The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-23

| it into threads and throws it away. 1t seems that the company desires to have three checks on every fare, this indicating a slight lack of faith in the integrity of | the conductors.
 Manners of the People From hotel proprietor to bootblack | the Mexican will receive a tip. Give a waiter 20 centavos, a dime in American ] money, and he will stand on his head for | your delight The only man in Mexico which the writer found who declined tip was an educated Aztec Indian, who showed the mysteries of the Obispado. But the Mexican is universally polite. The American citizen in Monterey who shows the slightest intention of conduct ing himself properly will receive every attention which the Mexican can bestow. In this they have Americans beaten also. The stranger who has difficulty in find ing his way will be given the most pa tent consideration by the Mexican he meets on the streets This fact might be traced to the indolence of the Mexican, but he is polite. conslcerate and patient, nevertheless, this being true in spite of the fact that 1t is said the average Mex ican entertains very little regard for the American visitor
 To the credit of the Mexican, it must be said, furthermore, that he makes no at tempt to hold up" the visitor. His prices are most reasonable, indeed and it is much cheaper to spend a night and day in Mexico than the same periods of time
 In a comparatively small American city as San Antonio, Tex.
 The capitol of Neuva Leon Is located in Monterey and is the most pretentious building of the city. Indeed, it is worthy of a capitol building of one of the Amer
 can states. It is bigger than the capitol at Montgomery, or Atlanta, though can not compare with the magnificent capitol building at Austin.
 In the plazas and to the front of the public buildings are statues of national heroes of Mexico, HiGaigo, the priest who led the 1S10 revolt against the foreign born rulers; Iturbide. Montezuma, Santa Anna, Diaz and others.
 Palace of the Bishop
 But the one spot of greatest historic in- terest is the Obispado the palace of the bishop" situated on one of the tallest peaks of the Sierra Madre. This struc- ture of massive stone and beautiful in- terior decoration stands about midway up the side of the peak of cold stone. It has long since fallen in decay, for it was con- structed in 17S0. A guide is stationed at the Obispado, however, and he takes great pleasure in revealing the mysteries of the place.
 f way seen from height of about 30 feet. He explains that this leads in various d- rections through the heart of the moun- tain. and half way down the opposite side There he points out a jagged open ing between the rocks, between the walls oi which man can stand erect and move with ease. He explains that this. is one of the openings of the underground pas sageway made use of by the monks of the long ago in the mysterious business in which they were engaged.
 The guide will endeavor to tell that this palace of the bishop is connected by the underground passage with the old missions located near San Antonio. Tex, $50 miles away. But there is no authori- tative proof that he is speaking correct ly. But when it is seen that the passage way moves through the heart of a noun tain or rock, it is very easy to imagine that it formerly led beneath San Fran cisco cathedral. several miles away.
 The people of Mexico are of the Cath ollie faith, naturally. and 1t is probable that there is not protestant among the natives. In Monterey there are numer- ous massive and impressive if not beau.i- full clutches, and in these. always open to the public, continues unbroken services. A member enters, remains a while after making the stations, and departs.
 The most devout drop upon their knees at the door of entrance. and crawl to the altar hundred feet distant. Sometimes the aisle Is filled with crawling men, women and children.
 At nightfall. electric lights are seen on the streets, but they are scarcely larger than the 16 candlepower globes with which the homes of Birmingham are filed. As a result the streets of Monterrey are very dark. and furnish excellent opportunity if not for the plying by robbers of their nefgarious trade.
 The guide will tell you that at night there are hundred places to which he would decline to lead you, and that by American into one or more communities.