El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-01-29

| friend came to my hous, for me aud
took me to his house. Al the way
thee h talked of the be.ut iul thugs
that | would see, for he had liz de up
his mind to have the finest posada in
the whole ward of the city in which he
lived. l asked him if here were 90
ing to be any ladies there And he
said yes, with an air of Indifference, as
much as to ssy that at such pOSada
as his they would not omit any of the
| inc den tails, however unimportart they
might be
When we got out of the carriage at
the great zaguan door. we found a
hum Der of young men awaiting US all
OF whom were waiting to be introduced
to the young master of the house. And
among them was that fellow who used
to hang around outside the senoritas' 3
window. My thermometer went sud-
denly down below zero.
The patio was beautifully lighted up
with electric lamps with colored
shades, and Chinese lanterns. The
partaies were flied with beautiful
flowers and tropical trees and foliage
In the artificial light it all looked. like
fairy land. In the patio played a
beautiful four tain from the center of
which stared at me the grotesque head
OF an Aztec warrior. l could not help
thinking bow much that scOwling head
resembied that of that stupid fellow
that used to hang around outside the
senOrits's window.
Soon we went inside. Here every-
thing was lighted more brilliantly
than the patio, if that were possible.
My friend took me around and intro
duced me to the ladies. who were al
seated on one side of the room, about
as solemn and as much to their ease as
though they were going to a funeral.
They made me think of the big Aztec
warriors who stand day in and day out
on their high stone pedestals on the
PaseO and never wink an eye shook
hands with all the ladies, and they as
sured me that they were my servants.
could not help thinking, as went
along that row of seuoras and seuori-
tas, of how many servants 1 would have
when l got through with the formali-
ties of introduction By and by we
came to Ia senorita. My friend intro
dnced Inc as his very good friend whom
be was pleased to have know his sis
ter. She assured me that it was a
great honor to know me, that her
house was at my disposal and that she
was my humblest servant. After such
a greeting as that l wanted to stop
right there. But my friend dragged
me on to an cd lady who had a face
much like the calendar store, and q
complexion the color of Nahuatl In
dian. She also assured me she was nv
servant.
After 1 had been introduced to every
| one in the room we went AMI sat down
on the side of thu house opposite to the
ladies'. Here we AT for half an hour
and no one said anything. In the
| meantima all the new arrivals were
passed in review be ore u.s. after which
| the men took their seats among us and
the ladies went to the opposite side OF
| the house. The ladies looked so gen.
| tie that could not help thinking OF
the biblical division of the sheep and
| the goats.
AT er awhile the music began TO play
/ and We all stood up and filed out into
the patio, where two or three servants
| banded each OF US cOlOred candle
which we lighted. Then two childrer
| appeared on the scene With represep
tation of Joseph and Mary and an an
gel in what locke like a forest There
was bnrro, too, leaning up against 8
tree. They were all dressed ont in fes
tive attire, and even the burro had 6
silk ribbon around his neck. JOSEPH
had on a Mexican som rero and Mar,
was dressed in silks and satins, and the
angel. as became his high station, wa
l 1ile ulcSG Otdu ltuliy ores 60 NJ then
all l asked my friend in whisper i
they were going to the pOsadss too
He looked at me compassionatelv a.
much as to say, One can do nothing
but pity such Ignorance"
Soon we began to march around tn.
patio.and tup into the neighborins
house, and up several stairs and from
that down in hack patio. Here W,
me large pool of dirty water. aroun,
which we marched My friend ex
planned that we were representing tn,
sar dering of the hclv family whe,
they went up t. Jerusalem to he enroll
ed in the census. I ASKED him if tn
cool Of water represented the Blanl
sea- And he gave me another lool
bat msde me wish I was going on m,
wanderings, too.
Afte~ we had wandered upstairs an,
downstairs into patios and out apai1
and through the neipb bOrs' rooms
what seemed 10 me at least 100 time
singing at the while in Latin in an