The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1893-02-11
A PECULIAR TOWN.
Scenes In the streets of the Busy NIex1.
can Capital.


seenes In the streets of the busy STsx1.
can Capital.
BY day the town Of Mexico presents
. very unique appearance, for, from
whatever point of view chosen, the
avenues are shut in by the serrated
mountains surrounding the whole val
ley.
The straight wide streets, running in
parallel lines from north to south and
from east to west, make it look modern
enough, but. for all that, the old white
washed houses, the only architectural
beauties of which are the numerous
windows with projecting balconies,
give the whole place superannuated
appearance. These houses are always
built in four blocks, with one or two
patios or spacious court yards. On two
sides of this patio there is generally a
narrow veranda or some projecting ma
sonry, which serves a. a pro-
lection from the rain, and en-
ables the occupant to reach dry-shod
the wide staircase with high stone steps
leading to the upper rooms. These
rooms, which are mostly paved with
tiles instead of planks, open on to a
gallery running round the court, with
q balustrade at a convenient height for
leaning against, which balustrade is
decked with numerous pots of flowers
and shrubs. The first story alone is
used to live in. the ground-floor being
occupied by shops, magazines, or
stables. The better houses are built OF
freestone, whilst the poorer tenements
consist of material known as amyg-
daloid. which is q variety of porous
trap or basaltic rock of reddish color,
the blocks being bound together with
cement or sand. Some buildings have
walls of great thickness, three feet or
more.
The foundations of most of the houses
being laid in water or in marshy fats,
they have no cellars, and are really
great cubes of masonry kept in place by
their own weight.
From the first thing in the morning
the streets are full Of traffic; richly
dressed horsemen, hired carriages, noisy
carts with unoiled wheels, drawn by
four, six or eight mules, troops of dom
keys and mules loaded with all manner
Of packages, jostle each other in the
roadway. Water-carriers, or aguadors,
completely clad in leather, and wear
ing kind of jockey cap also of leather.
besicge the public fountains, carrying
two huge amphor@ kept in place by
straps, which cross on the head over a
palm-leaf cap with leather visor.
Indian men and women pass to and
fro screaming out in ear-splitting
tones the names Of what they have to
sell, fruits, vegetables, chickens, etc.,
carrying everything on their backs in
their shoulders like soldiers knapsacks,
but supported by leather thong passed
across the forehead beneath the broad
brimmed straw sombreros, or worn just
under the arms across the chest.
Street boys follow the passers-by,
breathlessly shouting out the names OF
the daily papers and the numbers OF
the last tickets of the Loteria Nacional,
or National Lottery. You pause an in.
slant, you give q silver coin. -. .hor.
ror of horrors, you have been noticed,
and you are Immediately surrounded
by twenty beggars of all ages, followed
by dozens of NANCY yellow dogs
which appear from every side, and in
! piteous tones you are implored, For
the sake of Jesus, Joseph. and Mary
senior, give dole, little dole. Oh
dear little friend [amiguitol. God and
your sweetheart will reward you!"-
Harper's Weekly.