The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-08-24
A RIDE IN MEx1co-FROM LIFE.
CLARA DE VERT.


Have any of my readers enjoyed the
rare pleasure of riding in a Mexican
stage.coach over cobble stones, up
ceros (hills) and down arroyos (ra-
vines)? Then, and not till then, can
you fully sympathize with your hum
bic servant.
You may ask, why undertake to
describe something so unromantic as
a ride on Mexican coach? I trust
that few who cannot enjoy the lux
ury will be interested, and it is to
these that this little article is espe-
cially dedicated.
Having previously informed the
coachman of our, my pupil and I, in
tended trip to Fuerte, a town some
twelve leagues away, the coach came
to the door for us, and it being 8 A. M.
you may be assured when we heard
the rumble of the wheels, we did some
hurried getting ont of bed and dress
ing.
The heavy stage drawn by six
mules greeted our eyes. On entering
we both exclaimed simultaneously,
o, good we will be alone; but hard
ly had the exclamation passed our
lips when a movement was heard in
the back of the coach, and through
the obscurity we discerned the figure
of man rising to sitting posture
with a "buenas dios," g0od morning.
The coach is supplied with coach
man and attendant or mule driver.
The latter's special business is to run
along by the mules and give them all
a good lashing, then mount upon the
flying stage with the agility of a cat.
To be sure the coachman is supplied
with a long whip which he uses most
dextrously and unmercifully, but it
seems this is not sufficient. The Mex
ican, as a rule, is very brutal with
animals. We recognize this on every
hand-in the bull fights, cock fights,
horse racing, and in their daily life
and intercourse with animals.
But to return to our ride-we
started off on "break-neck speed"
as you may we'll imagine, after such
a vigorus use of the whip, and my
companion and were discussing the
probabilities of break down or an
upsetsing when the coach came sud
denly to a stand still. What Had
our worst fears been realized? No,
the coachman, who is also mail car
rier, had only forgotten to leave the
mail, which was destined for this
place not an unusual occurrence in
Mexico. Have had letters pass be-
fore my door several times before they
were allowed to stop, and sometimes
they are sent off on reconnoitering
tour through different parts of Mexico.
Day began to dawn, Our travelling
companion fully aroused by this time,
suddenly became very garrulous, and
we were soon highly entertained.
Much has been said of the courtesy
and gallantry of the Mexican, and it
has certainly not been overdrawn.
Among the better class you will find
gallantry and chivalry personi6ed,
and it was our good fortune to meet
with one of these.
We passed several little villages,
peopled principally by Indians, and
It was amusing to see them ruu to get a
better view of us as we passed. We
seemed to be quite curiosity to
them. suppose the passing OF the
stage forms quite an important event
| In their lives. Indian women at their
metate (stone) were grinding corn
for tortillas (pancakes); but they
stopped in the operation to gaze at the
passers-by. Some with huge ollas
(iars) on their heads, were returning
from the river where they had gone
to fill the ollas.
We met a train of pack mules.
Poor faithful creatures How heav-
lily they are loaded, and yet with what
calm resignation they seem to bear
their heavy burdens !
For several miles our road led US
very near the river and we could see
women washing. This is done in
quite an odd way-a rock or board
Is used as a washboard, and the river
Is the tub.
By this time we were getting anx-
ious to reach Thence, little village
where we expected to breakfast.
Here also the tired mules would have
a chance to stop and rest, as they
would be replaced by others. Just
as we arrived at Thence, we saw
little procession coming out of the
church. Two men at the head were
carrying a board on which was stretch
ed out little child. 1t was cover
ed from head to foot with mass of
brightly colored tissue paper orna-
mented with tinsel. AS the little fu-
neral procession was slowly vending
Its way to the graveyard near by, we
heard the report Of number of sky
rockets. This is done to assist the