The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-09-16
Pleasures of Living in New Mexico.

Mrs. W. f. Whitridge writes to the
Cincinnati Commercial from Santa Fe,
New Mexico:
They have quite a venerable cathedral
here, and Bishop Lamy is Bishop of the
accomplished man. He was i'll Cincin-
natl at one time, but for the last twenty
five years has buried himself in this
Territory. A man whose power might
be felt in any community, however re-
fined or intelligent, he spends his life
here in the quiet, unOstentatiOuS dis
charge of his duties to this forlorn peo-
pie. We called upon him at his resi-
dence- He took Us through his garden
and was surprised to find what the
soil of New Mexico could do. suppose
the garden occupied an acre or two,
and truly the fruit was remarkable.
The most delicious is the apricot, tast-
ing somewhat like the peach, but more
highly favored and without the fuzz.
And they are produced in quantities
without number. There were curTantS
red and white-apples and pears Of
prodigious size, and without knot or
speck upon them. In our country, you
know, all our small fruits are so assailed
by worms and insects that perfect speci-
mems are rare. Even if we introduced
a new variety, there is always Il new
bug made for it. But here there are
no bugs, no insects-nOthing OF the
sort. When people die there are not
even worms enough to eat them. In
the Bishops garden, also, were plums
as large as hens egg. Not merely
one or two of that size, but trees full of
them. The grapes, too, were 4 sight
that would gladden. the heart of River
side farmer who has been accustomed
to see his Catawbas wither and shrivel
year after year. These vines were
strong, hardy, vigorous, every leaf as
sound as Il dollar, the branches large,
and each berry without flaw or speck.
The wines generally that are native are
not good. They are not more than
half made. l should judge that the
process of manufacture was not carried
on with any care. The liquor is sold
and drunk before it is year old, and
is, of course muddy. 1t is generally
drawn from casks that are not half
full, and is, of course, half sour. Some
of it, however, has heavy body and a
pronounced flavor, and if 1t were
treated decently would make u good
drink.
Besides the fruit, the Bishop has a
fine vegetable garden, but that in which
he most delights his soul is his trout
pond. 1t is in quite a lake, in one cor
ner of which, partitioned off from the
rest, is the nursery, where the baby
trout are---little fellows, Il few inches
long, but as spry as can be. By the
main pond the Bishop has a favorite
seat where we all sat down and he com
menced throwing bread into the water
The members of the Cuvier Club, who
delight in the rod and angle, would
have danced with delight could they
have seen the sight | did. The lake,
which had been as smooth as glass,
looking us though thunder shower had
dropped suddenly upon it. Its whole
surface was a@itatcd ut once. For
every crumb of bread that fell | should
iudge that forty fish rose ut once. Who
ever has seen 4 two-pOund trout rise ut
| a fly has seen one of the loyelicSt spec
tacies of nature ever evoked by the art
of man. lie comes up out of the water
with such Il savage rush, throws HIM
self clear out in such desperate fashion,
turns over and shows his whole spcckled
and rodcd sides flashing in the sun,
and sinks back in such lazy, @ood-for-
nothing way, that, if you fail to strike
him, You involuntarily utter the eX-
clamation which the Dutchman de
scribed as the climax in keno.
We sat by the .lake-side---the Bishop
talking all the time, and abstractedly
throwing in his bread, while the beauti-
full creatures swarmed from all quar-
tiers, even up to our very feet, jumping
and thrashing the water into lively COM
motion. He kindly offered us a day ;
fishing, but it would have been muir
der---as bad rs shooting quails on the
ground. ,
The Bishop has also established
schools, and is endeavOring to educate
the Nexicans; but | fear it is very sorry
work. Still he labors with a zeal and Il
confidence that is worthy of all admira-
ton. He is also building a cathedral
of stone, and chapel for the convent.
The chapel is his particular pride, and
is a beautiful little building, about half
done. We asked him where he got all
the money to do these things. He
shrugged his shoulders-you know a
Frenchman can put a whole Grafton In
TO \ shrur-and said he didn't know
| ss;t inst came -