Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-05-08
TEXAS.
An Overland Trip Prom the Plains 10
the Table-Iands.

IEhAS.
An Overland Trip Prom the Plains 10
the Table-Iands.
Leaving Fort Worth we went across
TO Big Springs, a small village of about
twenty baTn-like structures with canvas
roofs, After this we saw no more
villages. We stopped occasionally for
water at the railroad stations, brown
frame buildings, usually the only build
ing in sight. The prairie was bordered
by low mountains, which the sun color
ed golden and blue. Spanish bayOnet
and mosquito were the only signs of
vegetable life. The Spanish bayOnet
looked about four feet high. At dis
lance ii takes the appearance of the
figure of an old woman with feathered
head-dress. The stalk is about twenty
six inches around and covered with
bark. All the leaves, which are narrow
spikes, cluster at the top. The prairie
abOuuds in different species of cacti-the
creeping cactus, Spanish bayOnet, prick
" pear and wait-a-bit. The last Is
well named. When touched, it breaks
oil, throwing its thOrns into you, caus-
ing one to wait-a-bit and pick them
out. The height of the mesquite is four
feet. The root is the fuel of Texas and
burns well.
TOYAH.
We rode in all emigrant car from
Big Springs to Toyah. At one time we
saw q drove of 900 antelopes. There
were number of Texans on board,
splendid looking, sunburned fellows. We
passed Overthe cOpper-cOlOred PecOs. The
mules seem to like this alkali water, but
it is impossible TO cook beans with 1t,
and the coffee is abominable. TOyah
was our destination by rail. 1t Is can
vas town, Most of these towns along
the Texas x Pacific have sprung up in a
little less than two years. TOyah, trans
lated, is water, but the nearest water is
nineteen miles distant and sells for Sl.5O
per barrel. A part of the inhabitants of
Toyah are cowboys and discharged rail-
road employees. The families of the
latter are destitute; the men having
been turned off by the railroad are I'M
able to procure work and the railroad
company will not allow them passes to
where they can get something to do.
COWBOY DIVERSIONS.
The night at Toyah was our first ex-
pcrience i'm Texan town. AT first We
camped out, but the bullets flew so
thickly arOundwe concluded to seek the
shelter of some building. During the
night this building was struck by bull
lets. For amusement two gunpOwder
mincs were made and exploded. To
add to the charm drum and fiddle was
accompanied 10y the cries and Shrieks of
the cowboys. The Texans have habit
of firing six shooters up in the air to
pass away the time. | was told people
were seldom hit, but if killed nothing Is
done TO the murderer. HE was 4 good
natured man, poor fellow, and didn't
mean any harm" y gentleman who
has lived here forty years declares
there is less crime in Texas in year
than i'm New York. The Texans are
well behaved, polite quiet and honest,
but i'm the frontier towns, there are Oc-
casiOnal ebullitiOns caused 10y drunken
ness.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
Tovah is to have an $1,000 hotel.
The hotel at present consists of three
rooms, Il dining room, kitchen and
sleeping apartment. The latter was
curtafned into sections. Drawing aside
the curtains we saw three beds in a Sec
ton. The proprietor showed us one
section with only two beds, and was de-
sirous that one of the gentlemen OF our
party should occupy this. AS an in
ducement, he said the other was rented
to a very nice gambler. The next
morning we found the air fresh and
crisp. The mountains were enveloped
i'm mist. Our splendid team of grayS
soon put TOyah far behind us. Our
ambulance made travel easy and were
| almost concealed in buffalo robes. AT
noon we stopped at a sulphur spring.
| The sun was so warm that We threw
| aside our wraps. Sulphur springs
/ proved to be a mud hole. The water was
| clear and agreeable TO the taste. Conn
| ing over on horseback should, doubt
less, have passed through it to cool the
| horses feet. That would have been the
! last of horse and rider, a. 1t Is twenty
| feet deep. AS we went on, the blue
| unail flew up at our approach. The
rays ofthe. sun gilded their beautiful
| tOp-knotS.
ON THE TABLE LANDS.
! Winding narrow pass we found our
] selves in the mountains. AT first the
/ ONLY vegetation was cactus and mes
unite. but now we saw the bear grass,
growing i'm clumpS, with long narrow
! blades, of which the MeXicans make
baskets. They also split the blade OF
\ the spanish bayOnet and weave 1t into
| baskets The use the dubious root for
| soap. A train of MeXicanS passed us.
The men were as dark rs mulattoes and
had sparkling dark eyes. With their
! gorgeous attire they looked, for all the
I world, like the pictures in the top OF
raisin boxes. They are passionately
| devoted To red and are an extremely
stupid and dirty race.
AN IMMIGRANTS WAGON.
The covered immigrant wagon was
drawn 10y twelve small mules, two
| hitched to the wagon, next four abreast
| and then four leaders, abreast. Some
| hurrOs followed the train. They are
/ funny little things, with their long ears
/ and large, brown eyes. They seem
much smaller than the Mexican mules
or bronchos. These burros sell for the
smallsum ofS4. They make splendid pack
| mules. The bronchos to the stages can
/ not be made to stop. If passengers
| hat blows off, the mules circle abound
/ until the hat is recovered and then take
! the road. This fact have noticed sew
eral times. There is said TO be plenty
| OfcOal in Texas if one knew where TO To-
/ cate it. Silver has been seen in the
/ Guadalupe Mountains, but not in pay
/ ing quantities. "A. WI.
Tight pants are the fashion for the
summer of lSS2.-lEx. Drunkards will
| please take notice.
For constipation and piles take MASALIN.
1
Scene: \ Chinese Sunday school.
| Time: The end of the session. Pupil
| CwhO had been taught thar day by gen.
tleman.) me no hkee teacher" Super
ntendent-"Why not?" Pupn-"Me
want old gall Congregdtionatist.
Given Up by Doctors
rs ii possible that Mr.. Godfrey is up and
at work, and cured by so simple remedy
II assure you it is true that he is entirely
cured, and with nothing but Hop Bitters;
and only ten days ago his doctors gave him