OUR Young Folks

Manawatu Herald, 21 May 1904, Page 4

OUR Young Folks

LITTLE MEXICANS. Their Daily Life— What They Wear—Art, Music raid the Family Mule. In tho cities of Mexico the majority of the children are dressed similarly to tho children of European cities. In tho wilds, tho country, tho hidden places of Mexico, tho children wear garbs that are Indian, garbs that nro Spanish and garbs that aro quaint and ingenious combinations of the two. Every Mexican child 1s an artist. Tho wco brown fingers of Mexican babies mold tho ruddy Mexican mud Into babies browner than themselves, and Mexican

YOUNG MEXICAN MERCHANTS, children of most tender years pinch and pet and pat and poke and coax moist clay, wax and other materials into statuettes and tiny figures, which they soil in the Mexican market places. The children of Mexico have not overmany pots, but they all have familiar acquaintance with one animal, the mule. Almost the poorest Mexican family has its undo. Savo among the rich, the largest family rarely has but one such steed. Mexican families are not, as a rule, small, and tho family mule is perpetually called upon to carry burdens that are enough to sour tho disposition of a sweeter tempered animal. White mules with black faces, Mack mules with white faces, and mules of every mulish color or combination of colors aro always bn tho move in Mexico. You will soo them in tho city streets, and they will save yon from feeling lonely When you tramp tho country byways. The destination of a Mexican mule is, 10 to 1, church, tho market or homo. The oldest boy leads tho mule. Tho father pushes tho mule discreetly. Tho mother, all tha little children mul no moan part of the family goods and chattels ride the mule. His inulcship, oven under such circumstances, makes long journeys day after day, hut ho docs not do it enthusiastically. 'Music is an instinct with tho children of Mexico. It isn’t tho blare of the new day. It’s tho glad matins of the birds that waken tho Mexican mitos. If those Mexican babies bo half well born and halt well housed, they pay tho birds for songs with songs. This is the custom: When clay first breaks into tho bedrooms of a Mexican house—and sho breaks in very early, partly because Mexico is where Mexico is, and partly because the low .houses have an abundance of windows—when, for those two reasons, tho sun does mako so early an entrance, tho head of the house gallantly welcomes it by leaping out of bed. If ho is very old or very feeble, ho at least manages to lift himself from his pillow, and ho begins to sing a song, a hymn of morning praise. If a priest bo staying in tho house, then that priest starts tho vocal symphony, and tho father, mother and all tho people of the homestead down to the least of the servants tako it up and join in tho song of simple welcome to tho morning, but sweotost of all tho voices heard is that of tha Mexican baby. Tho poorer children of the cities of Mexico spend n considerable part of their days In tho market places—in tho bazaars. They peddle tho little clay figures and Wax creatures that their deft fingers have shaped and tho sunshine in which they lovo to sit has baked, they hawk flowers and barter magnificent fruits for copper coins, they rush after you and catch you by tho skirt and hurl you back to their Barents’ booths. As a rule, they know one jjk'gllsh sontonoo, “Give mo a penny.” Hotter by Queen Victoria. ' kod up in one of tho apartIt was -ington palace by Ann ments of tho establishment of Jones, a servant in ~ ueen , s m tho Duchess of Kent, tn v f fh It was given by Ann Jonbb *° J” Who in turn gave It to tils a Qia *

■WRITTEN WHEN NINE TEARS OLD. tlnguished antiquary, and on tho death of (ihe latter it came Into tho hands of another English gentleman, Its present owner. The queen, who Is now nearly 76 years old, was only 9 years old when this letter was written. Her grandmother was 71. It Is doubtful If all the young folks who read this column could write as well at 9 years of ago. You will notice that there Is One mistake in spelling—besides “affectionate, ” which Is just a little shaky—the little princess having come to grief over f'your,” and that, too, after she had safely got over “congratulate." Holly and the Basket. Bald Molly: “I’ve made up my mind. And when my nice eggs I have sold I’ll buy our wee Jaoky some socks, some socks To wear when he cries with the cold. Bald the basket: “I’m really inclined To tip the eggs on to tho ground. Bho carries mo such a queer way, queer way, Jdy head and my handle go round: ■ My head and my handle go round. I Bold the eggs to each other: “Oh, dearj ! We’re slipping and sliding away. If Molly keeps thinking like this, like thlfc | We’ll not got to market today; We’U not get to market today."