OUR YOUNG FOLKS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3649, 19 May 1906, Page 4

OUR YOUNG FOLKS

LiTtue Mexicans.

fiieir Daily Life —What They Wea.iv 'Art* Music ami the I'amily Mule, in the cities tit Mexico the majority of fcho children are dressed similarly to the children of European cities. In the wilds, tho country, tho hidden places of Mexico, tho children wear garbs that are Indian, garbs that are Spanish and garbs that are quaint and ingenious combinations of tb» Every Mexican child is an artist. Tho Wee brown fingers of Mexican babies mold the ruddy Mexican mud into babies browner than themselves, and Mexican

Voi,h.i. ih.wi’AN MEBCIIAETS. Jhildrea of mod tender VoafS piiieh and pet ami phti (Hid poke and coax moist day) Wax and other materials into statubttei md tiny figures, which thoy sell in the Mexican market places. The children of Mexico have not overiv y pets, but they all have familiar acl,, ;u.m <i with oho animal, the mule. .. ;:t tho poorest Mexican family has Its i-i ■ Save among tho rich, the largest f-- ,-|iy i vi/ has but one such steed. Mexicali families are Hot, ns a rule, small t ami tho family nmlo is perpetually called ujv;. i > carry burdens that are enough to sum Uio disposition of a sweeter tempered ■■! ;1. White mules with black faces, ‘ .-miles with white faces, and mules .;,y mulish color or combination of jolora arc always on the move in Mexico. Yon will see thorn in tho city streets, and th-will save you from feeling lonely you tramp tho country byways. Tb« ; atl- n of a Mexican mule is, 10 to 1, , tho market or homo. The eldest loads tho mule. The father pushoi tho mule discreetly. The mother, all tha little children and no mean part of thtt family goods and chattels ride tha mule. 1 ‘iiv--bin. o'-;.;i under Such clrounis lung journeys day after . .t lie dues not do it enthusiastically. .V - : : ic Is an instinct with tho children >f Mexico. It isn’t tho blnro of the new lay. It’s tho glad matins of tho birds I '■ t waken tho Mexican mites. If those .0 i.m a ho half well born and ; -..Ml Im-.i.rcd, they pay the birds for . with sons*. This Is the custom; ■( i.i day first Wreaks into tho bedrooms ;■ <■■■■ M- :;., . house—and she breaks In ;; ■ , partly because Mexico Is where 1 ,v-o is, and partly because the low j have an abundance of windows—* ~ rur thci-o two reasons, the sun does j so carry no entrance, the head of tho !. .u.-.o gallantly welcomes it by leaping out of bed. . If ho Is very old or very v-oiile, boat least manages to lift himself ■’ his pillow, and lie begins to sing a hymn of morning praise. If a i,r lug in the house, then that mils ilio vocal symphony, and tha . ... r, mother and all tho people of the homestead down to tha least of the servi:;t:j toko it up and join in tho song of simr-Jo welcome to the morning, but sweetest of all tho voices hoard is that of the Mexican baby. Tho poorer chile]ron of tho cities of Mexico spend a considerable part of their days In tho market places—in the bazaars. They peddle tho little clay figures and wax creatures that their deft fingers have Bhcped and tho sunshine in which they lovj to sit has baked, they hawk flowers and barter magnificent fruits for copper coins, thoy rush after you and catch you by tho skirt and hurl you back to their patents’ booths. As a rule, they know one English sentence, “Give me a penny.” A Letter by Queen Victoria. I t was picked up In one of the apartUKQts of Kensington palace by Aon Jones, a servant in the establishment of the Duchess of Kont, the queen’s mother. It was given by Ann Jones to lior father, who lu turn gave it to his master, a die-

WHITTEN WHEN NINE TEARS OLD. tlngnisbed antiquary, and on the death of the latter it came into the hands of anither English gentleman, its present* owner. The queen, who Is now nearly 73 year* 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 0 years of age. 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 “your,” and that, too, after sho had safely got over “congratulate. ” Molly and the Basket. Raid Molly: “I’ve made tip iny mind. And when my nlc- eggs I haw •■old I’ll Luy our wee .Tacky some w’"ks some soon To wear when he cries with tin: cold. ' : T the basket: “I’m really inclined • v Il:o eggs on to tii-■ gmrnd. ■ / < i:n! such ..ji! ■ i- wry, (nicer way, •:■1 and my h-.ndl-i.-o rotmrt; M„. head and my bundle go round.’’ 1 tlio eggs to each other: “Oh, dciu'J slipping and eliding away. *i-ps thinking like-this, like thl*i . ; ' i r: orient today; .. .a. i ~l u market today,” ChtttbWnM jJuJS fabl&3 mjfi*