Norwich bulletin., 1913-04-08

play last night The wardrobes were poor but rich in color, and the acting was nature itself. Such pantenimes, such gestures full of meaning; work men going home from the fields Indian women going home from the same work work in the same fields, with water jars set firmly upon their shoulders oi heads They were not tired. because they cast most of their burdens upon the backs of long suffering, poor little dcnkeys. One of the most noticeable things Is that Mexico is not gay city. There are no eut-of- door fetes, no eat ing of ices in public. nc cage -chantants. nothing to suggest the gay life of Paris.
 Next morning we visited the Cathe- dral, built or near the site of the Aztec temple. It's interior in Gothic style is rich and costly in decora ton. The wealth Of the golden realm of Mex ico was literally poured out here with out stint. To my way of thinking, it's interior was much marred by an ord1 nary wooden floor (please note the dis crepancy) while the altar erected on platform in the center of the building was made of highly wrought and high. " polished silver. Between the alta. and the choir, also about the tri- bunal railings are made of a com pound of gold, silver and copper more valuable than silver and made in China Here H1dalgo is buried, and in one of the chapels, 1turbide, first emperor of Mexico is laid to rest
 The balusters are about four feet nlSh ana IOur 1ncneS In1ck Tn the iaf2- est part. and the hand rail from six te, eight inches wide. Upon the top of this handrail are beautifully wrought images used as candelabrac. The jew eled vestments of the Virgin enshrineI in this building are said to have cost three million dollars.
 Near it are gay booths (thus the gay and sOmbre mix in life) devoted to the sale of cool drinks, aguuaS nevados. The large jars in which these are con- tained are fine specimens of ceramic ware.
 Museum of Antiquities.
 With a characteristic taste in deco ratlons, the Indians sometimes cover the whole front of their booths with flowers. Dusky senoritas. with straight inscriptions in lovely pink and blue corn flowers. Figures go by whose blankets one longs to tear from their shoulders for portieres. The quite of the informing character one might suppose. It's greatest charm is the large sacrffcial stone, an immense rond block of green porphyry, weight rately with uncanny figures, illustrat- ing acts of strange worship and bumped on it's upper surface so that the breast of the victim could be reached There was a cavity in the center, with a groove running from it to the edge or the altar to lead away the blood.
 As l think I have said before, art is little encouraged in Mexico, and there are few pictures of any consequence in the best Mexican houses. Many I bright genius has had to exercise the thoughts that burn within him on the interior of some old pulque shop. The interior of these shops and the drink itself. is an interesting study.
 Pulque is from the maguey or cent 1 ury plant, and it grows wild every 1 where. It is useful throughout fur nishing thread, needles, cord. rope l thatch, paper and is an effective bar 1 rier for chance wandering cattle. It | also bears palatable fruit. The prin- l cipal value is in its sap from which 1 the national drink is made. The Indi- l ans know exactly when the blossom is | ready for use, then the whole heart ie 1 leaves as a border. Into this deer 1 cavity the sap flows and is dipped out l two or three times a day. This impro- 1 Vised bowl of the plant will hold a pail ful of the sweet water. After twenty l four hours this ferments and becomes , pulque.The sap of one plant often runs | three months, then the plant dies, anu 1 others spring up from it's roots to go -hro' the same process. This drink has milk and yeast. Very disa greeable l 'ound it. Intoxication from it's excess 'ive use we found very common
 We chose a bright. sunny afternoonsI or our glimpse of the Floating Gard l lens This is decidedly a misnomer. Tn l ,ur day the gardens do not float, they ire simply light rafts of woven reels ,n which turf is heaped; these are l frightened by pretty patches of gay