Weekly Arizona citizen., 1880-12-11
special Correspondence of the CITIZEN.
HERMosILLo, Decembt

1 Tuesday afternoon by the Magdalena and HermoSillU stage, and arrived
 here ihls morning, which is doing a distance of 261 miles in pretty good time. The road from Tucson out as l far as San Xavier, the heavy wagons which constantly pass over it having
 crushed it completely and reduced l the adobe to an mpalpable dust, ! which flies up in clouds as vehicles pass by, filling the passengers mouth and nosirils and making him very
 uncomfortable. Once past the nine mile " house the road improves and becomes decidedly fine after a while. The valley there is very broad, cOv- cred with excellent grass which af- lords food to many cattle and could accommodate many thousands more.
 The driver and guard being very tired, we camped a. the Ranch De-
 benton, and in the morning rattled through Tubac, of which l caught but passing glimpse. l must admit that 1 don't yean after Tubac-
 The next place was Las Calabasas, or rather the place where Las Cabs- sas ought to be. At present 1t con sIsts of a substantial and commOdiOus brick house, in which Col McArthur has his store, a smaller house, also Of brick, and the foundation of a larger one. About 300 yards on tue other side of the road is large well worked
 by steam.
 At Pete Kitchens, near the frontier, | had my first experience of a MeXi- can siage-Toad meal. IL consisted of frie6 potatoes and a nOndcscript arti- Clc. which some one called fried jerked meat. IL was stringY and taste less, and in my opinion is fried as- bestos. Every meal l have had to swallow since has consisted of the same peculiar stuff, but the potatoes are now frIjoieS.
 Aftel travelling a little further we come to the Mexican custom house, where the officers insisted on search ing 0H the trunks. They were much disappointed when il turned out that of all the passengers on the stage only one attained To the dignity Of sporting a trunk. SO the officers all had finger in the pie and turned the trunk inside out. It was then discovered that the owner Of the trunk was iragedian and poet On the top of his clothes lay a formidable locking quartO of about J00 pages. which upon closer inspection proved tO be covered with closely written manuscript. Is pro- prieior bounced upon it and carried il into the stage. where he confidently informed me that it was d tragedy in verse, seven acis, in Spanish, and Of his own carpentering. He was even gracious enough to offer 10 read me an act or two. l shivCred when l heard him-seven acts of tragedy in verse and in Spanish l turned white under ihc dust which covered my cheeks and grOancd. Why, it would take as long as a Chinese play, and they proverbably last no less than six months I capped hIm though, a. fortunately l had with me a WEEKLY CITIZEN, which offered him to read. This diverted his attention from his hobby and he forthwith started in 10 spell the first column on the first page. He has already reached the middle of the third column, and if he goes on as swimminglY as he commenced, 1 trust he will be through with the paper by New Year, and l shal be safe from the tragedy.
 As we were nearing the Mexican border ! noticed that the grass was becoming finer and iucier and that mesquite was gradually giving way to live oak. After being about three miles into Mexican territory, the view was splendii, reminding one of a park. On both sides were to he seen softly undulsting hills covered with grass, the plain also being thickly covered with it, and, here and there, they were studded over with stately live nak trees. interspersed with smaller ones. No other kind of wood was iu be seen. This is certainly a pariiise for cattle and horses, and inwardly wondered Co find lt des eTted when far less fortunate spots further on were filled with cattle and sheep.
 Al Agra Sarca while changing our team. we got white mule which in- spircd me with some interest He looked as if kicking was all lie hrcuthcd for and the wic6edness of his cs-r~ WAS pleasing to behold. We started. and all went well for a time. Ailer The mule had lead everyone into the sweet helief that his appearance beli.d him. lac Sh0Wed L;s Egmc. It. -uideulA >Iosd sill and would mol buda. au.u. Every earnest pe'sua- slnn gas lscl. from kicks in ihe belly Co hsajiAg han with three-inch stick nnt.l il br Ike in two, and yet the white mule wouldn't go Al last a fire uH~ built under him and be was well licked wIth fire brand over Inc head A thls solemn moment my muse inspired me into the following"
 Tl.,. mule stood ol h. burning de,k-
 Aud rrrlN Wa.ge1 his tail.
 TI.s Knocked Ihe -iufiug out "l hlu.-
 Ardy ycf tNss uo avail
 AS was commencing the second strOphc he gave m and started, and SD did hIs sisters and his cousins and l his-you know the rest, and l for | bear Well, l was pleased at this ! evident mastery of man over the brute 1 animal. and sat down agaIn. By this 1 time il had got dark and l could no l longer observe the landscape Sud l denly the stage stopped and the driver | started in once more with his Ullah | yahi' but To DO purpose. The White | Mule was al his tricks again. Labor 1 ing under the idea that l might be of | some Use with hIg stick, l stepped l out of the s4ge-into a creek full of | water. in which the coach had 1 stopped. That settled my zeal, and 1 after I got my wet clothes Olf and . wrrpped myself into a blanket, l l looked out, and there WAS my mule, ! unharnessed, with such wicked . |" should-smiie leer on his . face that I then and there lost my . interest in mules forever.
 We arrived at Magdalena in the | middle of the night, and l cannot | therefore tell you much about it's i looks. All I noticed was that the . strcet-corners are furnished with | lamrs. but as they don't light them at all. l sUppnse they are intended Tor . only. I here learned that Dr. VaSQuez, of Altar, had been shot f and killed by Ramon NalenZUela 6 !