The sun., 1895-05-26
A MEXICAN HOLIDAY.
CELEBRATING THE EXPULSION ON
THE FRENCH ON MAY e.



thinks Of the capital of Mexico as n city of 400.
600 people, yet such is the case. and on great
national holidays, on the "cnco de Alayo"
and on the "diez sein de Scptembrie." tia
population is swelled to something like 600 900
IL may be well here to correct the impression
that the city Of Mexico is a dirty place. Tho
poor are unquestionably unclean, but the civ
itself as much cleaner than many of tho citie.
Of the same size in its neighborng republic. An
the principal streets are paved with either as-
phalt or palmetto wood. The latter is being
taken up rapidly and concrete blocks put down
in Its place. The sewerage system is still in.
complete. but the evaporation is so rapid that
very little of tho filth which might be expected
is noticeable save in the edges Of the CITY,
Most OF the principle business streets RI.
sembe the shopping thoroughfares OF St
Louis, Cincinnati, Louisville, and other cities
OF that class. The great mark of distinction IN
in the spotless white appearance of the build
ings and stores. Little or no brick is to be
seen. Every structure is succeed and painted
white. There are very few natives in trade
here. The shopkeepers are made up mainly
from the English, Germans. Americans, and
Spaniards who have settled in Mexico.
Tho city of Mexico is possibly one Of the most
cosmopolitan places In the world. Nearly every
language spoken in any civilized or semi.
San Francisco street during the course Of day.
AS in all cosmopolitan cities. no one pays any
attention to anybody else. Tho fashionable
senorita, with her rebozo wrapped about her
head, attracts rs little attention rs the peon
only partially clad in her serape.
1t is curious fact that the better classes try
TO hide themselves from public gaze as much as
the lower classes seem to revel in barring their
dusky beauty to the breezes. The Mexicans are
a conventional people, far more conventional
than their Northern neighbors. There are
three occasions during the year, however,
when all lines are cradicted. all conventional
tiles thrown to the winds. The first Of these
happens on the 9th of May, that day and
season being set aside to commemorate the
overthrow of tho French. The next fixed ma
tional feast comes on the 10th of September, in
honor of the eviction of the Spanish
The third great festival, and possibly tho
greatest of all. is the battle of tho flowers"
It is a movable feast, and this year happens to
fall on the 10th of June. Nowhere in the world
flowers worshipped as here. In honor OF
the season all Government buildings are draped
with flowers. and. what would strike a stranger
as still more curious, every lamp post and band
stand is entwined with roses. But this is a
festival yet to be held while the "cinco dc
Mayo" season is Just over.
oh tHcoo oSSdSiOHo bIleIe 10 RdtLcTtu III tn0
capital such a concourse Of people that but for
the custom of the poems to sleep out OF doors It
would be impossible to handle the crowds.
The Mexican peasant is independent of shelter
on his native heath and equally so in the city
On the 9th of May there must have been up
ward Of half a million, Of people in the city.
For two weeks before such feast the Mexicans
begin an exodus from every part Of the re-
public, the wealthier coming by rail and the
poor walking. The soldiery of the country. too.
come in detachments from every fort and arse
Whole families come from even ' as far tSi'1 up as
along by the side Of their burros, to which tie
fhi,dren % o are strapped They spend pend from from two two
a9ss n os y IN %he Ss
Park oi tn tho cit sity Of M%eIieo. They al eome
mating 9hs last article % acts as sIsN bed 'I at
Brought to S to to sell AS soon t@a 's as
a peon @ family arrives II s1uats on the street
The mating is at once spread. and on this is
placed pottery, beads, peanuts. fruits of every
sssms o So aS c jars Sa G q LII ber
and whether It rains or shines they seem not
only content but happy.
these people as fathst in the "" Sts,es %o ii
phseHHrs Fourth nt OF July celebration for hrs
bands Of MhR IS paynr nFks
9Ssly from early ths 5%EITnng to m ]
thedral towers seem belclling forth rainl"we,
viii while from the roofs Of the public buildhGs
danger Of fire, for every roof is stone or siucc".
during the entire period is the total abscn"c q
drunkenness or disorderly conduct. In tins
vas vast coneonrse % Of people during day and nirl!
can gets drunk he wants to fight; when s a Mcx-
the streets here are not being constantly re-
minded min to move on, SO the beggar can beg Gt
the cathedral steps or on the public plaza.
An attempt was made some time ago To pui a
stop to begging on the msn nrt
tutional right and could not Be prohibited. So
tated as long as the present Constitution lasts.
Possibly the most picturesque moment for a
10 hsp r"ns OF the SiT
Here and there can be seen slow fire over
bis Is rssSs his 1hs s"d
ings one could easily imagine himself upon
sleeping army. Whole Families can he sccn
gle blanket. In spite Of the poverty Of these
people p they are happy. It is hanpincss
there seems a hopelcssness about it. II makes
no difference what internal dissensions these
people may indulge IN, they are ciannlsh ana
loyal to the soil. The ancestors of these very
poems sleeping under the shadow OF the "a
thedral towers shapened this magnificent piece
Of masonry and made Mexico the architectural
flower garden that it Is.
On every block there can be seen some huge
structure surmounted by the cross. Only
the churches remain the property OF the people,
the monasteries and the converts having long
since been cOnfiscated to the State and the
monks and nuns driven beyond the confines Of
the republic. They have never been allowed
70 return, and the educate OF the people, once
the province of the ecccsiastic, Is now CON
iucted by, the State. For SO deeply religious
country there seems to be a great deal OF re-
igiOus intolerance. Yet it Is proving n great
good to the people. Formerly the churchmen
did all tho thinking. now the people are being
taught To think for themselves.
No priest Is allowed t0 appear on the street
in his cassock and no open air services or ex-
hortations are permitted anywhere in the r,-
public Yet these Mcxicans are strangely
religious people from the highest to the lowest.
evenings ago, about the hour of dusk, which
hour usually, finds the fashionable depizens
abroad. Suddenly every one around began
dropping on his knees and TO utter what seemed
! silent prayer. AT first thought the natives
had perceived the signs OF an approaching
earthquake, for these signs are not unknownro 70
The people here But later discovered priest
md passed in his carriage bearing the sacra.