e. In this
church, which, after the cathedral, is the most interesting in Puebla,
we were shown by an old, gray-haired priest the little doll representing
the Virgin Mother which Cortez brought with him from Spain to Cuba, and
thence to Vera Cruz, carrying it through all of his campaigns with
apparent religious veneration. It is astonishing to see the reverence
with which this toy is regarded. Adjoining the church is a reconstructed
convent which is now used as a military hospital, and before which
lounged an awkward squad of soldiers belonging to the regular army.
There are several very old churches in the city, on whose eaves and
cornices small trees and tropical bushes, which have planted themselves
in these exposed places, have grown to considerable size, surrounded by
deep-green moss, shaded by the rounded domes and lofty towers.

A feature of the town which is sure to attract the attention of a
stranger is the fanciful manner in which the people adapt richly colored
and highly ornamented glazed tiles for both internal and external
decoration of public and private buildings. The effect of this was
certainly incongruous, not to say tawdry. There are eight or ten tile
factories in Puebla, and one glass manufactory. Some of the work turned
out in both these lines is really very artistic and attractive. Large
quantities are regularly shipped to various parts of the country. In
several shops collections of onyx ornaments are to be seen, besides
handsome baskets and mats of colored straw, all of which are of native
workmanship. Onyx may be said to be the rage of Puebla. We remember an
attractive store solely devoted to the sale of this stone, where the
large and most artistic display formed a veritable museum. Here members
of our party expended considerable sums of money in the purchase of
pretty mementoes to take home with them as souvenirs of Puebla de los
Angeles. Onyx articles are shipped from here in considerable quantities
to London and Paris, where there are agencies for their sale. The
quarries whence these fine specimens come are fifty miles away from the
city, near Mount El Pizarro.

The State of Puebla is remarkable for producing a fine quality of wheat,
and also for its heavy yield of other cereals. One may look in vain
elsewhere for better apples, pears, peaches, and plums than are offered
in the public market of this attractive town, all of which are grown in
its immediate vicinity. Articles of embroidery