The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-05-16
Tourists Find Life There Easy
With Drinks Cheap
JAIL SYSTEM UNPLEASAN 7
Native Beverages That Are as Dyna.
mite and Liquid Fire-SampIes
of American Tramps at Mex
lean Capital.
From the Omaha Bee.

py in the thought that his exodus will
also mark the fight OF the American
hobo.
No spot on the globe is safe from the
invasion of the tramp if it be accessible
by rail, and Mexico City, although many
leagues from the border of the United
States, Is no exception to the rule He
crosses the Rio Grande at 81 Paso, Eagle
Pass and Laredo. A knowledge of Span
ish, while helpful, is by no means a ne
cessity as his victim is invariably one Of
his own countrymen.
The men in charge of train crews are
usually Americans, and few of them are
so hinty hearted as to ditch him in a for
eign country. Arriving at the capital he
or course finds many people who speak
English. San Juan de Letran, San Fran
cisco and Independence streets are in
tested with American tramps, and the dis
bursement of the tourist on this account
is considerable item of his travelling
expenses.
Scuse me, mister, I'm 'Merican cit
izen. Kin yer stake me to a piece of
changer"
This is his usual salutation and you
turn and discover a scarecrow that puts
to shame even the Mexican peon The
sartorial effects achieved by the hobo in
his own country are often wonderful to
behold. but after a thousand mile trip
through the cactus of the Mexican pa-
teau he has Weary Willie backed up
against the wall and strangled to death.
Sacrllege in Signs.
Hand him a little change and follow
him. He will lead you into the native
quarter and disappear into a saloon bear
ing perhaps the inscription over the door,
"Bueno TEMPO de Jesus" and this is
likely to be on Holy Ghost street
Here he may obtain for less money
than anywhere else on earth varied as
sortment of drink that will make a man
go home and rob his own trunk and think
he is getting away with 1t. For Mexico
is undoubtedly the paradise of the thirsty
man.
There is wonderful plant indigenous
to Mexico which is responsible for this
state of affairs, called the maguey,
large variety of the cactus family, which
when they get it up in the states they
dub the century plant. This plant will
grow anywhere apparently without help
from man or water. The more uninviting
the land the more it fourished, and it will
not be denied existence even where the
scorpion or centipede would scorn to
abide And this plant is the fountain
head of Mexican intoxicants, than which
there are no more terrific under the sun
When the plant has reached the age of
three years the large central stalk Is cut
mately from three quarts to gallon.
Each morning this will be found filed
with a sweet, nutty liquid called aqua
miel (sweet water, Misunderstanding and
very refreshing.
In "a hours, If removed from the cavity
Il will ferment and this fermented liquid
/ is called pulque, resembling in appearance
and tasting somewhat like sour butter
milk Our friend the tramp can get a
drink of this much larger than anything
the Bowery or South Clark street has to
offer for three cents Mexican. 1t Is pos
sible to get beautiful souse on by means
of this stuff, but a man needs all the
seven stomachs of a camel to hold 1t
Pulque Puffs EN- Up.
Puluue when distilled is known as mez-
cal. A whisky glassful of this dynamite
and the tramp wants to go out to the
bull ring and show the toreros some new
stunts; two of them and he starts to re-
model Don Porf1rio's government; three
and he'll head a revolutionary party for
Central America. and four, the finish,
lands him in the comisaria.
A Redistribution of mezcal gives a dia-
bolical liquif1ed fire known as tequila. A
Mexican can handle tequila to a mild ex-
tent and 1t has cost centuries OF applfca-
ton and constant practice to bring him to
this state of perfection, but an American
neverl Each ounce Of this is guaranteed
headaches and a Jail sentence
A jail sentence in Mexico, by the way,
is not exactly a delightful diversion They
have an institution here known as Be
lem. When Mr.. Tramp goes to Belem he
is placed in a room which for simplicity
is sure winner. It is simply cell con-
tanning absolutely nothing but a floor,
ceiling, four walls and a bad smell.
Here he must stay for Y hours, strictly
incommuncado, which means that in all
that time he speaks to no one. In fact,
does not even hear human voice. It's
great correttor for the over exuberant,
and a guaranteed panacea for all kinds of
skates. tequila and otherwise. The tramp
is not considered citizen by his frat un-
til he has dome his u"
Not at All Cast Down.
Some of the stories they hand out are
an insult to ones intelligence. For in
stance:
Hello, ole sport; guess I didn't see
you before. hey? Say, I'm Pedestrian
Pete. Know bout me, don't you? No?
That's funny.
"Why. Tn walkin' round the world for
the cup offered by the NYork Atheletic
club an a ten thousan' dollar purse I'm
Oayin' me respects to all the Mericans
goin' through. Got in from Guadala1ara
las night an gotter beat 1t fer Very
cruz termorrer to live up to me schedule.
the whole hog on me noive, and 1T is sure
tough proposition. But I'm goin' ter
be champeen If 1t kills me.
Say, fer the honor of 'Merican ath-
letics kin yer pass me some coin? I'm all
In
Pete, by the way, looks as much like
an athelete as a Mexican dime resembles
a double eagle, and his wonderful globe
trotting legs are trembling under him.
When you Inquire II he has any letters
Of Identification he will tell you he left
them with the mayor until ready to take
the road again, 'as pervided in me con-
trac."
Another will tell you he is an engineer
and lost out through the merger of the
Mexican Central and National lines, anc
further inquiry will develop the fact that
he doesn't know the injector of loco
motive from it's firebox. When you tax
him with this lack of elementary knowl-
edge of his alleged occupation he will
probably own up and plaintively COM
plain:
"Well, say, wot kin guy do wots
tree t'ousan miles from Park row? I
amt no engineer, boss, but I ulster break
once on de G. an A., an l amt had nut
tin ter eat fer two days"
Hand him something and he streaks 1t
for a cantina.
Veteran Roughnecks.
Then there Is the genuine roughneck
variety, who lie, II anything, dirtier and
perhaps more nsolent, but plainly states
his wants without the embellishments of
fiction. This breed is composed of those
who have been in the capital for some
time He will whistle to you from the
doorway of a saloon, and If you are fool
ish enough to heed him he'll spring some
thing like this.