New-York tribune., 1916-07-16
HeMexican Is So Polite
That We Think That He
Must Be MSincere-He
Is NotLaSy, but He Has
Practically None of the
americans Eternal De-
sire to Get Things Done

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TO their means and station. But once
arrived in the ancient capital Of Monte
yuma many of them are inspired in the
most astounding fashion to attract at
tention to themselves. On sunday al
ternoon, in the crowded Paseo, | have
seen. for instance, in cabs, undoubtedly
respectable women from my country
with enormous straw sombreros on
their heads and about their shoulders
those brilliant and hideous Mexican
sarapes-woven for the tourist trade, 1t
is said. in Germany. All the rest OF the
world was, of course in its Paris best,
and staring at them with amazed eyes.
In Mexico the only possible circum-
stance under which a native woman OF
any position whatever would wear
peon hat would be a hot day in the
depths of the country, were she forced
to travel in an open vehicle or on horse
back. AS for sarapes, they, of course,
are worn only by men. The effect these
travellers produced upon the local mind
was somewhat analogous to that which
a party of Mexican ladies would pro-
duce upon the mind of New York should
they decide to drive up Fifth Avenue
wearing polcemen's helmets and varie-
gated trousers. Only Mexican women
would never do the one, while American
women frequently, from motives ! am
at loss to account for, do the other
Then. once in a small town to which
large parties rarely go, | saw half a
dozen men and women suddenly detach
themselves from their crowd on being
told that a certain middle-aged man,
bidding goodby to some guests at his
front door was the Governor of the
state. At distance of from ten to fiji
teen feet of him they deliberately TO-
cussed their kodaks on the group and
pressed the button. Afterward | asked
one of the men with whom the Gov
ernor had been talking if the Governor
had commented upon the matter.
"Why, yes, was the reply. 'He said,
with a shrug, obviously from the
United States and then went on with
his conversation"
ONE source of dissatisfaction to
" travellers for whom foreign trav-
ell has always meant Europe is that
there are so few Sights" in Mexican
towns. By sights" / mean the gal
leries of sculpture and painting, the
palaces and the castles, the frescos, the
architectural fragments, the tombs, the
relics and the interminable museums
crammed with dead worlds Junk, over
which the conscientious may exhaust
their necks and backs. European cities
even as comparatively small as Stock
holm and Copenhagen possess museums
where, guidebook in hand, people re-
main for whole days examining ugly,
labelled little implements fashioned in
the stone age, the bronze age, the iron
age, and every other city has among
other treasures a few miles of minute,
Dutch masters before which to trudge,
too weary to appreciate their marvel
lous skill or to realize their beauty. But
in Mexican towns there are none OF
these things, and the traveller whose
days have not been mapped out for him
and who is not in the habit of strolling,
Of sitting in churches, of shamelessly
idling in parks and plazas, is likely to
complain of lack of occupation. 1t is
difficult for him to accept the fact that
the most notable sight in Mexico is SIM
ply Mexico.
Copyright by d. Appleton e. Co.
TooI h.,