The Bottineau pioneer., 1895-04-27

the lot. But gambling, as other fea-
| lures OF earlier years. is dying out in
| Tucson. Not since the days of the
| fiesta has it been carried on in a
| thoroughly frontier fashion. These
| flestas were nothing more than relic
| Of barbarism. Here, nightly, at the
gaming tables, you would meet those
| who put on the airs Of gentility and
who were wont to rank as the elite
Of the land. Here were to be found
| ladies' dressed in silk, their hands gilt
tering with diamonds their husbands
representing vast business houses
mingling with Chinese and the lowest
Mexicans, playing chuses or roulette.
| There they tried to win the money Of
the common herd and, by some inscru-
table freak of the tickle goddess, they
and the Chinese did win nearly ALL
Picture to yourself some eighty cam
vas houses, surrounding the four
sides Of asquare, in the center Of
which is a large canvass tent used for
| dancing. When the fiesta was in full
blast the scene was one of pandemo-
MUM. The other houses were used
for the sale of whisky and as places
for gambling tables, OF which some
forty were always running, harvesting
sne fools money. Here were gathered
Nightly from 1000 to 1000 people Of
all classes and all nations, gambling,
drinking, dancing and bowling like
coyotes. These festas of celebra tons
were by Gov. Hughes for years, and
at last they were abolished. From the
date of their suppre ssion commenced
the opposition to him by certain
section of the ccmml nifty.
Tucson is distinctively a Mexican
town. Its streets are narrow; there is
an air of lassitude about the people
which distinguishes the land of Man
ma tomorrow. But the Mexicans are
not real Mexicans. They are half
breed Indians and Mexicans. In Ari-
Zona and in the State Of Sonora. Mex,
there has been peculiar mingling Of
the Indian races with the descendants
of the conquistadors. But even the
MeXicans of Tucson have all the po-
likeness of the Castilian. You may
| address a small boy in half broken
Spanish. Unlike the average small
boy he ignores the fun to be found in
your mistakes, endeavors to interpret
your question, and then gives you all
| the information at his command.
One Of the means by which the
Mexicans live Is that of selling wood.
This Nv-,t - used for fuel, for Ari
zona is without coal. 1t Is cut from
+he mesquite tree is capable Of high
polish and makes fire that is exceed
ingly lasting and cheerful. 1t is car
ried to Tucson from distance Of
| fifteen miles on the back Of borro
or donkey These little mokes will
sometimes have strapped their back
wood to the weight Of 300 pounds.
How they carry it is a mystery over
which the scientists may ponder. They
certainly do it, and look so contented
in the doing, that one who gaZes at
them is forced to the conclusion that
they don't care whether they are going
to Tucson or to the devil. The Mexi-
cans have a peculiar pride, and this
sale Of wood is one Of the things in
which it is shown. 1t Will take day
to collect and cut the wood, another
day to bring it to town. They get,
for the load, just 50 cents. Ask those
50 engaged to do days work at a
dollar and you receive this answer:
"Yo no peon; 70 caballeroD c'I'm no
peasant; I'm a gentlemanD. The In
dians also bring in their wares to
town. The women do all the trad
ing, as we'll as the labor in the fie ia;
you see, they have wcmen's rights
to the fullest extent. They carry in
bundles Of hay collected Oh the mesas,
for which they receive 25 cents q