The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-12
MEXICO'S WASH PROBLEM.
TRIALS THAT LEAD TOURISTS TO RE-
TILE THE GJIDEBOOK.

washerwomen with Names That Can't BE
Remembered aud Addresses That Can't
BE Found-What Is Happening While
the Return of tho Clothes 10 Delayed.
CITY OF MEXICO. July l OF course guide
books are prone to e1aggerate, but their COM
pliers deserve sympathy. For instance how
can one describe anything In this beautiful
land and do it moderately? And after one
has stepped oneself in old Aztec history the
Spanish conQuerors, the vicereGal days. the
revolutions. the French intervention. it is
harassng to the nerves TO have some person
from afar of declare that he does not believe
word OF all that stuff; that the people dirty.
lazy. trifing liars. and all that outburst merely
because a ldrehderd has kept the weeks wash
too long.
How difficult it is for strangers to realize the
needs Of lavanderas. How are they to DO m ado
to understand that San Juan de Dias Moreno
or Filipe de Jesus Montenegro. husbands Of
the derelict laundresses. wore their paJamas
to the fiesta at San Pedro de las Pinos. in
honor of st. Peter himself and. although they
had promised not to do So had remained out
too late for the garments to be possibly
Numbered in time to be delivered on tho day
promised. Then 1t is not easy always
to redeem articles cheerfuy pawned
at one OF the many shops over Sun
ers often subject these poor women TO much
discomfort by insisting and insisting over
again that two weeks is a long enough time TO
have ones laundry out; that three weeks is an
intl!ction and four unbenrable. Some cases are
even worse. according to the foreigners view.
as for example when the wash has been gone
six weeks and the owner does not know the
womans name nor the number Of her house.
much less the name of the street. The poor
layanderas! They would have harder time
still were they not thus protected by the names
OF their streets.
A man may storm and demand OF innocent
La Secunda Gale de San Sebastian oil Seco.
while his wife may timidly wonder whether it
Is near Ia Plazuea dc Beem. Gallo de la Con-
eepcl6n or Gale der Tercer Orden de San
AEustn. The streets are mile apart. but
their short and concise names are easily re-
mem bered and happen tn come to her.
Ii tho paJamas show the wear and tear OF
nestas why worry those poor women2 Cases
lively rare and should cause no wonder being
readily accounted Tor by the extra number OF
max ing i necessary to wear some OF the gar
ments ottener than was good Tor them and to
nonwo E days. Then Why the NJ name OF
charity. annoy poor people? BY citing one
Instance it can be proved they are often so en-
0a ( ssHS1ta from the United States o, the
North gave several dainty garments INTO the
VTIanuevo. servidora de listed. which de
scripton goes to show that she was the
widow OF Nilianuevo; at your service, She
the house as well known to them honest and
prompt. Lists were duly made for the two
parsons interested and all prom ised to 80
merrlly as the 4:3O A, NJ church Dol which
save one from overs!eep. bays, however,
heightened into weeks, and tho clothes did
not come. The rriddds and ,UEOs who
had recommended her ransacked their
brains and beat their chests as with
uplritcI eyes they tried to remsm Der the nam"
OF the woman whom they had assured the
sehorita was SPg'ra and very dear friend to
the loved COlnutdHfrc OF one Of their number
-Four weeks passed, one morning at D O'Clock
there WAS knock AT her door. and tho senior
ita spTang out Of ted and rushed to open it.
fearing fire or an earthquake ut that hour.
There stood Maria de la linz Garcia Nlnda ds
Nillanuevo. servldora de listed She was in
her money To spend appropriately on that day
Of days. Her hurry was 90 great that tho
tormality of counting and comparing the lists
was. in her opinion, a sup"riluOus per OrmancC.
did not feel such haste "a thu other party to
the transaction. Several garments were miss
ing, according to the s"nurita list Maria dc
la Luz had lost hers. hut, possessing memory
most wonderful. she felt sure every article in
trusted 70 her was present. Gould the senDrta
Americana refuse 10 poor but honest woman
her dues one SO prompt and lust in her deaf
ings with uth-rS that she could not rest until
she had at this carly hour delivered the rOpT-
hInpid even before tn" miSI in Santa
Tcrcsa'S Church. which she was bound To
the L0UdGd and Kindness 10 pay her al once in
OrtcT not 10 lose time, which to her was far
more valuable ihan gold yea. than anything
save her rhiJa"ter and reputation tor dealing
full Amcrirnnds Of the North who are so rich
and noted for their generosity most ntdrGrt-
iOSd The Srucrila was daHrd for moment
by this torrent Of words. Her studies had not