Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-04-24

not describe it, but as our guide led
us through its many parts we could
tut pronounce it grand | think /
have sufficiently explained where
, Mexico reared it's phanatical myth.
| We are back in the city. AS we sit
in the, plaza we notice string of
carriages decorated in flowers drive
mp to the cathedral. Let us see the
wedding, for such tits. We station
ourselves near Che altar. i have never
witnessed a prettier wedding but one
fault impresses me, the priest drank
all the wine. Let us run down to the
| National art gallery; the paintings
are very old and said to be fine |
have no taste that way so should not
comment. Come over to the National
museum. AS we enter the immense
calendar stone formerly in front of
Montezuma' palace is first to be
seen. This immense dial stands about
ten feet high and is about four feet
thick. It is carved with eight V's,
the point reaching towards the out
side in regular space. The balance of
the face and outside of circle is
covered with figures resembling
Egyptian characters At our right is
another immense granite dial similar
TO the calendar stone in all its cary.
ing, but in the center place is hol-
lowed out that would hold about ten
quarts. crease is cut from this to
the outside and down the side. This
is the sacrificial stone. 1t is said at
the dedication of Montezuma s temple
SEQ were sacrificed on this stone and
the year Cortez came there first there
had been 1000 offered as a sacrifice,
their blood running out at this trough
and being caught was used to appease
the gods. | cannot attempt to de-
scribe the thousands of carvings here
shown but anyone who looks upon
them and those of the Egyptians can
not but believe this work was done
w tuc anu Tie same race.
Let us go up stairs As we pass by
so much of interest we see the coach
of state of Macmillan and Carlotta's
immense silver service, all too far up
i'll the scale for my language to de-
scribe.
1t is Saturday afternoon and our
l.. Il
market, so we go. This market is so
named from the amount of Junk that
is on sale here much of which is of
doubtful ownership, from the vile
class that are always found here
We find the market coming within
two blocks of the palace and extend
ing into the poorer part of the city.
We pass through the market, it is
sickening sight. Here we see them
serving lunches; they pat out the
tortilla, fry it, cut off length of
fried intestines of some animal, not
cleaned, place it between the tortillas
and the natives have delicacy for
their meal. The stencil is sickening !;
our, ladies wish to return; the crowd
does not look as congested ahead and
l propose that we go TO the first cross
street where we can get out of this
awful place We turn the corner off
this street, Mrs. Matteson and Hughes
are about three rods i'll the rear.
hear scream, look back, a man is
running with hand bag and Mrs.
Matteson following. l join in the
chase, turn the corner; he has disap-
peared in the crowd. Turning round,
Miss Hughes has n policeman he
leads US through the crowd about two
blocks. Here are two policemen, one
with the thief held with strap round
the arm, the other with the broken
handled hand bag
They motion us to follow. For ten
blocks we follow. the crowd on either
side moving with us Our culprit,
though painting from his run, seems
little concerned. He lights cigar
cite and shows no uneasiness. We en-
ter dingy looking place, am seated
in the office portion; an Interpreter
asks as to the hand bag, how long we
are TO be in the city, says we will
be detained three months if a civil
trial is undertaken, that there is one
way of disposing of the case by SEN
tence to the army, asks if five years
in the army would be satisfactory. L
am more than satisfied, the Judge
comes in from an adjoining room,
gives the sentence. tells me no Ameri-
can should visit that part of the city
without a policeman which will
be always willingly furnished, tells a
policeman to go with him to the plaza
and the incident is finished.
Let me say right here that the police
system of Mexico is as good as there
is in the world.
Continued next week)