The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-09-24
MEXIoo's JOLLY q R
1T occurs on September Is and ]
Celebrated I'm California.

1t Occurs on September Is and Is
Celebrated in California.
September is is the Mexican Fourth Of
July and is duly celebrated by the Mexi-
can population of California. There is
no procession or other noisy demonstra-
ton during the day, for the celebration
proper does not begin until eleven o'clock
at night. 1t was at that hour on Sep
TENDER Is. 1910. that the patriot priest"
and other conspirators rushed into the
plaza with their newly formulated DE
claration of Independence" and shouted
Viva Mexiool Viva Libertad!" Then
there were cannon shots and the revolu-
ton was on foot, which lasted eleven
years before she was free from the yoke
of Spain. Throughout the Spanish-Amer-
lean Republics this day is celebrated,
and the names of the leading rebels who
lost their lives that others might enjoy
liberty are eulogized in speeches and im-
mortalized in song.
In the evening about eight o'clock
there is a procession of the military COM
panies to a hal. if in a large city, and to
the plaza, if in a village. Here a grand
stand has been built, upon which sit the
local dignitaries literally covered with
decorations, broad red sashes and gold
lace. The rator of the day, or rather
of the evening, reads the Mexican De-
claration of Independence, a remarkably
short and expressive document, which oc-
cuples only about fifteen minutes in the
reading.
The orator is then introduced by the
grand master of ceremonies in a oWery
speech of about five minutes duration.
The orator of the occasion, who usually
wears a Generals uniform, though only
a wi 6Nnc mot fipa II 01IHtnn1n
with a ~spread-eagle speech. He tersely
reviews the wrongs of the mother coun-
try that led the revolution. glorifies the
MHeTieoo!!' v dlla E Mtnqf II the Tisn speech oc.
cupying about twenty minutes time, and
the Mexican orators speak rather slowly;
festivities begin. The Diaz Liberators and
JuarezGuards have repaired to the pub
lie hall, which is decorated with Mexican
flags and the portraits of it's heroes, past
and present, and some who are not
heroes. The cannon has also been brought
up and placed in front of the han: At
a fusilade of musketry and the cannon IS
turned loose. The hour for the celebra-
bration has now arrived and the dance
begins. The %senoritas and senors are
dressed in red, green or blue, or a com
bination of colors, with a broad red sash
extending over the bust from me rlgnt
ed or gathered in a knot and tied with a
ribbon. +,
The men, or SenOrS, wear a SaSn AROUND
the body in lieu of s~uspenders. Their PAN
falcons are wild in the owe leg ana IN
stead of a coat they wore a black cloth
Jacket, fancifully braided, sometimes
with gold lace.
The orchestra Usually. consists OF Two
or three guitars, a mandolin and a violin
The guitarists are usually women. The
floor managers escort a stranger around
the room, giving him a general ~lntroduc..
ton to all the ladies. He carries a box OF
casuueroni, the stranger meekly BOWS MS
l.o-7 oxI Tho ca1anrit0L CfnaChpC the cas-
queroni on his head. ~
A casuueroni is an eggshell, with, the
meat blown out and spangles and cologne
blown in. after which the aperture IS
sealed with tissue paper and the shell IS
painted. Crushing these casQueronlS over
lie head is a compliment, about the
equivalent of the American idea II pre-
senting a bouquet to n lady rms IS a
very pretty compliment. is artfuliy pc
slowed and the effect is also very. prSttyI7
flling the mans hair with .vari-colcreG
s~nangles which gives to it the effect of
having been made up for some court oc-
casion. When a senior admires a senorlta
he expresses it through the casquefonl,
and when the dancing is at Its zenlth the
battle with c~asqueronis becomes like a
fusilade of snowballs.
In the rural districts, where the MeSl-
cans gather at some central ranch Tor
two or three days, which include a bar
hec,,e. horse racing, cock fighting, me
nlaVing of monte. chusa and other Mexl-
can games, with. of curse. q dance
Zach evenine. And they all can dance; a
Mexican who cannot dance is a rarity,
and never tires of celebrating. the lnde-
nendence of Observation-Disclosures Times.