ays' sight-seeing. The Doctor was urged to
preach and lecture while he was there; but he excused himself on the
ground of a previous engagement, promising, however, to lecture in San
Antonio on his return trip to Washington.

On our way from San Antonio to the City of Mexico our train ran into one
of the sand-storms, for which the Mexican country is famous at certain
times of the year; and we were at a standstill on a side track at a
small station for twenty-four hours. The food was execrable, the wind
and sand were choking, and the whole experience trying in the extreme.
We were warned against thieves of the neighbourhood, and, during the
night we were locked in the cars to ensure the safety of our belongings.
In spite of these precautions a shawl which the Doctor valued, because
it had been presented to him by the citizens of Melbourne, Australia,
was stolen during the night through an open window. They were not
bashful those thieves of the sandstorm. From a private car attached to
the rear of our train they stole a refrigerator bodily off the platform.

The Doctor had long been suffering from his throat, and all these
annoyances had the effect of increasing the painful symptoms to such a
degree that when we finally got into the city of Mexico on Saturday,
March 1st, it was necessary to call a physician. Dr. Talmage had brought
with him a number of letters of introduction from Washington to people
in the City of Mexico, but the Mexican minister had written ahead of us,
and on the day we arrived people left their cards and extended
invitations that promised to keep us socially busy every day of our
week's visit.

The Doctor was ailing a little, I thought, but not seriously. He had a
slight cold. Although he had planned to preach only in the Presbyterian
Church a week from our arrival, the people of the other Protestant
denominations urged him with such importunity that he agreed to preach
for them on the first Sunday, the day after our arrival. This was an
unexpected strain on Dr. Talmage after a very trying journey; but he
never could refuse to preach, no matter how great his fatigue. On the
following Tuesday a luncheon was given Dr. Talmage by General Porfirio
Diaz, the President of the Mexican Republic, at his palace in
Chapultepec. The Doctor enjoyed a long audience with the aged statesman,
during which the mutual interests and prospects of the two countries
were freely discussed, President Diaz manifesting himse