The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-30

leather. and at the right and the left
are Two sombreros Of black, laced back
and forth with great bands of silver
There are hats as green as the win,
OF that parrot which the peddlcr ms
thrust into our eyes. and hats Of nlusb
as Wh-te as snow. with golden cmbrod-
cry woven about them take up ono
o. these sombreros and nut on a
blanket to make myself look like n
Mexican. and am photographed to
snow how they look Ny hat weigh g
several pounds and 1t is worth $40
Other clothing costs almost as much
go into tailoring establishment
further on up the street. and look ~.
some riding trousers of buckstin. with
soma silver buttons lining the seams.
fine pair costs $40 and the short
roundabout Jackets embroidered with
silver are likewise as high I enter !,
saddle establishment next door which
ms saddles and brides with trappings
o. silver. and am told that tho hacien
onoc often spends several hundred dol
lars on his equestrian outfit in addition
t. the cost of his horse
RMS land is one of tho rich and tba
poor The rich have so much that they
sduan der their money, and the poor
are so desperately so that they do not
reahze now poor they are The most
of them dress in cotton. with a blankot
Wihch costs not more than a dollar.
Ihcy nave leather sandals which arc
| nothing more than two strips of thick
cowhide large enough TO cover the sole
OF me foot and tied on with strings.
such iootgear costs about % cents n
pair
Some Queer Signs.
7u' iet us go on with our walk
Z Gin
iron; Of which we are standing. You
might think those letters spell Hats
and Sombreros." They 90 not They
read Puerto del Sol" or Gate OF the
sun y little further on is n barrier
shop called LA Parla." or The Pearl
ana around the way Il tobacconist sells
.isaFs under sign of THE White
%at, know OF pulque saloon
pu!que is the beer Of the pcasant-
winch goes by the title OF The Sane
tuary,' and in the Street Of the HOLY
GHOST there is another called Tho
HanS-Out of John the Baptist =
some stores have such names as we
suvius.' THE Violets," The Pearl OF
the Occident," The White Rose ia
ieFi ,,,1, ana The Drinking Place
10 tldalSo. The old time merchan;
never puts his own name over the
store. hut, like the Chinese chooses
instead some fancy title which gives
no Indication Of who he is or what lie
/ j. selling
odd business Methods.
ne customs inside the stores are as
atraAse as the signs. |; is only the
/ department. stores and principal shops
which have any fixed prices. and Won
are usually asked three times what the
merchant thinks you will pay. This
.; especially so rs 10 foreigners. whom
'hc CLERKS arc sometimes allowed to
ena'Sc what they please, in which case
'heH may recolv" percentages of all
Owe the regular price.
There is but little cutting of priccs
onr motto is quick sales and small
profits The motto Of the Mexican
merchant is big profits no matter how
$40" the sales. and he keeps his goods
on the shelves until the price is paid
lie buys or long time and one and
'Wo years credit is not uncommon He
s .,, largelY for cash. and he often
gives credit. But am told he will not
pay cash even if he has idle money
when buying new stock.
/ hnd that mercantile credits here
are as good as those of the United
states. although many men charge that
the MeXicans are tricky in dealing.
They are said however to meet their
biils, and it is claimed that 80 per
cent OF these long credit sales are paid
in fun The English and Germans un
dcrstand this and take advantage of
", whereas the American more often
demands cash with the order thereby
losing a sale.
Fine stores tn Mexico City.
fheTe arc now many American
stores in the Mexican capital, and most
of them have fixed prices marked in
plain figures. but. even so. YOU car
get some reduction in these days OF
hard times. About the finest establish.
mcnts arc the jewelry stores They are
filled with gold and silver trinkete
from Paris and with precious stones OF
all kinds. find such places In almos,
every block, and along the Avcnida
san francisco are many which would
he credit to Boston or New York
There are also big groceries. dry good.
stores and hardware establishments
The curio stores are interesting. The,
sell Mexican drawn work, stamped
leathers in the shape of pocketbook:
and purses, and Spanish fans. lace.
and mant!llas. Nearly every such shoI
has half peck or of opals which
\ IT sells by the piece or the handful
according to quality. Some of thes,
stones arc beautiful. and an especially
fine one will bring 500 and upward
Others, which may reflect all the color,
OF the rainbow, are punched togethe,
and sold at a few dollars pint.
There are cigar stones everywhere
Every one in Mexico from the Iate,,
weaned baby to the gray-haired ole
| grown-up on the edge OF the grave
smokes cigars or cigarettes. This i.
so OF male and female Mexico make.
excellent brands OF tobacco. and tina.
about twice as cheap as in the states