The Osceola times., 1880-06-12
A NEW MEXICAN IDYI,-
Good comnanv

.
old town is guarded by mountains royal
with purple and glittering with gold
Thirty miles away one snowy peak
seemed an airy tent let down out ol
, heaven, and across il the breeze blows
as freshly as airs across Eden when "the
evening and morning were the first
day"
The road wound beside the little river
Santa Fe, whose waters GO softly, after
rippling down in icy cascades from a
lake pure as Tahoe, formed by melting
SHOWS from the mountain top. Along
IFS margin the red willow tosses its
branches lightly as a lady's plume, and
back in the hill country the pine trees
sigh TO each other their never-ceasine
song. Over the rocks clamt ering goats
look down and shake their heads at the
traveller, and the tinkle OF a bell tails
pleasantly on the ear as the Mexican
bows drive their flocks to the river; and
where the sheep are drinking an Indian
woman carrying black jar on her head.
erect and stately comes to wash her poor
rags in the stream.
IL is all like the old Bible pictures
The sombre landscape, though sadly
lacking color, is serene and pastoral--so
full silence we thought of the ancient
pilgrims journeying in the shing white
light of the Delectable mountains, and
their talk with loving shepherds by the
wayside. No fear of rain to spoil our
pleasure there will not be one drop,
nor is there even dew. Yesterday we
breathed balm and incense tomorrow
we know will be just like to-day. The
| a.. a.. ,.I h., rtb - nj
the blue overhead is without spot OF
cloud, vapory mist or fog.
Our party was quite large. In advance
a well-mounted lieutenant, in the glory
Of his first shoulder straps, rode close to
the bride rein of young Girl, whose
flying veil gave short glimpses of beau
tiful face lighted with eyes OF radiant
hazel and the brightest smiles. They
were pair of lovers, loved by us at
| first sight. In an ambulance came a
s.out lady with color rather high than
delicate, whose unhappy bonnet would
not stick TO her head but kept slipping
down her back. Beside her sat weak
woman from Illinois, born tired and un-
| able to find time to rest since that
wcarisome date. having barely life
enough TO be proud of her ten-year-old
Rosa, as though children were the rarest
| things in the world. On little burrO,
or donkey, was schoolteacher, without
special escort, but looked after by dry
old bachelor who had one romance in
his life and still wore the miniature of
face, dearly loved and early lost.
which has been only dust thirty years.
For the old loves sake he treated all
women with delicate reserve, seeing in
them kinship to the lost Ideal they in
some sort represent. Then there rode
alone blonde and pensiye artist, the
| author of many rejected manuscripts,
who carried sketchlng paper and neat
box of pencils. He wore the hair long
and boots small, smoked cigarettes in
oessantly, and eyed the gay lieutenant in
bitterness of soul. Several light car
riages whirled past us, and Brown, the
| photographer, dashed by us on his own
blackboard, drawn by gallant gray mules.
had only time to notice the stranger
beside him had the blackest eyes and
| wore diamond ring of unusual size and
| brilliance, which blazed in the sunl Fight
as he courteously lifted his hat. Among
the last to appear was an alumnus from
| Colorado College, who had electrified
| tiC WubiS Doafh VI tiu'ANNS WIN iii'
graduation speech, entitled, "The Cen
| tennial State--a Nations Benediction."
| This callow youth in pinfeathery NOUS
tache, bad made the Eastern tour, had
a nodding acquaintance with the crowned
heads of Boston, and in conscious SUI
periority overshadowed his companion,
| the Baptist minister, one of the meek
est, spirits that ever starved its way to
heaven.
The army ambulence moved slow
through the sandy red soil, but we did
not care; the mountains-bow grand
they are were perpetual delight
The fineness OF the atmosphere gave ex.
quisitc tint TO the near foothills and the
vast horizon. Clusters of wild verbenas
purpled the plain-a deeper shade of the
far away hill purples-and strange flow
ers, yellow and pink, nestled in the
short, moss-like grass. They never fel,
dew or rain, yet they did not ap
pear stunted or starved, but looked NJ
brightly in the sterile sand as from /
garden bed.
Now and then Pueblo Indian strod,
silently across our way, and a Mexicar
in picturesque striped blanket saluteC
us in Spanish fashion with "Buenos did
senoras," as he drove h s cruelty LOADED
donkey toward the city. Lazy Mexi
cans squatted in rows summed themselvc
against the low walls OF their houses
and on chimney a flock of pigeon
tamely perched, and watched the move
ments of a mower cutting the gras
which grew scantily on the flat mud roo
, of his miserable hut.
| WLa, t,a.h.l ha .hn nd 4,
fire was already kindled from the resin
, ous boughs of the pinon, and lovers wer,
straying of in shady places to find ou
[ what words the daisies are saying I,
, youth and beauty.
Brown, the photographer, introduce,
his guest, a fine old Spaniard name,
Otero. He wore the easy air of mar
, familiar with good society and the lofty
/, courtesy which marked the lrue Castil
lan | may say the true gentleman any
where. He claimed TO be a hidalgo, 10y
which is meant true Catholic Sp lnisl
blood, without a taint cf jew or Moor
was educated at Salamanca, and 10y
training conservative, was quick 10 de
nounce CASTELAR, and his politice as high
ly pcrnicious. In quiet way he was &
great talker the flashing eyes alone be
trayed the intensity of his feeling, and
, as no one entered into debate with him
| he fell to extolling the glory of old Cas-
/ tile. Gradually the whole party was at
tracted to him and he became the cen
: ter of circle of interested listeners.
The fair rider with fluffy curls blowi
by the mountain breeze against the arm
she leaned on, bent forward and asked
"Why leave your own country for thi
, wild New World?r