Page:Face to Face With the Mexicans.djvu/95

 To my utter surprise, they exclaimed in the same breath: "No lo permito!" ("We cannot permit it!") "No es costumbre."

The mother approached me with an expression of deep concern and seriousness in her eyes, and with her forefinger raised in gentle admonition. Looking me earnestly in the face, she began moving her finger slowly from side to side directly before my eyes, saying: "Oiga, Señorita, sepa V. que en esta tierra, cuando nosotros los Mexicanos "(referring of course to her own class)" tenemos el catarro" (emphasizing the last word on G sharp), "nunca nos lavamos las caras" ("Listen to me, my good lady, in this country, when we have the catarrh (meaning a bad cold), we never put water on our faces").



"Why not?" I asked.

"Porque no estamos acostumbradas, y por el clima, sale mas mala la enfermedad" ("Because we are not accustomed to it, and on account of the climate, the sickness is made worse ").

Thus ended the dialogue. But the children did not hold me responsible for their fright, and bade me a kindly adios, promising to return again, a promise fulfilled every week, but on no account would they ever venture near that trunk again.

Pancho was determined to give to us and our belongings, as far as possible, the exterior appearance of the "costumbres." On entering my room after a little absence, one day, I found him straining every nerve and panting for breath. He had made a low bench, and was trying to place my Saratoga on it, but his strength was not equal to the task. The explanation came voluntarily that, on account of the