Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1916-10-20
sIIIsiI
SCENE IN 0lkN{AJUETO

| A STRIKING picture of native life
| ~ in Guanajuato, the treasure
| n chest of mercurial Mexico, is
given in a communication to
the National Geographic society by
Frank III. Probert. Mr.. Probert reveals
the Mexican poems as they are known
only to the American who has lived
among them.
Leaving the walled Enclosure of the
railroad yards, says he, one looks down
on the apparently cramped and crowd
ed city of Guanajuato, capital of the
| richest of the south central states of
Mexico. Hard by, to the right, is the
bull ring, the scene on Sundays and
fiestas of farcical combats between
| two-legged brutes and four-legged
| beasts.
In the soft sunshine of summer days
the first vista of the city is striking in
| deed. Churches of magnificent proper
tons; ancient and modern architec-
lures strangely blended in the same
edifice; stately buildings; imposing
markets; stores of all descriptions !;
and dwelling places, rudely bare, vari-
ously colored with neutral tints of cal
Gimme, their grated windows and open
doors exhibiting to all the sparsely
| furnished interior where bird, beast
and human eat and live together. The
sordid squalor of the many contrasts
strikingly with the oppressive opu-
lence OF the few.
The cobblestone streets are crooked
and narrow; so narrow, in fact that
caballeros must take to the sidewalk
to permit of the passing of any kind OF
vehicle. The dingy tram cars drawn by
relays of mules, three abreast, beaten
into subsection by the singing lash
| or coaxed into action by the curses OF
the youthful drivers, whose vernacular
is wonderfully expressive and effec-
tive; indeed, doubt if anything but
mule can really appreciate the depth
of feeling and irresistible persuasive
ness of the vile expressions.
Odd Sights in the Streets.
| What strange sights one can see in
| these main arteries of the. city!
have set my camera on the balcony OF
nv room at the Woods hotel and will
snap what passes by. At first, herd
of patient-plodding burros loaded down
with slabs of the pale green sandstone
| auarried near by and used for build
ing purposes; legless cripple shuffies
along on a board, propelling himself
with his hands; cargador trots along
| tirelessly with his awkward burden, in
this case a sewing machine; more bur-
ros overloaded with charcoal; another
! pack struggles under the weight OF
Sacked ore from the mines; still an
| other bearing grain to the market, and
the street car demanding loudly clear
track; a funeral procession where
laughing children carry a baby's cas-
ket. swaying from side to side to the
| accompaniment of anything but appro-
| pirate music, and behind the Inourners
| in silent s3lemnity.
Strangely superstitious are these
people. Grossly ignorant, constant in
! their faith, pathetic in their simple
ity, kindly and respectful, their life is
epitOmized in the verse:
LET the world slide, let the world go;
A fig for care and fig for woe!
If can't pay, why l can owe,
And death makes equal the high and
low"
Hanging Judas Iscariot in Effigy.
TITS Eastern Sunday morning. L am
awakened at early dawn by the footing
of tin horns, accompanied by the So
norous screeches of bass viols and fid-
| dies as sounds are sawn from their
strings; by the shutting of sandaled
| feet over the stones of the street, and
by the babel of voices of passing poems.
| Church bells clang, sirens scream,
whistles wildly mingle in the melody OF
| merriment; for is not this the DAY
when Judas Iscariot is to be hung IN
| efigy.
A grotesque dummy figure IS pa
| raded through the town, followed by
| the ieering and cheering crowds, VINO
have risen early to give expression TO
| their righteous indignation against the
betrayer. After circling the city the,
| procession halts, Judas is promptly
| yanked by the ropes from the bearers
| and bangles in midair, a sorry sight,
| spit anon. cursed, condemned, con-
| signed TO everlasting purgatory, to
which place, at sunset, he is sent by
the explosion of dynamite concealed
| in his carcass. Ribaldry runs riot as
the day advances. and night falls on
an exhausted though happy people.
What matters If the prison is over
crowded that night, or that the supply
of pulque or mescal Is depleted almost
to the degree of exhaustion?
To the casual visitor from the
States the habits and customs of these
lowIy people are strange, but fasci-
mating. They do not need our COM