Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-23

want to rob train or elope with one
Of the pretty sonortas, This latter nat
urally arouses the blood OF the Mex
lean. and he brings his bowie knife into
action The orchestra consists OF
violin, guitar and steel triangle. The
dances, 10 an American, are compll-
Gated. The figures are pretty executed
with apparent ease, ana the steps are
graceful and In time with the music.
Every square" dance has IN II more or
less Waiting.
At the casa OF the most prominent
and hospltabls don Ia the pueblo q
gran DANA" is given. This " en- in
vitatlon affair, but the Invitations a-s
freely siyer. the main object being TO
exclude curiosity seekers. Tho most
fashionable Spanish dances constitute
the programme, such as Ia Palona
(the Pigeon and Ia Jota. This 10
very popular canoe, as Il permits the
senior 20 express his admiration foo his
fair partner IN rhyme as they Keep
step TO the delicious music In soft.
low tones he vhiyperg into her moro or
less willing car some love dltty which
he has memorlzed. or perhaps, worse
still. some burning WORDS 81 his own
composition fresh from his heart. The
senorita replies in verse, 0: something
that passes Tor Il. Tor they have all
been studying Up on love poetry, II IL
q pretty custom, and the poetry takes
the place OF much idle gossip. The or
chostra Is usually violin, harp anG
two suitats-thc harplsts and guitarists
being ladies', who are dressed in led
or blue silk. With Z wide silken scarf
TO match extending over the bust from
the right shoulder to the left side. The
ladies do not wear trains In dancing.
The Mexicans are artistic and critical.
and they like to see good dancing. They
watch the movements Of the feet, and
when the figures are executed with UNI
usual grace a hum Of admiration re-
wards the senorita, and sometimes a
couple are applauded with cries Of
"Eucno" Good
in the meantime the youth OF the
pueblo have been busy In trying Judas
Iscariot This is an old custom and IL
always enacted on Christmas eve. A
gallows has been built In front Of the
cathedral, a court organized and the
efigy OF the arch traitor Judas IS
CARROT, Is placed on trial for his life.
II is a foregone conclusion that Judas
will be convicted Nevertheless counsel
is appointed for him. The prosecution
easily makes out IT'S case, and Judas
is condemned to be hanged. The pros
ecutor reads what purports to be the
last will Of Judas and then offers for
sale to the highest bidder certain value-
less articles supposed to have belonged
10 the late Iscariot. The crier enliyens
the auction with remarks on each artl-
Gle. The effects are then placed In n
heap and burned. The stuffed efilgy Of
the friendless Judas is dragged around
the cathedral amid the gibes, Kisses and
imprecations OF the court and spec
tators and finally is brought TO the gal
lows and hanged without the benefit OF
clergy. When Judas has been officially
pronounced quite dead the remains are
tied TO the tail OF a yalueless donkey,
and the efiigy is set on fire. The fren-
zied donkey makes a circuit Of the
pueblo with the burning Judas at his
heels, much TO the amusement Of the
cruel popuace. and finally the frlghten-
ed animal takes to the woods, and nei-
ther II nor Judas, as a rule, is ever
again seen.
Next morning, Christmas day, the en-
tire pueblo turns out TO early mass.
and a few hours later, to the usual
Christmas services. when the church Is
prettily decorated and the music UNI
usually excellent
In the afternoon the programme OF
amusements is resumed.
j. NJ. SCANLAND.