The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-13
FAMILY LIFE IN MEXICO.
NlNDIJNESs ALL AROUND Is ITS
PRINCIPAL FEATURES.
Admirable Characteristics That
Came by Way of Spain-Tender-
ness Especially Toward the Aged
ana the YOung-The Position OF
Servants in the Family.


Servants in the Family.
From the Boston Herald.
| City Of Mexico, Nov Mexican family
! life is very delightful. There is something
| patrachal about it. The father and
mother are not looked upon as unfortunate
people who have grown up and must stand
aside for the younger people. They are
never questioned as to their right to rule,
and it is a dominion tempered by love
which they exercise. All old people, the
| grandparents, are held in reverence. They
are daily honored-yes, from the coming
up to the going down of The sun. The
best seats for them, the rising of tho
/ younger people when they enter the room,
| the affectionate kissing of their hands by
the children, big and little, the best serv-
| ings at table, and, when they depart for
| ever what genuine tears aud heartfelt
regrets In Spanish-America il is a fine
| thing to be old Sixty years brings a
/ subtle tribute of universal regard. The
| sunset of life is rich, with the warm colors
of love and reverence, with the rich rud-
| diness OF heart-ove
| There is in Mexican family life a sense
/ of union. Sons are not expected 90 go
| sibie inability to make big incomes is not
| regarded as implying some mental de-
! fciency or moral weakness. Brothers are
| openly fond of their sisters, and little boys
! are proud to be seen In public with baby
sisters. Everybody, young and old, loves
children and shows it with admirable
| frankness.
! If it is good TO be old in Mexico like
wise il must be fine thing to be baby
! hon orr ~. 70
number Every child comes into the
world and basket Of bread with it," you
/ will hear. Somehow they al live.
The young mother-to-be is not at all
abashed when young men of her acquaint-
ance cal upon her, dressedAn their best,
| to hope for the safe arrival of the new
| member of humanitys big circle. / knew
! a young American lady who had "expec-
| lations." She was immensely confused
| when young Mexican lawyer called on
| her one morning to wish her a happy de-
| livery and a joyful motherhood. She
! made inquiries among her friends and
| found that the young gentleman had done
! the most correct thing. "Paco is always
! so careful to do what is just right" said
! everybody. An cd custom but one that
4 shows a right appreciation of the dignity
! of marriage. II would be a good thing
/ in some American neighborhoods If the
! idea should become common that Mother
! hood was a noble state ana marriage
! existed for the purpose of keeping the
| human race a-going
| The Spanish-American peoples are very
united in their family life and they are
! averse to seeing members of the home
| circle so far away. A Mexican lady was
| complaining the other day that she rare
! ~ saw her son, a young engineer who
had government work a. Paso del Norte
on the Texas border HAS he been long
! 1way2" somebody said. why I've not
seen him for ten dstrs and he will not
he home for a fortnight" replied the fond
mother
Family festivals abound Your .awyer
who has most important business OF yours
in his hand, who has, every day, his an
terooms filled with clients, who is as busy
as cabinet minister will disappear at
critical moment and be gone day You
ask where he is and his clerk reply: why.
il is his wife's saints day and he IS
celebrating it with his family"
His prospective fee may be $4,000, but
he does not care a fig for any possi-
blity of losing 1t by some accident which
days work might prevent His wifes
yearly fete is more 10 him than all the
dollars piled Up by the millions in the
vaults of the National Bank Of Mexico.
And it Is vel that he feels So The
sweet intimacy Of the family cannot for
ever last; IL cannot be bought with money
or established by golden props
One Of the busiest men in this capital
man of great and pressing business. al
ways seemingly at work. goes about with
grave face, but let one Of his children
accompanied by a nurse appear in the
street, and he stops to fondle the little
one. TO embrace Il and to kiss it again
and again, and the gentlemen with him.
themselves Of he same warm hearted
ways. add their tribute. The great roomy
family coaches rumble out OF the stone
paved courtyards early in the forenoon
laden with children in white frocks and
the Indian "nanas.' or nurses, bound for
the fresh air of the Paseo, or the more
distant woods Of the Chapultepec park
The coach most in vogue is capacious, for
the children use it. and they are many.
0ut in the country, on the haciendas
one sees the same unity Of family life,
only In the rural regions there is more
Of the patriarchal life in evidence. 1t re-
sembles what ] have also seen on our
own Southern plantations, only the rela-
tons of the laborers to their master seem
more feudal
The word camilla" in Spanish covers
more ground than our word family"
From ancient days in old Spain. the ia
mila" has consisted not only of your sons
and daughters and their children, your
wife and your nearest kin, but the old
servants. And so II is here. In old-fash-
ioned families OF wealth there are servants
who have been with clos senores." or
masters, for twenty, yes, often thirty and
forty years. fine old Spahish-born gen.
teman Of my acquaintance, a man Of
wealth and culture, / noted one day TO
be depressed. l asked him why he was
downcast, and he replied with evident
feeling, that he had lost faithful servant.
He was q good soul. and he has been
with the family for fOrty-two years" An
old seryitor dies and the head of the fam
lily ana sons attend the funeral. Their
little ways are known and they are indulg-
cd The faithful servant has an old faith
er or mother dependent on him or her, and
they viii come often 20 the house and
st IN the kitchen or back corridor and
gossip for days, eating OF the food pro-
ylded for the serving people. a great doc
tor said 60 me: II have six servants and
about a dozen Of their relatives in the
house. They are happy I don't COM