ly reminded that the lottery
ticket vender is ubiquitous. Sometimes it is a man who importunes you to
purchase, sometimes a young girl, and at others even a child of eleven
or twelve years belonging to either sex. The pretty girl of course finds
the most customers, offering to "kiss the ticket for good luck," and on
the sly, perhaps the purchaser also. This must be a Spanish idea, as it
is practiced both in Madrid and Cuba. The Mexican government realizes
fully a million dollars per annum from the licenses granted to protect
this gross swindle upon the public. It is a regular thing for prominent
business houses to make their monthly purchases of these lottery
tickets; rich and poor, prince and beggar, alike invest, differing only
in the amount; while most strangers, smothering their conscientious
scruples, purchase a ticket, thus adding their mite to the general
folly. We were told in Havana that one satisfaction in buying tickets in
the national lottery there was, that like the Louisiana Lottery it was
honestly conducted. Our incredulity upon the subject was laughed to
scorn, but since then the Havana Lottery has been detected in a series
of the most barefaced swindlings that can be imagined. As to that of
Louisiana, we never for a moment have believed in there being anything
"honest" about it. A concern which can afford to offer the State
government of Louisiana over a million dollars per annum for the
privilege of running a gambling institution there, must carry on a more
reckless swindling game upon the public at large than its worst enemies
have suspected.

Just at high noon, on our return from the Paseo de la Viga, the Plaza
Mayor was reached on the great square fronting the cathedral, where a
simultaneous movement was observed among the people who filled the large
area. As the cathedral and church bells throughout the city chimed the
hour of twelve, every Mexican in sight uncovered his head and bowed
devoutly. It was difficult to analyze this spirit of reverence, for
which no one could assign any satisfactory reason except that it was the
custom.

The swarthy soldiers of the republic are often seen paraded opposite the
plaza, and though they are sure to recall the French Zouaves, yet they
lack their admirable discipline and perfection of company movements.
Indeed, to speak plainly, the author has never seen a more slatternly,
knock-kneed, uncouth body of soldiers than the rank and file of the
Mexican army. The