Page:Life in Mexico vol 1.djvu/189

Rh life. That of the younger ones was much more tolerable. We saw some really beautiful specimens of embroidery. Having returned to the hall, where there was a piano, some of our party began to sing and play. The Señora Go sang an Italian air beautifully. She is evidently a scientific musician. The Señorita Hs played one of Herz's most difficult combinations with great execution, and a pretty girl, who is living in the convent, having been placed there by her novio, to keep her out of harm's way till he is prepared to give her his hand, sang a duet with another young lady, which I accompanied. Both had fine voices, but no notion of what they were singing. My friend, the Señora C delighted us with some of the innumerable and amusing verses of the Jota Arragonesa, which seem to have neither end nor beginning, all gay and all untranslatable, or at least losing their point and wit when put into an English dress. Such as

It is impossible to see any building of this size kept more perfectly clean and neat; generally the case here in all establishments which are under petticoat government. These old Spanish institutions are