The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-05-30
OLD TIMES IN MEXICO.
The "Reminiscences of Don Braulio ex.
 Freighter.

The "Reminiscences of Don Braulio, ex- Freighter.
 l Don Braulio is in the city again, af- ter an absence of over a year, during which he has devoted his time entirely
 to his corn and frijoles crops. As usual he notes many changes in the capital, which he says is getting more "hermo- sa'' every year, But he thinks of what 1t was thirty years ago, when he used to come through here, on his way from Durango to Veracduz with his train of freight carts (you needn't look! Don Braulio was freighter for eighteen years-from seventy-two to ninety, and his regular trip was from Durango to the Veracruz porD he says he can hardly believe his eyes. The streets of the capital had no asphalt paving then; they were cobbles, all of them and when the wealthy families drove out in the evening to take the air, it was as a rule behind a pair of stout mules-and if they went as far as Tacubaya they went well armed in the bargain. The bandits were bold in those days.
 Don Braulio says while the rrieght CTS life was d hard one, it had it's conn., pensations. On his way to the coast his carts went loaded with frijol, corn, wheat and the various products of the northern and central mesas (these carts carried one hundred and forty arrobas. or a ton and a half each) and on his return trip, he brought sugar coffee, tobacco, cigars and foreign merchan- disc. His lengthy stay in every city of any size for trading purposes, made him known to every one, and his circle of friends steadily widened. There were always visits and paseos, and many fine dinners and suppers. In those days even more than now, work was not considered the one and only aim of a good liver, says he always ate best in Veracruz. Such fish, such oysters, as they did have there, and such savory way of serving them up. He always had the various restaurants pendien tes" to notify him when they received a new fish, and when he was notified he always went.
 Those were good times in Veracruz and everything was dear. A package of cigars (they all came from Cuba) cost real and a half, and if you of fered the cargador you had sent for them the six cents change from your "peseta" as his fee, he would throw it on the ground Nothing less than a "peseta' for him if you please! Don Braulio has been in Veracruz year af- ter year, and in every month in the year save two; and he never caught the "vomto" This he attributes to his regular habits, and to the fact that he adapted himself to the life of the hot country. He arose before daylight, and for "desayuno" ate several lemons, dimes as we call them) He then at tended to his business affairs until ten, when he took a hearty breakfast or ''aImuerzo." At one he dined and then rested until four, when general business was resumed throughout the city.
 On the road he observed the same custom, while in the hot country, al- ways taking the trail before dawn, and resting in the heat of the day. He says he usually rode some distance ahead of the carts (they were two- wheeled carts. some thirty in all, with a string of six or eight mules to each) and in the mountains. the experience was delightful Such quantities of wild game, gwith fine fat turkeys that would flock Into the trail to eat the corn dropped by some freighter who had gone ahead; and then there was turkey for dinner. As for the singing birds, they and the flowers together made one think he was in ''e ecielo.
 The robbers never got anything out of Dan Braulio's train, as he had his men well armed, and opened fire the minute they came in sight; but he has been held up so many times while passenger on the stage going on ahead of his carts to make arrangements in the next town, that it ceased to fila mar la atencion.' He always took good care to have little of value about him, and found that by treating the gentlemen of the road with considera- ton, he could invariably prevail on them to leave him his pantaloons and shirt.
 Tt was a hard life" says Don Brau- lio reminiscently, and the "Ay senor" that follows tells, plainer than he means it shall, that he still regrets the old days, and in his heart of hearts wishes they were back again.-Mexican 16