Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-11-05
Happy Mexicans.

A Mexican boy of fifteen, with q
quick, blithe air about him, stepped at
the corner OF the plaza. With critical
peaches, the whole stock ia trade
Of the fruit merchant who 81, on the
curbstone. Ii was Saturday night. The
weeks wages were burning holes In
the pocket under the bit of sed sab
with which the youth had ST: artened
his white shirt and black trousers.
There was short, sharp discussion be-
tween the boy and the fruit selIer. The
boy stopped down and fingered the
peaches. He selected one, anc. with a
wno-cares- for-expenses air, handed the
fruit man a five-cent Mexical silver
piece. The merchant drew forth a
leather bag, divided into two pockets,
one for silver, the other for copper.
From the copper side he counted into
the hand of the boy four Mexican cop
per cents, centavos. The boy verified
the count and dropped the coin in his
pocket. He began on the peSch and
ate slowly until three fourths Of the pit
was uncovered. Then he turned to an
old man, not beggar. but clad in the
garb of the working class, and handed
him the remaining fourth Of the peach.
With quiet dignity and a murnur of
thanks the old man accepted tie gift.
In the same deliberate manner he pro-
ceeded to clean the stone, making the
most of every mOrsel. And VIXEN the
stone was clean the old man tuned it
over, to be certain, tossed II into the
street and resumed his serious aontem-
plation of things passing. The by was
half n square away, whistling lAerrily
as he went, before the peach pit left
the old mans reluctant fingers. Such Is
life among the plain people of Mexico.
This is called land of free silver. 1t
is more than that; II is land of the
centavo, worth half cent in American
money.
On Saturday afternoons, when the
sun casts long shadows on the eastern
side of the Laredo market hon &c, the
Mexican women bring tables and
benches, little bundles of wood, two or
three pots, few dishes and buckets
Of water. They light little fires on the
ground, and put the pots oil, them.
They array the tables to the hest ad-
vantage with cups and sauceis and
bowls and plates. Some Of theta go so
far MS to cover the table with white
spread. Mexican men,, slngiy and by
twos and threes, sit down to the TIA
bles of these out-of-door eating places.
They get bowl of the mysterious con-
tents OF one Of the black pots for two
cents, Mexican centavos. a cup OF
black coffee with sugar to sgeeten to
the taste and just enough milk to
slightly change the color costa another
centavo. A slice of bread or n cake
made from crushed corn. fiatrened thin
and cooked I'm hot lard, gocs with the
supper. This Is sumptuouS living for
the Mexican Who earns hiv tortilla by
the sweat OF his brow. WeH contented
Is the senior who has the centavos 10
sup thus. And when he has sat for
half an hour at this banquet, he slowly
rolls cigarette and, ligbzAg 1t by the
* Iora's little bed Of Goals, whiffs and
talks and talks and wh'ffs, until long
after the crimson has faded from the
western sky and the stars have come
out bright and strong II contentment
Is better than riches, then the. Mexican
has the best Of the millionaire. Globe
Democrak.