The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

the fandango and the guitar players. all attired in most bizarre costumes, and all drinking pnlque. I have never seen any thing to surpass the pandemonium of h- lafity and display of coler except in tho st eets Of Cairo upon festive occasion.
 Mexico is land without ehimneys as all the cooking is done with charcoal m Dutch ovens and this peculiar feature EiNes the city an exceedingly odd ap- pearance when viewed from some elevat- ed position The police system is lile- w4se rather unconventional The officer spcrds most of his time during the day leaning against a lamp post upon the cor nes and at night he places q lantern ir the middle of the street to direct tho carriage traffic while he sleeps upon a blanket in neighhoring doorway
 Another strange feature is the public hack system. in which the color of small tin flags attached to the top of the ve- hicie indicates the amount of fare to he paid for service; thus a green flag means a dollar and half the hour; blue flag, a dollar for the same time and a white flag n cents They do an excellent business on fete dave ard when the hull hgkts are in progress. for the governs ment has forbidden these brutal eNhibi- tions within the city and the bull pits arc some six miles beyond the suburbs. On such occasions the pageant which Is 10 De seen aStonlSneS visitors ana cnafnlS them with it's presentation of the char acteristies of poeticas and pleasure loving people. For miles may be seen train of vehicles horsemen and pe- destrians winding along the Pasco de lus Flcres ttlower Promenadel which skirts the Visa. the picturesque canal that leads from the city to the Floating Gar dens of the ancient Aztecs. The vehicles embrace every imaginahle style from the closed carriage oc the Mexican nlillon- aife to Velocipedc and open harouchcs. eoepes, victorias, dog carts, wagonettes. trcyoes and bicycles are included with in the range.
 At the same time the canal Is GOV cred with canoes and craft somewhat resembling the Venetian goudola. all en route to the hanging gardens. The occa- sion resembles the festivals of the Mo- hGmmedans when the entire nopulace of Constantinople takes to the sweet wa ters of Europe for da9 of pleasure.
 In lieu of purchasing horns and rat ties as we do upon Christmas and New Years eve. the MeXicans supply them selves upon thcsc occasions with thou sands of little matrices of tim wood. iron, ivory and even silver. and fash ioned in all fnagiuahle kinds of shape Some of them arc made in the figure of huge hnmmingbirds. others AS birds of paradise. chickens, parrots. reptiles. fry Ing pans. fruits, flowers and musical inc SN'HHlffitSt iltN are lNtfifH fHnlulN around and emit by means of wooden srring inside most tnearthly noise. They are intended to ridienle and typ- fy the cry ot "Crucifv Him, Crucify hlnt' when our Savior was led to the cross
 The Mexlcans also have ceremony known as burning the traitor the trai,- or heinz q manilIn or miniature devil of various sizes and many eolora with horns. humped backs and distorted limbs all designed to increase the hideousness of the image. The manisln Is filled With niecraclsers. the moustache forming the fuse, and when the church bells com nlence to ring at 10 o'clock in the morn Ing the demons are exploded. Compared to tho noise which they make an Amer icar Christmas or Fourth of July is as q New England sabbath.
 There is no gainsaying that the Mev- jeans are cruel cruel In their pleasures; their passions and their pastimes; ana vet there is deep vein of compassion running through their natures They make ample provisions for the sick and unfortunate and in Mexico City alone there are over n dozen large hospitals nnd as many foundlin~ and orphan asv- lulns and institutions of charity. as well as industrial schools They are all well equipped and compare Tn their apnoint- fnents and management with similar iu- sdsutions in any country.