Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-25

houses, rooted with thing, among the trees,
lie about, while the church spire is visible
in every direction. The ancient wagon road,
curving away among the green fields in the
distance, looks like ant path in a gar
den The reddish brown hills of Tepeyac
are to the north, the snowcovered submits
of Popacatepelt and Ixtacihualt stand erect
in the east, the blue heights of the Car
delleras OF La Cruces are at the west of
us, while the fertile fields of the south seem
to be lost on the mountainsde in the deep
blue Of the mist. 1t is a magnificent sight.
The castle" stands among the cypress
trees: the avenues of chapas, cottonwood,
ash and willow extending in every direction
like walls. On this hill the military Acad-
| envy Of Mexico" is situated and is ap-
parently a very good school.
Looking down upon the moss-covered
cypress trees. many of which have stood
| there since before the conquest, one is led
to wonder how the American troops under
General Pillow captured the HILL in a day s
bombardment, and think it would not be
such child's play now.
Ancient Civilization.
While going about the old town the bits
Of history one has read comes to mind, and
we recalled having read that here, in this
/ Olu <ALlSS StNtiSAlSAt a pl NUNS press was
set up and a newspaper published nearly
100 years before the landing of the Pilgrims
at Plymouth Rock, and there is a certain
fascination in the thought that about the
old town and its streets the native Indian,
in his fantastic dress and rags, has strolled
| all these years-all grades, all classes
forming a living panorama, and that the
municipal government of the city went on
under almost the identical form several
| centuries, while kings emperors, dictators
and presidents came and went, and that
Indians. Spaniards. French and Americans
had struggled and fought for supremacy in
and about the city.
The Indian is still the Indian, and the
present government is the only government
that could govern and keep peaceable such
a people.
| Scenes on the Plaza.
Then, too, the City of Mexico is a very
emporium of civilization. and, as some
writer's have styled it, 1.-The great capita
of Americas Egypt" Sitting in the
zocalo-which is the plaza-one may see or
one side the national palace, on another
the cathedral and flower market, while
the other two sides Of the square are made
up of the citys best shops, among which
the national pawnshop is very interesting
spots in the city-a sort of little park
with walks, trees and flowers and band
stand In the center, from which a gooC
concert is given every Sunday morning, a
well during the week, at stated times.
IT'S here the lovers meet and "holC
hands and speak In accents sweet" t
each other totally oblivious to the gaping
public, in spite of noise, music, priest Of
visitors, while the more aristocratic Span
ish lover must become bear and wal
at his mistress window, and must some
times give years to a courtship, and that
too, through iron bars.
While listening to the music one ma!
see the Spaniard with unsmiling face; tn
Mexican, In various shades of color, accord
ing to his near relation to Aztec o
Spaniard, arrayed in tight trousers,
"sombrero" and "serape," touching ell
bow with the visitor from Berlin, Paris
London and New York, each in the styl
Of his native haunt, together making
picture truly cosmopolitan.
The street car system of the city is first
class. All cars start at the plaza, and fol
lowing tracks laid in loops about the city
they return through different streets to tn
Zocola, one can always get back to tn
starting point, and almost any street ca
ride one can take will prove interesting
In another letter / will endeavor to Civ
, an idea of the national sport" as well a
some observations upon the traits OF char
acter as seen here.
We leave in a few days, travelling towar
the Rio Grande, and in few days will b
again within the borders of our own coun
= try, on the way to California
ROSE E. SrRAwN.