The Dickinson press., 1904-03-05

49, s'S os''S NV "'No |
open at once. The soil is a rid brick
color, very different from the rich bla, K
loan of Dakota. The darkies. iiin*h
and all, seem to have the washing :.a..s
ing on the fence, then they 81, on II
front stoop, smoke their pipes and
%soliloquize.
Feb. "a, 1904.
Now we are in the Lone Star state.
The scenery and soil closely resemble
that we have just passed through in
Louisiana. The only difference seems to
be that there are fewer darkies. After
riding all day and night we are now
passing through a desert of sand and
sage brush. and are at FL Paso, 4 beau;i
full city OF 3o.ouo people. Here we we're
entertained by the mayor and chamber
of commerce represented by a. w. Gift
ford, and given a drive around the city.
The homes are beautiful, Of modern
architecture, and constructed mostly OF
brick. The public buildings, court
house. city hall, spacious hotels, and
school buildings, are handsome and sub
s%tantial, brick structures, and thrift and
prosperity is apparent on every hand.
Across the Rio Grande is %Juarez, n
Of the gateways to the republic Of Mcxi-
CO from the States. 1t is almost wholly
peopled by the dark-eved and dark
skinned Mexicans. The interesting
features are their adobe houses, the old
church and the bull ring. Like all
Spanish cities the prominent amusement
feature is the bull fight, which always
draws An immense audience of the
wealthy and fashionable, and it is need
less to add that all our party attended.
The bull ring is built of stone and
cement with seats all around the ring
and without any roof in the enter 1t
resembles the pictures of the arena in
Rome in Caesars time, The bull fight
ers in this instance were all women with
men attendants. They came in dressed
in gay colored tights and t%unics, and
marched around the ring to the tune of
Hiawatha, played by the Mexican band.
There were four bulls to be slain, poor,
tame, little ~two-year-olds that had been
brought in from a nearby ranch. The
horns gave a blast and a bull was turned
into the ring. They have a stick all deco
rated with colored paper with a steel
point, called a banderilla, that they jab
into the bulls neck to make him angry
and this performance was repeated sew
eral times. Then the fighters charge at
the poor little bull with the red flag and
torment it while it bawls like a lost calf
separated from its mother. Then the
"prima donna" thrusts a two edged sword
into the shoulder of the calf two or three
times until it falls exhaused form the
lose of blood. Then a team of mules is
is brought in and the quivering, slaugh-
tered animal is dragged out of the ring
amid the cheers OF the delighted Mexi-
cans. In some fights horses are also
used. The fighters blindfold the horses
and ride them up to the bulls and let
them gore them to death. Sometimes
as many as Is horses are killed. 1t must
be a very edifying sport, and l am glad
they did not use horses in this fight. At
no time were the fighters in danger and
the whole thing is a disgusting brutal
butchery.
Feb. IS, 1904.
Taking the Mexican Central we leave
the Rio Grande behind US, l will not say
the silvery Rio Grande for there is not a
drop of water within its banks. 1t is
very dry here and dusty, but the air is
balmy and invigorating. The whole
scene is changed, and we find ourselves
in an entirely new or old world, so to
speak. This is Old Mexico. The natives
look very picturesque with their high
peaked sombreros and their zarapes
draped around their shoulders. Their
quaint adobe houses, surrounded by
burros, and all the way from n to a
dozen small peros, (dogs). They all
meet the trains and beg for c~entavos
%(pennies). 1t is fun to toss a centavc
r into a crowd and watch the scramble.
t Now we are crossing a vast sandy
desert. If we we're only Shriners we
wouldn't mind it quite so much perhaps
and some of the party have fortified
t themselves against it after the mystic
manner of the Shriners. The scene re,
mains the same with here and there
: small village where stops are made al
the eating houses, operated by Chinese
cooks. All the larger cities are becom
ing modern and Americanized, so t.
speak, and have electric lights, stree
cars, etc.
Feb. II, 1904.
The scene grows more interesting. A
O'Clock this morning we passed through
e Queretan, a city of $1,000 people ane
capital of the state of Queretaro. 1t Wal
h at this historical spot that Maximiliar
was taken prisoner in 1867.
r Here we are passing through cult
r waited fields Of the maguey, a relief from
] the catus, sage brush and Spanish bayo
1 nets. The maguey Is a native plant o
Mexico from which pulque, the grea
Mexican drink, is extracted. Now W,
r are passing through the fertile Tul;
n valley where the fields are green will
s winter wheat. The sun is hot-so no
S that it is uncomfortable without a som
8 brero on the head.
e The railroads, the Northwestern, ILL
S nois Central. Texas Pacific and Mexican
e Central have shown our party eyer.
S courtesy and without their assistanc,
6 this delightful trip would not have BEEF
e possible.
We are about two hours ride from
Mexico City, SO will say "Adios".