he should take it to the Astor
Library, New York, where he felt confident of receiving his own price
for it, namely, one hundred dollars: "Then," said he, "I will give the
money to some worthy charity in my native city." The volume had
undoubtedly been stolen, and pawned by the thief. Possession is
considered to be _bona fide_ evidence of ownership, and unless
circumstances are very suspicious, money is nearly always advanced to
the applicant on his or her deposit.

Speaking of old books, there are three or four second-hand bookstalls
and stores under the arcades running along one side of the plaza, where
rare and ancient tomes are sold. Volumes, of the value of which the
venders seem to have no idea, are gladly parted with for trifling sums.
Civil wars and the changes of government have never interfered with the
operations of the Monte de Piedad. All parties have respected it and its
belongings, with one exception--during the presidency of Gonzales in
1884, when its capital was somewhat impaired and its usefulness
circumscribed by a levy of the government in its desperation to sustain
the national credit in connection with its foreign loans. A curious
collection of personal property is of course to be seen here, including
domestic furniture, diamonds, rubies, and other precious stones, swords,
pistols, guns, saddles, canes, watches, clothing, and so on. The large
building used for the purpose of carrying on the business stands upon
the site once occupied by the private palace which formed the home of
Cortez for so many years, a short distance west of the great cathedral.
This institution has lately been sold to an English syndicate for the
sum of one million dollars. The new owners have a cash capital of
twenty-five millions, and will resume the banking department, which was
suspended in 1884, and carry on the pawnbroking business as heretofore.

The alameda, a name usually applied to large Spanish parks, is a
parallelogram of about thirty or forty acres in extent, situated between
the two streets of San Francisco and San Cosme, abounding in eucalyptus
trees, poplars, evergreens, orange and lemon trees, together with
blooming flowers and refreshing fountains. In olden times this
alameda--this forest-garden in the heart of the city--was inclosed by a
wall pierced with several gates, which were only opened to certain
classes and on certain occasions; but these grounds, greatly enlarged
and beautified, are now open on al