon that railing
many wreaths aud other floral tributes
which had been placed there by pious
folk who no doubt had offered up at the
same time devout prayers for the soul OF
the Spanish adventurer.
On the road to the French cemetery
OF La Piodad there are some beautiful
meadows by the side Of a running
stream. short distance beyond the
old wall which still surrounds the Next
can capital. There was much amused
on the afternoon Of last Decoration Day
in watching the gambols OF the populace
who had assembled in large numbers
and converted the place into temper
AIRY picnic ground. Among the meadows
swings had been put between large trees
for the enjoyment Of the ladies by some
gallant muchachos young gen,lemen),
who amused themselves by sending the
persons OF their mistresses as near the
clouds an such humble terTestrias could
hope to go. A cravat taken from the
neck OF one of the bystanders and fas.
tened Immediately above the knees
secured the skirts OF the suspended
beauty from the action OF the wind and
presented an etlectual barrier to the
indiscreet wanderings Of any rowing eye.
She certainly could not complain OF any
lack OF vigor or good will ON the part oil
her admirers. Some, awaiting her DIES.
cent toward the ground, seized her by
her well turned legs and sent her back
toward heaven again with great velocity
Others, less privileged or less daring
watched the favorable moment and by d
passing application of their hand,
behind gave her an increased impeiu.
in the opposite direction, while scream,
OF laughter from the muchach and hei
beauX added fresh zest to the pass.
time.
The members OF another group are
about TO enjoy dance. One Young fell
low, wearing high, conical paper car
OF different colors, and flourshing a lonl
staff, acted as master Of ceremonies.
tall sergeant, with his ioraging cap on
his ear, who had evidently looked to {
frequently upon the pulque (the Mexi
can national beveragc) reminded me o
Siono's story, in his Sentimental
Journey" Of the tall man aud the dwarf
at the theatre. Neither the mandates oI
the master OF ceremonies nor the grum
blingS OF some of the byslanders coulC
induce him to quit the side Of q buxou
nina young giri) whom he had eyidentl,
marked Tor MS own. The young womeT
were engaged In tying up each other,
hair and milking other preparations fol
tue dance, introducing no small amount
Of coquciry therein. After many earn
est applications from the men, most o
them accepted partners, the Dretties