206 



MEXICO. 



there appeared symptoms of an approaching 

 storm. While we were discussing the oUa, the 

 dish which always succeeds the soup, a principal 

 person in company rose up and shouted out 

 " Copas en mano handle your glasses ! But 

 he had to repeat his mandate several times, and 

 to stretch out his tumbler brim-full of wine, be- 

 fore the distant parts of the table stood up in ho- 

 nour of the toast, which was one of the common- 

 places of the day, " Union y Libertad."' After 

 this signal, there was kept up, during the whole 

 dinner, a constant discharge of toasts and senti- 

 ments ; and upon an average, towards the end of 

 dinner, there could be no less than ten or twelve 

 men, on their legs, all speaking at once, at the 

 full stretch of their voices, and accompanying 

 every remark with some theatrical gesticulation. 

 Others kept their seats, thinking, perhaps, they 

 might thereby have a fairer aim at the table, 

 which rung from end to end with the blows by 

 which these orators sought to enforce their argu- 

 ments. 



Meanwhile the dinner went on, as if nothing 

 remarkable was passing ; the plates and dishes 



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