Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 October 1885 — Social Life in Mexico. [ARTICLE]

Social Life in Mexico.

With the wealthiest classes the mode of living is patterned after that of Spain. The morning repast consists of coffee and bread, the latter being slightly bitter and flavored according to taste with eggs, grease, or sugar. The noon meal, called breakfast, usually consists and several courses of meat, vegetables, and fruits, and duloa or sweets. Our pies are unknown to |he Mexican palate, but it delights in dulces, including the peloncillo, which resembles maple-sugar in color and flavor. Between 6 and 7in the afternoon comes the comida or dinner, which is not near so elaborate a meal as the breakfast. To the ladies of this class is denied the freedom of action permitted in the United States. Unlike our Vassar College beauty, the Mexican senorita, with bewitching black eyes and long raven hair, is barred out of society by her mother, who even insists on accompanying her to church. But where there is a will there is a way, and this is how it is done in Mexico: The young man “makes the bear;” that is, he walks up and down like a caged bear in front of her window. Behind the CTPeI bars of the window aforesaid sits the young lady, engaged at her embroidery or her guitar, or it may be be at her fan, into which, by indescribably graceful movements, she throws all the passion, the inspiration, the fire of love’s young dream. Their eyes meet for the first time, and both hang their heads; they meet again and their faces are illuminated with smiles conveying all the language of speech. The third time that this meeting occurs generally opens a conversation by signs, which in an advanced stage may lead to tossing the tatennamiqiiiliztli, the Aztec word for kiss, with a smacking pronunciation like the concluding notes of the nightingale’s song. This may be continued for months, the poor bird pining in the cage, until the attention of the parents of the young lady ij attracted, who then make inquiries as to the statute and antecedents of the young man, and if these are up to the standard, they invite him to call. He calls frequently after that, paying most’attention to the maiden, poking reserved politeness with just a little love at the senorita, and putting himself in line with the family peculiarities. These preliminaries successfully carried through, matrimonial arrangements are speedily consummated, and relatives hunted up all over the republic to attend the nuptials. The ties of kindred are very strong in Mexico, and next to them, perhaps, come the bonds of adoption. No Mexican will hesitate to visit a contagion-stricken friend, or adopt the orphan where its parents moved in his social scale. The latter beautiful trait of character draws to its support all the strength of cossanguity, and the foster-father at his death makes his adopted son or daughter a sharer with the other children in his possessions. As a general thing, with the exception of cases of jealousy, there is no friction in the Mexican family, and all pull together for their common good.