OTHER ASPECTS OF THE MEXICAN 137 



quarter himself on an American, then indeed 

 do his powers of absorption develop them- 

 selves alarmingly of absorption, not of 

 assimilation for there falls upon him the 

 curse of the Americano, the dyspepsia, and 

 he suffers * mucho malo ' in his ' estomago.' 



Francisco and his spouse add chair to table, 

 therefore, and, far more surprising, cook-stove 

 to bed, and spread a fine new carpet on the 

 clay floor. In two years they own a furnished 

 house, and Francisco can speak English. Sad 

 to relate, Francisco has since that time under- 

 gone something of a relapse ; but when a man 

 removes into the bosom of an extensive family 

 connection, and together with it becomes the 

 owner of fruitful vineyards, what would you 

 have ? The wine barrel is always on tap, 

 and if there are none to buy, a man must 

 e'en drink thereof himself. 



Our native population is chiefly Catholic, 

 and held in sore bondage by its priests and 

 by the might of its own superstitions. The 

 work of mission -schools Methodist and 

 Presbyterian mostly, the Episcopal Church 

 being notoriously backward in home-missions 

 is decidedly good. If it does nothing 



