The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-03-04

me 1itNlCllu itl6 - 4
amount. / coveted a set OF Je~eis
whose price had been cut from $'oo
down IL $500. but | hough OF tne
customs. which are rigidly enforced
on the borders OF Texas, aud uld not
invest.
Al the Pawnbroking Auctions.
wish could show You n OF Inc
auctions Of this national pawnshop.
They are attended by the motley
throng which makes up the cfoWds
Of the Mexican capital. 1here are
men in sombreros, short Jackets ana
tight-ttting trousers. There are WoIn-
en- in black. with mariiias over theii
heads, and there are people dressed
much the same as those of our cities.
Al tho auctions the pledges include
chromos and oil paintings, bicycle
and mirrors, saddles and harness.
household goods and clothing and
jewelry and trinket Of every magln-
able Iii and description. The goods
are put up al the request or the
would-he purchasers and are OFTEN
sold to the first bidders. The man
picks out his article and it is knock
ed off after giving the others 2
nance. Everything has been ap-
praised, and there is no false bid
ding. The great bargains in good
things. however, are usually sold be-
fore the auctions take place.
Iii VIC AIAkCtSD i AC&s
IN addition to the national pawn
shop there are many private pawn
shops in Mexico City. At these the
loans are more costly and 5 or 10
per cent 4 month is frequently paid.
1t is unsafe to attempt TO borrow on
stolen wares at the Monte de Uiedad,
but this is not so Of the private pawn
shops. and I am told that inany OF
them are fences or receivers OF stolen
goods.
Indeed, there is n market here
which has so much questionable mer-
chandise that it goes by h name OF
the Thieves Market. It is not far.
from the cathedral and just oft of the
main market house OF the city. It is
on a street once occupied by h
palace Of King Montezuma and where
the first bull ring was afterward
established by the Span.ards. On the
same spot thirteen heretics were con-
demned to be burned to death by the
inquisitiOn in 1649, and it is only with
in a century or so that the land mas
been cleared and the property of the
city.
In my walk through this market |
kept my hands on my pocketbook. but
/ was not molested. l examined the
goods. but there was nothing Of value
in the shape Of curios or gold and
silver set with Jewels. The most OF
Ii WAVES SScltlCu u NC LIAIAhCtS,
household goods and old clothing.
There was a great stock Of the latter
and as | looked at the silk dresses
and mems suits Of one kind or an
other I b~ethought me Of the warning
l had when I spent my first night
in Mexico. My adviser vas an old
resident. Said he:
floor Q must be careful to put your
trousers under the mattress and lay
your other clothes near the wall far
thest away from the window, eSpe-
cially SO X you keep your blinds open
This country has many sneak thieves
and there are professionals who have
jointed rods with a hook at the end
by which they an reach through tht
bars II dag out you clothing. 70,
must also watch out fOE your pockets
n especially in crowds and III tn,
street cars. 1t is not safe to leave
your car window open while travelling
on the railways and you wan to keel
, track Of you camera"
| 1.-THE Revolution and Its HOld-upS.
, Since then ! have found reason t
? appreciate these suggestions. 4 mai
travelling with me had his poke
picked two days after he entere,
f Mexico. and this has scared him s.
that he now does not venture GU
| without one han in his trousers.
NSo WA
cable and electric wiring. They Gu
through the roofs to get into tn
stores and warerOoInS and even try t
rob the poor boxes of the churche.
The railways lose thousands of bolt
from the cars and tracks every yea
= and they ever take the fishplates frol
! the rails. Nothing left out of door
c unmatched is safe and / am told thu
d dOormats are usually chained dOwI
q II Is not safe TO put an aSh-barrt
out into the street and ported plant
II and flowers are sometimes Stolel
II while a vacant house frequently lose
$, its lead pipe, electric globes and bat
st fixtures.
lust now in these revolutionaI
times much of the stealing is bar
Is faced and open. There are parts
S, Mexico which swarm with brigant
Of n banditti and where it is unSa1
- to travel ever by ran or in autom.
IT bile. This is especially so outside II
ID cities. Indeed, in u recent railroa
ride which I took through d disturbe
s. section | carried my surplus bills
,t my stocking. had $160 in Amer