Page:Life in Mexico vol 2.djvu/119



 Theatre — Portmanteaus — Visiters — Houses of Puebla — Fine arts — Paseo — Don N. Ramos Arispe — Bishop — Cotton factories — Don Esteban Antuñano — Bank of Avio — United States machinery — Accidents — Difficulties — Shipwrecks — Detentions — Wonderful perseverance — "La Constancia Mejicana" Hospital — Prison — El Carmen — Paintings — Painted floors — Angels — Cathedral — Gold and jewels — A comedy — Bishop's palace — Want of masters.

Puebla

will be surprised when I tell you that, notwithstanding our fatigue, we went to the theatre the evening we arrived, and sat through a long and tragical performance, in the box of Don Ao Ho, one of the richest citizens of Puebla, who, hearing of our arrival, instantly came to invite us to his house, where he assured us rooms were prepared for our reception. But being no longer in savage parts, where it is necessary to throw yourself on the hospitality of strangers or to sleep in the open air, we declined his kind offer, and remained in the inn, which is very tolerable, though we do not see it now en beau as we did last year, when we were expected there. The theatre is clean and neat, but dull, and we were much more looked at than the actors, for few foreigners (ladies especially) remain here for any length of time, and their appearance is somewhat of a novelty. Our toilette occasioned us no small difficulty, now