The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1895-07-20
OrEI4OUSAs, PARISH OF ST. LANDRY, La, 2O 1895
Neutrality-suspicious..

he most popular Mexican drink i.
pulque pronounced puN-kay) made OF
tue Juice of the maguey taken from the
nearC OF the plant and fomented and
forming a liquid resembling watered
MIX. According to our experience il
Is 1ar from palatable beverage. Mes.
cal Is II more powerful liquor made OF
the same plant by distiliation having
much the appearance and taste Of the
louisiana rum made during the war
FRUITS and vegetables are in abund-
ana bot tdmdles are paiatabe dishes and
to bt, found everywhere in Mexico,
Among the many queer articles IF
1000 Ia Mexico, perhaps the one that
strlksf the average American with the
least NTIr.3 s-rats. Dressed rats, large
ana juicy so called) are offered on all
the principal markets. We were con-
tent to accept the assurances of the
venders to their merits as "A dainty
article OffOod without further investi-
Ratloh. we can see now the look of
SO graphically depicted
on theb open conntenance of our robust
TREND, the Captain, when we run across
this discovery on one of our exploring
expeditions, and his remark (sotto voce)
that he would be very sure in future to
give the menu at our restaurant more
critical inspection. We may remark,
en- PEASANT, that the Captains appetite
was invariably tip-top-as anyone
might conclude from his avoirdupos,
but this little discovery appeared not
to set we'll on his stomach, ana we
noticed that after this in ordering his
meals q Ia carte he was very careful not
to include anything where rats might
be smnggled in as substitute.
The police of Mexico are IA we'll train
are on duty wIlere-On the rail-
roads, at every station, in the public
parks, on the streets and at all public
bulldings-wherever you go you will
ind the military on duty, either infant
ry or cavalry, and often both.
There is music every where in Mexico,
at the theatre and the bull light too, and
at the circus, in the parks, and some
times as at Zacatecas, at the station
When the train goes 10y. Wherever
there Is garrison the post band must
play III the evening, and on Sundays
always; no matter how small the town
OR village, the plaza or tue alameda has
its band stand iD the midst of its vines
and flowers, aud besides the military
band there is always native orchestra
and there is never dearth of music.
The brass bands number from thirty
to forty pieces, and frequently seventy
to eighty.
During our 8 or 10 days stay in Mexico
we will venture to Say there was very
little worth seeing that we failed to
see it is true we did not see or feel an
was none on exhibi-
tiOn at that time,-nor did we ex-
perence the wonders OF volcano,
in eruption, although the passengers on
the Pullman sleeper Ell Pueblo, on our
second night out, were treated to a
shortly after midnight the last Occu-
pant of the smoker had just retired to
his virtuOus couch, and not sound
disturbed the midnight stiffness but the
regular rumbling OF the train going at
d steady gait of 80 miles an hour. The
forty five occupants OF the sleeper were
evidently all wrapt ID the arms Of
Morpheus-iDcluding the porter, when
suddenly there burst upon the stiffness
OF the night u sound which gradually
grew to such proportions as to ef-
drown the rumbling OF the
train, aud finally arouse the drOwsy and
weary travellers. 1t was not thunder,
though resembling somewhat that noise
ut a distance, and yet there was such a
steady growing and gradual increase
in the force of the mysterious sound
that we all began to think we had got
within range of one Of Mexico's volca-
noes in full eruption. That crowd was
not of the timid kind-not even the
|adies-but it must be confessed that
this unexpected and unaunuunced mid
night sensation, not being down on the
bills" was beginning to create some
what of a cOmmOtion among the mysti-
led passengers. We happened to be
i'm IL position to "catch
Dn to the racket" before the entire Car
was stampeded, and quietly reaching
1ut We gave our neighbour, the Captain
the Innocent cause OF all this tiury) a
vigorous dig in the ribs, and thereby
,verted what might have been serious
The unearthly sounds
suddenly ceased, and the thoroughly
aroused passengers gradually resumed
heir peaceful sInmbeis with visions of
and cyclones, volcanoes and
in full bloom doubtless
1oating through their troubled dreams.
We didn't like to give it away, bnt the
ruth should be knewn--the Captain
las simply let himself out on IL first
class snoring tournament, and had it
1ot been for our presence of mind, (and
lnenviable positiOn) might have result
I'd i'm raising the roof off the car or
irving the passengers distracted.
-S0Es-
paff tha ;rranressihIa paff uhn has