The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-10-11
dhe Q;ttti:,el.liiQ|ee,ttlll.tfae,,:rl::;.
unlre, Nos. rs and ~ Fourteenth Street
A NEW MEXICO LETTER.


0nlrc, Nos. rs aud ~ Fourteenth Street
A NEW MEXICO LETTER. h
From n Weston Lady knIournimg In III,
Fur observations and Notes u
Travci-Life In TINT Distant Region.
Editors ln.sllIgencer. Hi2 N.G@sl'li
CAsslL Rancho, N. NJ, September co.
Surely no place can look more desolM,
than tho prairies In tho southwestern par
OF Kansas, In tho warm sun Of MI Angus
afternoon. Having LEFT behind the farm
with their immense fields OF corn, we fine
ourselves In Il desert. Occasionally there
Is II station by tho way, with small house.
and M attempt ut cultivation Of the soil
but again for miles and miles the prairie.
stretch before us without break, nc
water nor trees, no signs OF animal life but
the prairie dogs. Tho cactus grows close
by the roadside, mud the grass Is dry and
scant Sometimes u mirage Ia seen, far
iar away upon tho horizon-a lake with
green islands, rivers with cool shadow
forests reaching down 10 the edge. Out
can readily imagine how travellers over
tho plains have been deceived by this fall
promise, which led them on and on, reco.
ding as they advanced till hope gave way
to despair. Tho Sun went down and
tho dreary landscape wns in dark.
ness. But when VIC looked out
IN the morning, It was with thrill Of
delight We beheld tho distant mountains
beautiful in the early sunlight. We were
delayed several hours by q washout at
Trinidad, Colorado, where il mountain tor.
rent had swept through the town carrying
before It walks and bridges, md scnlin.,
many families 10 the roofs Of their little
houses, or obliging them to seek refuge in
the homes Of others. Then, having sue.
cessfully crossed the rails which seemed
floating in water, We began ascending the
mountains with an engine at each end Of
tho train. At "A height oil 1900 feet above
the sen level We saw old Pixies Peak In the
distance with lis head wrapped in the
clouds, and while admiring tho softened
outlines, the lights and shadows, tho lazy
tinge OF blue, the indescribable beauty, we
suddenly plunged into long dark tunnel
md when we emerged We were in New
Mexico. All dny we we were among tho
mountains and the scenery was beautiful
III the extreme. One grim isolated peak
which lowered above the others was still
in sight for miles and miles, passing from
sight then reappearing rs VIC wound among
the mountains. Starvation Peak il Il
called, and on its summit, which seems 10
touch the very skies, could Just be seen two
crosses placed 10 the memory Of twenty.six
Mexicans who were driven there and died
Of starvation while the Indians kept guard
beneath. Then came the Gloric,tu Hills
Hills, valleys and rolling lands stretched
before us in all shades Of green. like n huge
map, dotted here and there with Mexican
adobe villages. and herds Of sheep and cat
tie, dim mountains in the distant back.
ground. Que catches glimpse, too, OF the
ruins OF the old Pecos church, (which was
built centuries ago. T. ,.r,e's..o .NI
Reaching socorro at midnight, we were
taken TO the Grand Central Hotel in a
hack OF the most primitive style. 1t is
only within the past two or three Years
that Americans aud American customs
have invaded the old Mexican hotel, SO
the hotel is a comparatively new frame
building two stories in height, and though
it would be m exceedingly superficial
structure for an Eastern hotel, it is quite
luxurious for this region. Socorro hus a
population Of about g 700. 1t has its plaza
in the centre OF the town, abou. which are
built the business houses, and from which
so out great many very narrow, yery
crooked streets. The houses are nearly ali
adobe, one story in height. There Is a
Spanish church here, over two hundred
years old, and the women still seat them.
selves in the circle Just as they did wears
and years ago. We have read OF "beauti.
jul Spanish women" but now VIC know
when the term is used it never. never
means the women OF New Mexico these
women who on the warmest days 90 about
the streets with an old shawl thrown over
the head and drawn about the body,
Sabbath morning We stood on the hotel
balcony and looked out on the dcsolate
Rio Grande valley and barren mountains
beyond, then ut the town about US. The
sun beat with dazzling glare on the bare
brown streets md low mud houses, but in
the shade We can always find it comfort.
able.
Under these blue, blue skies a feeling
Of languor prevails which in Mexicans
looks like laziuess They sit on the sunny
side OF the house when it ia cool, and
their principal exercise seems 10 be walk.
ing to the shady side when it grows
warm. ietpeople will walk. and walk,
hunting and prospecting for days among
the mountains. On this Sabbath morning,
owing TO theabsence OF ''the father" there
were no services in the Spanish church.
and following the sound of a small cracked
bell, We soon found ourselves in a little
adobe room at the Presbyterian Sabbath
school. ~. {5fTlSSTs
Adobe houses with adobe roofs will
leak, and the whiic-washed wuile were
soiled with little streams ofmud, aid here
and there great holes washed out. But the
lesson leaves distributed were those used
III the East, and in this strange country
we heard the old familiar "Gosuel hymns, J,
But we took farewell glance in the
small warped mirror which almost con,
WINGED us We were one.eyed MeSicans
and when VIC left our little room in the
Grand Central Hotel, with its CARPET, its
neat table and washstand, We left nil the
luxurics behind, for we crossed the deserl
called "The Journey Of DEATH" and now
are out among the mountains two days
journey from the railroad We dream oil
lofty rooms and carpets sometimes, but
they are forbidden topics. We arc in tn,
quainteat old adobe house OF SIX rooms
each room having n Mexican fire place IL
one corner, and one small square window
without glass up near the ceiling. & The
doorways are wide-but thcreare no doors
The floors and the walls arc Of earth, The
roof is made Of logs covered with earth, in
which the grass grows, and there isa portal
extending around three sides OF the house
But in the evening whena party Of eleyor
gather round cherry wood Gre in one Al
the rooms such marvellous tales, such
hearty laughs are seldom heard. I,uttherf
is hush and m omiuous GLANCE at tLt
rifles and shot guns Il one ventures to mon en-
ton sweet fresh butter, cream, eggs or fruit
They are things Of the past, still VIC have
the fruit OF tho Yucca, Pinon nuts and al
sorts Of game, md at an elevation OF 7,5O(
| funt al how, +hn COO t1,o ~, rn.t =.