Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s Notes:

Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).

Additional Transcriber’s Notes are at the end.

* * * * *

A DIPLOMAT’S WIFE IN MEXICO

BY
EDITH O’SHAUGHNESSY
[MRS. NELSON O’SHAUGHNESSY]

_Letters from the American Embassy at Mexico
City, covering the dramatic period between
October 8th, 1913, and the breaking off of diplomatic
relations on April 23rd, 1914, together
with an account of the occupation of Vera Cruz_

ILLUSTRATED

HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
NEW YORK AND LONDON

* * * * *

A DIPLOMAT’S WIFE IN MEXICO

Copyright, 1916, by Harper & Brothers
Printed in the United States of America
Published June, 1916
H-Q

CONTENTS

FOREWORD ix

I

Arrival at Vera Cruz--Mr. Lind--Visits to the battle-ships--We
reach Mexico City--Huerta’s second _coup d’état_--A six-hour
Reception at the Chinese Legation. An all-afternoon hunt for
the Dictator. Page 1

II

Sanctuary to Bonilla--Sir Lionel and Lady
Carden--Carranza--Mexican servants--First Reception at
the American Embassy--Huerta receives the Diplomatic
Corps--Election Day and a few surprises. Page 14

III

Federal and Rebel excesses in the north--Some aspects
of social life--Mexico’s inner circle--Huerta’s growing
difficulties--Rabago--The “Feast of the Dead.”--Indian booths
at the Alameda--The Latin-American’s future. Page 28

IV

The “Abrazo”--Arrival of Mr. Lind--Delicate negotiations in
progress--Luncheon at the German Legation--Excitement about the
bull-fight--Junk-hunting--Americans in prison--Another “big
game” hunt. Page 40

V

Uncertain days--The friendly offices of diplomats--A
side-light on executions--Mexican street cries--Garza Aldape
resigns--First official Reception at Chapultepec Castle--The
jewels of Cortés. Page 50

VI

“Decisive word” from Washington--A passing
scare--Conscription’s terrors--Thanksgiving--The rebel
advance--Sir Christopher Cradock--Huerta’s hospitable
waste-paper basket. Page 66

VII

Huerta visits the Jockey Club--Chihuahua falls--“The tragic ten
days”--Exhibition of gunnery in the public streets--Mexico’s
“potential Presidents”--“The Tiger of the North.” Page 77

VIII

The sad exodus from Chihuahua--Archbishop Mendoza--Fiat
money--Villa’s growing activities--Indian stoicism--Another
Chapultepec Reception--A day of “Mexican Magic” in the country.
Page 92

IX

Christmas--The strangling of a country--de la Barra--The
“_mañana_ game”--Spanish in five phrases--Señora Huerta’s great
diamond--The peon’s desperate situation in a land torn by
revolutions. Page 110

X

New-Year’s receptions--Churubusco--Memories of Carlota--Rape
of the Morelos women--Mexico’s excuse for the murder of
an American citizen--A visit to the floating gardens of
Xochimilco. Page 120

XI

Dramatic values at Vera Cruz--Visits to the battle-ships--Our
superb hospital-ship, the _Solace_--Admiral Cradock’s
flag-ship--An American sailor’s menu--Three “square meals” a
day--Travel in revolutionary Mexico. Page 132

XII

Ojinaga evacuated--Tepozotlan’s beautiful old church and
convent--Azcapotzalco--A Mexican christening--The release of
Vera Estañol--Necaxa--The friars--The wonderful Garcia Pimentel
library. Page 148

XIII

Gamboa--Fêtes for the Japanese officers--The Pius Fund--The
Toluca road--Brown, of the National Railways--President
Wilson raises the embargo on arms and ammunition--Hunting for
Zapatistas. Page 167

XIV

A “neat little haul” for brigands--Tea at San Angel--A
picnic and a burning village--The lesson of “Two
Fools”--Austria-Hungary’s new minister--Cigarettes in the
making--Zapata’s message. Page 181

XV

Departure of the British minister--Guns and marines from
Vera Cruz--Review at the Condesa--_Mister Lind_--The Benton
case--Huerta predicts intervention--Villa at Chihuahua. Page 189

XVI

Huerta’s impressive review for the special correspondents--The
_Grito de Dolores_--Tons of “stationery” for the Embassy--Villa
and Carranza disagree--The Embassy guard finds itself occupied.
Page 203

XVII

The torture of Terrazas--Mexico’s banking
eccentricities--Departure of the Lefaivres--Zapatista
methods--Gustavo Madero’s death--First experience of
Latin-American revolutions--Huerta’s witty speech. Page 211

XVIII

Back to Vera Cruz--Luncheon on the _Chester_--San Juan’s prison
horrors--Tea on the _Mayflower_--The ministry of war and the
commissary methods--Torreon falls again?--Don Eduardo Iturbide.
Page 229

XIX

Congress meets without the United States representative--Huerta
makes his “profession of faith”--Exit Mr. Lind--Ryan leaves for
the front--French and German military _attachés_--The Jockey
Club. Page 247

XX

Good Friday--Mexican toys with symbolic sounds--“The Tampico
incident”--Sabado de Gloria and Easter--An international
photograph--The last reception at Chapultepec. Page 257

XXI

Mr. Bryan declines the kindly offices of The Hague--More
Americans leave Mexico City--Lieutenant Rowan arrives--Guarding
the Embassy--Elim keeps within call. Page 272

XXII

Vera Cruz taken--Anti-American demonstrations--Refugees at
the Embassy--A long line of visitors--A dramatic incident in
the cable-office--Huerta makes his first and last call at the
Embassy. Page 285

XXIII

The wedding of President Huerta’s son--Departure from the
Embassy--Huerta’s royal accommodations--The journey down to
Vera Cruz--The white flag of truce--We reach the American
lines. Page 298

XXIV

Dinner on the _Essex_--The last fight of Mexico’s naval
cadets--American heroes--End of the Tampico incident--Relief
for the starving at San Juan Ulua--Admiral Fletcher’s greatest
work. Page 318

XXV

Our recall from Mexican soil--A historic dinner with General
Funston--The navy turns over the town of Vera Cruz to the
army--The march of the six thousand blue-jackets--Evening on
the _Minnesota_. Page 338

XXVI

Homeward bound--Dead to the world in Sarah Bernhardt’s
luxurious cabin--Admiral Badger’s farewell--“The Father
of Waters”--Mr. Bryan’s earnest message--Arrival at
Washington--_Adelante!_ Page 348

ILLUSTRATIONS

MRS. NELSON O’SHAUGHNESSY _Frontispiece_

A VIEW OF POPOCATEPETL AND IZTACCIHUATL _Facing p._ 6

MRS. ELLIOTT COUES “ 16

ELIM “ 16

V. HUERTA “ 60

VILLA DE GUADALUPE “ 86

THE FLOATING GARDENS OF XOCHIMILCO “ 126

ADMIRAL SIR CHRISTOPHER CRADOCK “ 136

ADMIRAL F. F. FLETCHER “ 136

HUERTA’S SOLDIERS WATCHING THE REBEL ADVANCE “ 150

A GROUP OF OJINAGA REFUGEES “ 150

THE GUARD THAT STOPPED US “ 172

“THE WOMAN IN WHITE”--FROM SAN JUAN HILL “ 182

THE “DIGGINGS” (AZCAPOTZALCO) “ 206

THE PYRAMID OF SAN JUAN TEOTIHUACAN “ 206

THE SIESTA “ 258