Mexico abounds with the most beautiful and wonderful flowers. Many are
unknown even to horticulturists. One of the novel flowers I heard of
was one which grew on the San Jose hacienda, some twenty-two leagues
from the City of Tehuantepec. In the morning it is white, at noon it is
red, and at night it is blue. At noon it has a beautiful perfume, but
at no other time. It grows on a tree.
There are very few fires in Mexico, and it is a blessing to the
citizens; they have one fire company, but no alarms. When there is a
fire the policemen nearest give the customary alarm, three shots in
the air from his revolver; the next policeman does the same, and on up
until they come to the policeman near the firemen's office. The fires
are always out or the place reduced to ashes before those noble laddies
put in an appearance.
On every corner is hung a sign, giving a list of all the business
places on that block.
The turkeys in Mexico are the most obliging things I ever saw; they are
brought into town in droves and they never scatter, but walk quietly
along, obeying the voice of their driver. If he wants a drink he makes
them lie down and they stay until he returns.
Mail is delivered every day in the week, Sunday not excepted. Every
letter-box contains a slip which the carrier fixes, which tells when
the next collection will be made. Printed slips are published daily,
and hung in the corridors of the post-office, of unclaimed letters and
papers, and of those that have not gone out for lack of postage.
Houses are never labeled "To Let" when they are empty; a piece of white
paper is tied to the iron balcony and everybody knows what it means. No
taxes are paid on empty houses or uncultivated land. People never rent
houses by the year, but by the day or week; they can move at any time
they wish; this makes landlords civil.
Grass is cut in the park with a small piece of zinc, which is sharpened
on a stone, and it is raked with a twig broom.
No houses have bathrooms, but the city is well supplied with public
swimming baths. One can have a room and private bath for twenty-five
cents. Everybody of any note takes a bath every morning. It is quite a
pretty and yet strange sight to see the beautiful young girls coming
leisurely up the prominent thoroughfares early in the morning, with
their exquisite hair hanging in tangled masses, often to their feet.
They are always attended by a maid.
Mexican ladies have a contempt for people who do not have servants.
They never carry anything on the streets; but always have a mozo, even
to carry an umbrella.
Because Vera Cruz has such a largo death rate from yellow fever the
Mexicans have named it _La Ciudad de los Muertos_ (the city of the
dead).
In Yucatan the Maya language is still used. It is very musical and is
written all in capitals.
It is considered polite and quite a compliment for a man to stare at
a lady on the streets. I might add that the men, by this rule, are
remarkably polite.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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