Page:Pictures of life in Mexico Vol 1.djvu/47

Rh the church doors in Catholic cities. In the wooden-work, about the walls, on the doors of the cupboards, and in the divisions of the floor, there seemed to be a grotesque attempt at trellis work; and even the legs of the table and the dust under foot, to my fancy, evinced a predilection for the same appearance.

This room was often thronged with persons who came to witness the dancing exhibitions of Indian girls; and these performances, with the quarrels constantly arising from gaming, seemed to be the principal sources of interest and amusement. The manners and appearance of these dancing girls were often coarse and obtrusive, their movements so boisterous, and their attitudes so disgusting, that the less said about them the better.

Indians and Mestizoes were the most frequent visitors. The former would, perhaps, bring in a hot tortilla cake and a plate of frijoles from the fonda, and call for a cup of pulque,—the fermented juice of the maguey plant, almost universally drunk in Mexico; sometimes a Mestizo, or half-caste, would drink with him, and they would play at dice or cards together, very sociably, for a quarter of an hour or so; by which time, most likely, they