Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-04-01
GLIMPSES OF MEXICO.
POVERTY, BEGGARS AND BAD
SHELLS ARE EVERYWHERE
On the Editorial Outing. At the
Bull Fight.
ooh, the pleasure travel brings"
Jean de Paris

"How much Ounce that has been sent to roam
EXcels Ounce that has been kept at home"
OF ali that extensive empire in the
new world which once acknowledged
the authority Of Spain, perhaps no
part can be compared with Mexico for
interest and importance. 1t is a cOun-
try abOunding in resources of all kinds,
with a formation 50 peculiar that it
comprises every variety of climate and
consequently produces nearly every
fruit and plant that is found from the
equator TO the north pole. 1t yields
stores of mineral wealth in all metals
from gold to lead-its plains are gilded
bv an eternal summer and its lofty vol
canoes lift their heads for thousands of
feet into the region of continual snow
and ice. An endless variety of stu
pendous mountain-ranges separate
lakes and fertile valleys from vast
barren wastes. To him who in the
love of Nature holds communion with
her visible forms, Mexico, ,incomparably,
speaks various language. The
American people seem to know less
of this wonderland, Immediately to the
south of their border line, than they
do Of any European countries and this
is caused, no doubt, by the big stretch
of wilderness or waste country which
abounds on the north and separates the
populated and productive section of
90 Il, H.,
In this dusty, cactus covered wilder
ness we left the reader in our letter
last week. Now resume the journey.
To begin with, we are no longer under
the protection Of the Red, White and
Blue. 1t is Red, White. and Green
now, the colors in force in time Of the
Mexican-Spalish wars. To the MeXi-
can his colors represent respectively
Religion, Union and Fraternity. Their
heritage, like ours, has cost blood, and
no people on the globe excel the
MeXicans in devotion to their country.
Let's give them their due and applaud
their patriotism. From the top Of the
Customs House foated the flag-three
broad stripes, and on the white stripe
in the center the Coat of Arms, proud
Eagle perched on cactus and holding
in its beak and talons writhing snake
Interpreted, the eagle and snake are
intended TO convey the idea of
Fdominion over all subjects"
Seventy-three miles into the land of
"pretty soon, bye and bye, and take it
easy" the train stopped for fuel at a
little station called Sabinas. What sort
of houses are these, with low fiat roofs
and walls that are painted white, re-
minding us so much Of pictures Of
ancient places in the Holy Lands?
They are adobe huts, aud all are alike
in construction, varying in size. Let
us step inside Of one of these homes.
Four mud walls surround US. The
floor is common earth. Don't try to
stand erect or your head will push
hole through the thatched roof. But
where is the furniture, a chair, some
few pictures or little fancy adorn ment
to make the single room look more
cheerful? There is no such thing in
sight. From one corner, on a pile of
rags, the little brown baby looks up at
the intruder with amazement. In
another corner few boards answer for
The downy couch, the place Of rest and
sleep. On her knees in the middle of
this filthy little hovel, the scantily at
tired mother is preparing meal. Be-
side her rests large, square stone that
has been followed out in the center.
Another smaller stone, rounded, is
used as rolling pin and with this mill
she grinds her small supply of corn
into meal. Then a bit of water is
added, a double handful of dough is
taken up and patted flat between the
palms of the hands into a pancake.
On the opposite side of the woman
from the stone mill is little fire of
sticks burning on the carpet (the car
pet, remember, is dirD and over the
flames is an old piece Of tin On this
heated tin the simple mixture is cooked,
and you have a frst-class ''tortilla"
(pancake). The tortilla is about the
only food of the poems in this district
and they are lucky | guess, to get that.
81, Senori SIT down on the floor, use
your fingers and eat with US. No,
thanks, | have lost my appetite. The
smoke and smell, where does it go?
Out of the same little door through
which we stopped to enter. There are
no windows, no chimneys here. They
seem to have satisfactory philosophy
of life which runs about thus:
In this land, almost anything will please,
The ain. Of life is merely to ExIsT-at ease.
And that we do.
Our portion is not large indeed,
But then! How little do we need
For Natures calls are few.
In this the art of living lies,
To want no more than may suffice
And make that little do
The condition of these ignorant, dirty
people is appalling and their homes
are scarce fit for an American dog. No
picture can convey true notion of the
squalor. You must see to know. For
two full days our course brought no
change of aspect. the most forsaken
region we ever knew. Have been
speaking of the poorer classes, and the
great majority are poor. There are two
! extremes of civilization in Mexico-the
very rich and the very poor; the latter