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32 that all the food in Mexico has to be sent to the United States to feed the soldiers and that if the United States had not gone to war there would be plenty of food in Mexico."

While we were standing in the sun's rays, an old crippled woman with her blind daughter came up begging for money.

"Don't give that old hag anything," said my companion. "You know, she gouged the eyes out of that kid so she could get more money begging. Yes, sir. That's what she did. Blinded that little girl of hers."

Then cursing in Spanish he kicked the sand with his foot and forced her to wabble away. I marvelled at the flood of his words. It must require twenty years' residence to be able to curse in Spanish and do it properly. I had had a book called "Spanish in a Week" for more than a month and about all I could do was to buy a cigar and order eggs and bacon.

After fifty-six hours of travel and delay, the Honeymoon Special reached Mexico City.

The city to-day is surprisingly peaceful and busy. Hundreds of automobiles and carriages race through the streets—there appear to be no speed laws in force and Mexicans drive their cars with the same enthusiasm that a child plays with a new toy. The avenues Cinco de Mayo (the Fifth of May), Francisco I. Madero and Avenida Juarez are as busy as Broadway or State Street, though the people look more like those along the