Frostburg mining journal., 1883-08-11

they didn't make much on us, for we
were hungry after our long ride.
After eating sufficient for at least four
ordinary men we walked around town
awhile, went home and to bed-I TO
get rested for trip to the Alamo
and the old Catholic Missions on the
following day-my chum for his run
back to Palestine, (Texas, not the one
of Holy Writ.)
Arising about seven and feeling
vers much refreshed from a good
nights rest, I ate hearty breakfast
and started on my hunt for the places
of note in and around the city. l
bounced street car for San Pedro
Springs, a great resort of the people
of this place, where nearly all repair
in the cool of the evening to enjoy
music and like refreshing draughts
of-well principally beer and, of
course, few always set too much,
but then everything helps to relieve
the monotonous round of existence.
The proprietors have several dllapi.
dated places fixed up for wild ami
mails. Some of them have animals as
antiquated as their cages. There are
several lakes which, if they were
kept clean, would be very nice, but
the water plants grow so rapidly it is
very hard to keep them down.
Leaving the Springs, I caught up
with the car sgain and went to the
hotel. After dinner I hunted up a
good horse for ride to the Missions
The first one is about two miles and
the secoud-w,ll th, ught it was at
least twenty miles-but 1 suppose it
was no more than six or seven. After
a great many inquiries as to the right
road and half dozen mistakes whicl
took me about an hour to rec;ify,
got started right at l,st and WASH t
long getting to the fret Mission call
ell LA Conceptione," ard claiming
from the date (ll24) over the en-
trance, to be 759 years old. 1t has
no doubt been a splendid looking
structure, but that was a long while
ago, for time has eaten away i,e
beauty and left nothing but the sym.
ly-designed walls, aurmount-
ed with high arched dome and tow
ers eight or ten feet in height, which
have been very highly finished. AL
though the main sdifce stands as firm
as though it were solid rock, those
who fashioned its walls and moulded
with deft. artistic fingers, the besuti-
fully-traced moulding which almost
covered the building from tho foun-
dation TO the tower points, failed to
make their ornaments of a material
that would stand the assaults of tiu e
for so many centuries. So their work
is all undone and the rough concrete,
of which the walls are built, is all
that is left, except here and there
enough to give an idea of what it has
been. The interior is Kept clean and
and looking by an old lady and
her daughter who live off the contri
buttons of visitors. The door is kept
locked and you must promise to de
posit something in the mission-box
before it will be opened. Inside are
three altars-ons facing the entrance
and one on either side. The place is
In the form Of cross. A hard
smooth ground floor, that has resound
ed to the tread Of worShipers for CEN
turies no seats, no ornaments but the
lew pictures and crosses. Parties
from all the States in the Union, and
from many foreign countries have
spared from their treasured relics OF
honied youth to adorn the silent
walls of this monument, which COM
memorates one of the earliest efforts
at civilization and the requirement oil
empire that has been made since the
world began.
There guess you are 6 tting
tired now. 80 I'll wait and flash in
the next issue. Yours, KARs.
A IA m m prru1r r7r n,t,ts Wnotu