The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-14
George F. Pa
 for January.

George F. Paul in the Travel Magazine
 for January.
 if VERY trait of beauty" says
 Gho St. Pierre, may be traced to
 some virtue. as to innocence, It is probably the innocent candor that makes the faces of the Mexican women of the poorer classes so attractive. Of course with many of them, where battle for a mere existence is always to be waged, the stamp of this struggle is indelibly impressed upon their features and immediately elicits that sympathy which makes the whole world kin. Most Mexican women of the upper class speak both English and French in addition to their native Spanish. Perhaps the great est charm of the upper classes is their extreme kindliness of manner. Harsh language is unknown; their words are sweet and subdued. The most beauti- full women in Mexico, one will be told. are found at Jalapa, a charming city half way between the mountains and the gulf. If disappointed in these the seeker is directed to the twin city of Orizaba- Finally, as a last resort the charms of the sunny maids of Oaxaca and Mitla are mentioned. In the streets of Oaxaca may be seen the peculiar headdress of the Tehuantepeo Indians, for this city is on the border land of the isthmus that bears that name. A formidable array of stiffly starched linen encircles the head and acts as a framework for face that shows rugged health. In a climate where 1t is always summer clumsy sleeves and choking collars would make life un- bearable; hence they are not shown on the fashion plates. For over 300 years the uipfl has been the traditional dress, and win probably serve as the model for 300 years to come. The garment is kept of snowy whiteness. and especial ly on feast days and Sundays its ini- maculate purity Is the greatest care of the Yucatecana. The mestizos. or half castes of Merida are justly famed for their beauty With this beauty goes a certain pardonable pride. shown by tho fact that they live in portion of the city by themselves.
 Many a Mexican woman partly owes her 1.-the figure and erect carriage to the water jar that she fills at the public foun- tain. She makes a pretty picture as she .skims along under the well poised burden. her garments nutterinG, her sup- pie body swaying in rhythmic movements. If anything could and will destroy the beauty of such a picture 1t is the omni- present cigarette. Mexico has several monster factories that turn out thousands of cigarettes every hour It is no exag- geration to say that one-hfth of these cigarettes will be smoked by women. To see them smoking, one does not have to penetrate to the inmost patios of their home; the woman who boards the train at the next station will have her cigarette kindled before the conductor appears for her ticket; the next woman to cross the sunny plaza will be puffing cigarette smoke Into her sleepy baby's nostrils; the wrfnkled crone of 75 who sells lottery tickets for living. will spend half the morning trying to light her cigarette, when tho wonder is that the match in her trembling fingers does not set the lottery tickets afre instead of the cigar cite.
 It is interesting to compare the differ ent types. The stately senora. her eyes 0cht Vtt HSf Pfa5 a5ofpoohs h0r pio~h AoSoS drawn closely about her face. sweeps by us. Graceful senoritas come lightly l tripping along, black eyes sparkling under
 lace mantillas wound coauettishiy around shapely heads. fans dividing attention
 with prayerbook. Softly they enter and 1 knesl. She of the reboso is there, too. | knseling beside her more beautiful sls- l ter.
 | Tho Americans who complain 70 bitter l ly of the biz hat nuisance in the thaa&res would bs miserable in lNexico, where the ] wousa wear tho cost enormous nicturs