Page:Face to Face With the Mexicans.djvu/494

488 with both hands to a tuft of hair on each side of his big brother's head.

Diagonally across the street is the Theatre Principal. The play, "Around the World in Eighty Days," had for some time past occupied the boards. On the outside was an immense painting representing an elephant caparisoned with gold and led by an oriental, while mounted on the elephant, and seated after the fashion of a man, rode a woman dressed in gay colors, and over her a canopy with red draperies. Palms and other tropical trees appeared in the distance.

On the same canvas, and in contrast to this peaceful scene, appears another of quite a blood-curdling nature. A locomotive comes screaming and pufflng along. Suddenly myriads of wild Indians, painted red, with feathers on their heads and deadly weapons in their hands, make a furious attack upon it. They ride on the cow-catcher. Dead Indians and horses are piled around, and the headlight throws a ghastly illumination over all!

I witnessed a general review of the infantry troops in the city, a sight which was strictly national in its character, and made a showy and amusing picture. Mounted upon gayly caparisoned horses, the officers presented a handsome and soldierly appearance, in their uniforms of dark blue, elaborately ornamented with red and gold. The soldiers, neatly attired in blue, piped with red, and wearing pure white caps, were also quite imposing. But the sublime