The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-02-12
THE MEXICAN
And HIS HAT.
nN
WhJ He Spends so Much Money
ON His Quaint Hsadgsar.
SYNBOL OF HIS STANDING.
Some Interesting Facts Furnished hy 4
0TunaM Who Knows tho People
and Thsk MiansG

while on a train in Mexico on my last
trip 20 the country OF the Aztecs a young
American lady, upon whose Sstonished
gaze was flashed for the first time the
fearfuly and wonderfully made sugar
loaf Mexican hat, which II the first out
OF the ordinary object that grects the
tourists eyes after he crosses tho Rio
Grande, asked me why Mexican men OF
all classes spent so much money upon
the covering for their heads and appeared
TO take such evident pride In the great
wide -brimmed high conical-crowned
shelter from the tropical heat and sun. -
said hat drummer to a reporter for the
Washington Star.
When the American soldiers departed
for Cuba or Porto Rico they wore the
regulation army slouch hat, with "a deep
crease I'm the center
when they returned. heroes and vcter-
ans, they wore the same regulation hat,
but with the peak of the crown pulled up
To "A sharp point, pyramid-like, In gal
liant. desperate attempt 90 initiate the
Spanish hat, which had caught their
fancy and had struck them hard, and
their wives. sweetn~.-rts, and the public
sazed swsstricken and reverentially but
helplessly at the new style thus created
here.
And then the hatmakers took II ur for
the ladies. and this accounts for the pres
ent rakish style of ladies military gray
hats with mannish crowns
THE main reason why the Spaniard or
the Mexican devotes 50 much attention.
time, and money 10 his hat IL because ~
s. 10 somc~eXtent made the symbol of his
standing I'm the community and because
ha Of I'm kNh ~ al
others at court possessed the privilege Of
sitting or standing in the presence OF
their sovereign with their hats on while
the res. of the court uncovered
Naturally the hat became an object of
respect and venerstion. and the grsndees
We'd with one another in the size OF their
brain covering. the hneness and costliness
OF it's texture and tho rich gold and silver
ornamentations profusely worked there
on. t#aF
THE popuiace according TO their respec-
tive means and position ia life, emulated
the example OF the grandees. and thus
ms time advanced. the big hat became the
distinctive feature OF tho dress OF the
Spaniard. as the mantilla corresponded
on the head OF the senorita and the Sc
nora.
THE time was when n Mexican placed
his hat and his horse before all his world
~ possessions, spending as much S5oo
10 1900 for a gold-trimmed, embroidered
hat and as much more for his heavy
saddle and bride all trimmed with silver,
and this passion is strong today.
The higher classes OF Mexicans have
abandoned the sugar-ioaf hat for city
wear for the European style, as they
have adopted long ago our ideas on
clothes. though every Mexican gentleman
has his native costume with It's gsudily
embroidered short jacket and faring
trousers and hat TO match, to be worn
when the occasion demands.
THE other classee cling to the sugar
loaf hat. made principally of straw OF a
fibre peculiar to the country or of felt
ornamented with gold and silver cord
according 10 the means OF the wearer, or
perfectly plain and cheap.
They look odd to us. these Mexicans in
their white. loose shirts, and trousers,
standing idly about in their sunlit. adobe
cities. as the train speeds on TO the capt.
tai and a picturesque lot they truly are"