The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-11
EVENTS YESTERDAY
 IN SOCIAL WORLD Engagement of Miss Jessie Thompson and Mr. Brett Brown CONFERENCE OF REGENTS Something of Social Life in the City of Mexico as Seen By Party of
 Birmingham PeopIe-Notes
 and Personals.
CONFERENCE OF REGENTS

nAJ. AND MRS. FRANK Y. AN M derson and Miss Anderson re- LVl turned the past week from visit of several weeks to Mexico, where, travel ing in their private car with their friends, MT and Mrs. D. D. Curran and Miss Paul inc Curran, of New Orleans, they were ex- tended many delightful courtesies. Ow- ing. however to Mrs. Anderson's illness the party declined those invitations most formal, but, while unable to attend the several state occasions they had antici- pated, their visit was one full of inter est
 Since their return they have, at the events of the week. been asked to re- call some of the many interesting fea- lures of their visit.
 To a small party of friends eager to hear her Mrs. Anderson told something of her impressions of the Mexican cities and of the customs of the country. Mrs. Anderson, while so interested and appre- ciative of the City of Mexico, is most enthusiastic over the beauties of Chepul- topec. where President Diaz and his suite spend several weeks every year, particu- larry duflnB the dry SedSol'
 'Cheputopec Is about a ten-mile drive from the City of Mexico said Mrs. An derson, "one of the most beautiful drives I have ever seen. It is there that one sees the typical Mexican beauty on her afternoon drive. When the fashionable driving hour begins there are hundreds of equipages along this beautiful boule- vard so great a number that the horses almost touch the rear of the carriages, an unbroken line. This social parade is daily occurrence and, of course, the Amer lean tourist Is interested in seeing the Mexican woman on dress parade. Of equal social importance, too, is the parade in the parks where at certain hours, all society assemblies in brilliant attire To hear the national bands play.
 Tt seemed to be quite remarkable said Mrs. Anderson, to see the Mexican woman dressed for the park in a way that suggested a ball, for many of them were gllttering in spangles and wore the light costumes that an American woman would only think of wearing when in a closed carriage. This bright and rather resplendent way of dressing gave bril- liant color to the day affairs and the parks and the driveways looked very interesting, almost like q carnival in our American cities. Another thing that inn
  presented between the so-called aristo- cratic classes, that is the wealthy Mex jeans, and the great number of people who appeared to be in abject poverty. In the public parks, for instance, the line was closely drawn in the arrange ment of the seats. In those sections re- served for the aristocratic element and for those able to pay for them, a Mexican peon would never think of venturing The peons go to hear the music wander through the parks in great numbers. but the caste distinction seems more marked than in most countries, and the contrast between wealth and poverty seems greater ip Mexico
 "The national palace in the City of Mexico Is magnificent. We had the prvi- lege of being there under interesting auspices and no part of our visit was more delightful, although we realized that the Mexican republic in its provis- ion for it's president has a palace more in keeping with the importance of the office than Is found in our American White House. Both the national palace and the wonderful old castle-lke strue- ture at Cheputopec show the grandeur that also is expressed in the magnificent Mexican cathedrals
 "The Pueblo cathedral, which was pro nounced by an emissary of the Pope who visited 1t on one occasion, to be the most magnificent In the world is so wonder ful that I fingered there for hours. look ing at the marvellous frescoes and the old masterpieces which are valued at hun dreds of thousands. and which indeed could not be purchased at any price In that cathedral where Murilos Assump-