ago in an earthquake! An attractive feature of Mexican houses is the flat roofs, or _azoteas_. These are often made accessible from the interior and adorned with plants and flowers, and even the heavy rain-storms of certain regions do not seem to influence this type of construction or demand the rapid watershed of the gabled roof. During the time of the conquest of the City of Mexico these _azoteas_ formed veritable coigns of vantage for the Aztecs, who poured down a hail of darts and stones upon the besiegers. The _plaza_ of the Spanish-American city is its main centre. Thence the principal streets emerge, and there, upon its prettily planted and shady promenade foregather the people to listen to the _serenata_, or playing of the band on frequent occasions. The Mexicans are passionately fond of music, and a wise governmental sentiment has found that it is a useful part of government. Therefore it is decreed that the bands shall play, free of cost, to the multitude. In some cities the plaza-promenade has two paved footpaths adjoining each other--the inner for the _elite_ and well-dressed class, the outer for the _peon_ and Indian class. It would be manifestly impossible that the hordes of blanket-clothed, _pulque_-saturated, ill-smelling, and picturesque lower class could rub shoulders with the _gente decente_ or upper class, nor do they desire to do so. They take their fill of the music quite indifferent to the presence of their superiors in the social grade, and the vendors of native sweetmeats, cooling drinks, and fruits ply their trade among them. On one side of the plaza, in the smaller towns, there are booths or tables where food is being cooked and displayed for the lower orders; and the savoury odour of _frijoles_ and _tortillas_, or other matters of satisfaction to the _peon_, greet the nostrils of the promenader from time to time. The well-dressed _senoritas_ and their male acquaintances, with ceaseless _charla_, or small-talk, promenade round and round the plaza, flirting, laughing, and enjoying life in a way that seems only possible to the Latin race. Indeed, the plaza is the principal meeting-place of the sexes.