The log cabin Democrat., 1909-09-15

larger cities of the plateau.
 In the courtyard of the Cathedral
 and under its very caves, is great
 gambling pavilion. Here the inherent
 gambling propensities of the race
 have full play. Men, women ana
 children, rich aud poor, sit side by
 side for hours, playing their game
 with bits of glass and kernels of corn The penitent, coming from prayers,
 hies himself to the game; the game
 ster who has lost his all has but to step across the court to enter the church and beseech the aid of his
 patron saint in his next venture. While cotton, sugar cane, tobacco
 and coffee are the principal products of the surrounding country, oranges, lemons, almonds and bananas of the finest kind grow here in abundance. The peak of OriZaba is several miles
 distant, but 1t seems fairly to over shadow the place There has been | no eruption of the volcano since 154b, when there was a violent one. The streets of the town are paved with a lava formation from the ancient erup- tions
 At Jalapillo, hamlet some three
 miles below, parties are made up for the ascent of the volcano. It Is said 1 to be a comparatively easy ascension, requiring about four days for the trip, only one of which must be made on | foot It is possible to use horses on | the trail, with the exception of the | last day On the slopes of Orizaba, l every variety of climate, vegetation
 and animal life may be found. There ] are 100 different kinds of trees which are valuable for timber.
 On the outskirts of the city Is the 1 hill called "El Borrego" locally of in- 1 terest as having been the scene of | battle between the French and Mexi- i cans. The Alameda, a fashionable drive, runs out to the hill.
 The streets of the town are so mar TOW that almost no wheeled vehicles are seen on them. All the burdens
 are carried on the backs of Indian cargadores or burros.
 The Indians come to market twice week, carrying on their backs great packs of vegetables and fruits, or chickens with their legs tied all to- gsther. and more dead than alive by the time are thrust down at the mar ket. They are also peddled from house to house, the "pollero" untying i them for the housewifes inspection. Meat Is also peddled about on burros The Indian women make beautiful i thread lace as they jog along, and one can often pick up piece of fine lace for song from them.
 Cordoba, about 12 miles below Orizaba, is one of the most picturesque of the smaller towns. It Is just in siGe the zone of the "tierra caliente," and here are grown some of the most delicious fruits to be found anywhere [ The tropical fruit, called the Manila
 mango" and the tiny, yellow banana, abodt as large as ones finger, are brought to the train by the Indians,
 and are eagerly snapped up by travel
 CTS, us they are too perishable to be shipped. Orchids Of the most exquis-
 ite cCloring and Of infinite variety, gre offered for sale for a mere pit tance. There is an old moss grown, weather-beaten church here, where a sleepy parde sings an occasional mass to sleepy congregation. In the plaza in front of the church, idlers doze on tle quaint old benches. No one seems to have anything to do. The only thing to disturb the slumbers of
 the place is the passing of the train , from Mexico to Vera Cruz in the morning, and the train from Vera Cruz to Mexico in the afternoon. The
 rest of the time 1t rests in peace, slnothered under the brilliant and lux uriant flowers of the tropics.
 4 Real ChuckIe Head