Page:Our Sister Republic - Mexico.djvu/286

274 and the swift vengeance of the Almighty fell on all who had participated in the great crime against freedom and humanity.

We rode back at night-fall through the broad, straight avenue which Maximilian had cut from the old Alameda, under whose trees Montezuma once walked, and saw thousands of ladies and gentlemen riding up and down on the long paseo—a drive of a mile or more, the fashionable and only safe drive in the vicinity of Mexico—while the military band played in the plaza, and the cavalry of the Mexican army galloped, here and there, ensuring us and them against the attacks of the bandidos and plagiaros, with which even the suburbs of the capital swarm.