The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-02-05

~ eeN~&>S&s >OAsy ~ ~
through the brainIand proceeded on our
way, arriving at s6anta Cruz without any
further accidents during the forenoon OF
the following day..
AGAIN IN.sANTA CRUZ.
My reception at the house was most
cordial. When Enlala gave me her beau
tiful hand she bfnshed rosy red. which
circumstance is generally, l believe. ac-
copied to be good omen. Donna Maria,
her mother, babe me welcome in the ac-
cuStomed Mexican manner, which IS
slight embrace, allowed to married women
only. Still, it seemed to me then, and
later on during my visit, that she did not
feel quite at ease. OF course, this l rather
felt than saw.
Eulalia had developed into still greater
beauty and wore suspended on small
gold chain little locket [ had sent her
by Mendoza. Ostensibly, of course, l sent
it to little Carmelita, her half-sister. but L
saw that it had reached its destination,
and the wearer of it now either could not
or would not hide the pleasure she expo
rienced at our meeting. The aunts were
there, of course. Yes, they were all there,
and seemed to resume their watchfulness
from the very moment l entered the house.
The spacious mansion of Don Solomon,
and especially the very roomy kitchen,
was full of women preparing all sorts OF
good things for the coming festivity. Tur-
keys and chickens were slaughtered and
plucked, red pepper was being ground
upon two metates at once; dried maize
leaves were soaked. stretched, and dried
to envelop the tonthsome "tamale;" corn
meal cakes were pattcd fat and fried to
assume the beautifully sprinkled appear
ance of "enchiladas,' willie a professional
I,I- l. ,fn .trrr.a
of ''biscochuelos" and other sweetmeats.
Two large ollas containing tine refreshing
| "teZ-win" were conspicuous IL a shady cor
ner of the porch.
In another room several lavanderas and
planchadoras (washer and ironing women)
occupied themselves with the cleaning and
general getting up Of male and female at
tire and finery.
In the large corral behind the house
horses were groomed, saddles and brides
were mended and polished. / became
aware that if Santa Cruz was sleepy
town the whole year through, at least on
San Juan's Day it was going to be very
much awake. Not to be behindhand in
the omnipresent preparations, Don Solo
mon, Mr.. Brown the subcontractor before
mentioned, and myself went to the store
room to look over the stock of bottled
wine, from which we selected a goodly
portion for future use.
Very early on the following morning
one became aware that something unusual
was going forward. All MeXicans gem
orally begin to feast the "vispera the
night preceding) of the feast day proper,
and don their best apparel for that pur-
pose. This differs from the work-day
clothing only by its freshly-laundered ap-
pearance, and in some instances by finer
material. 1t consists in a white shirt, a
pair of wide pocketless cotton or linen
trousers, held up by a cotton or silk sash
| in brilliant magenta red, and if the state
of the finances permit it, of shoes and
| richly silver-embroidered hat. During the
Dight preceding the feast days one or
more dances are generally started in the
house blessed with the presence of young
ladies', who invite their friends. The
mothers of the young ladies thus attend
ing, or their mothers, or the aunts, etc,
need no invitation; they are there sure,
never fear! All this refers to the poorest
class of people, the laborers, ETC., who
make night of it, and sometimes drink
too much, beginning with tez-win and end
ing with mescal or aguardiente de cana
Sugar cane brandy. which tastes not IN
like New England rum.
SAN JUAN's DAY.
Thus It happens that on the morning
of feast day or of Sunday In out-of-
the-way country villages one or more
groups of more or less elevated" men are
seen and generally heard on the street
corners, singing love ditties and carrying
bottle or two, which passes at intervals
from mouth to mouth. If left to them
selves they are perfectly harmless, and
the terrible stories of Mexicans all carry
ing knives and making use thereof at the
least provocation, are simply "bosh."
80 4 c..a
tie dispenser of the egg-nog spoken of
upon former occasion, during the fore
noon. He received me with open arms,
which he gently closed upon my back, and
forthwith proceeded to concoct the now
famous Babocomari drink. He was dress
ed with extreme neatness.
If we except the groups of overnight
feasters mentioned above, it is rare
sight indeed to see a Mexican on foot on
Oath of June, as even the last and lowest
laborer on ranch will easily obtain a
mount for that days celebration from his
employer, and even frequently buy off his
Indebtedness to the latter by winning a
horse race upon an apparently valueless
mustang picked from the owners herd at
random. This they call "perdonar la deu-
da" Ito forgive or cancel the debt. For
merly, when the peon law was still in ex-
istence, instances of such canceling of an
the noon dinner everybody will be on
horseback, men taking their wives, broth
crs their sisters, and cousins their lady
cousins upon the saddle before them A
girl who either does not care for her repu-
tation or has none to lose will ride with
her fellow" In the same manner.
One of the main features of n San
Juans day was then, and is to some ex-
tent now, what they call ga carrera del
gallo" the run for the rooster. In order
TO enact this barbarous game they select a
bit of straight road, upon which they bury
a rooster up to his neck in the sand. Then
they draw lots for first, second, third. etc,
run or start. .he order of riding being
established, the first man starts, his task
being to bend down while or full run,
grasp the head Of the rooster, and pull it
out of the sand. This is not so very easy
as it would at first appear as the rooster,
by duckng and side jerks, tries to evade
the grasping hand. But at last a long,
slim cowboy succeeds; he pulls the bird
up, and swinging it in triumph around his
own head by the neck, he darts off. This
is the signal for all the riders to start on
wild chase, to reach the carrier of the
bird ard to pull it away from him. If one
obtains it, another rider will pursue him
with the same object in view, and pres
emily there is nothing left visible of the
poor bird which has literally been pulled
to pieces alive, but a few feathers. 1t is
Il disgusting sight to humane people. l
hold Meyicans todbe cruel to all animals,
even to their horses, that are their best
friends.
e