The Osceola times., 1888-12-15


hand, aud is by no means the hard
looking customer he is generally
represented. They ar. a strong, stei-
wart set Of men, bronzed by expos
uTe, courteous in manner, willing 10
give information, and the hest riders
in the world. TINE, when paid of,
they will come into frontier town
and "paint ii red" but then, | have
seen those who were not COW boys,
do the very same thing. Al night
fall we came into Arizona, where the
same character in country is to he
found as in New Mexico. Sunday
morning we arrived at For Yuma.
Yuma make pun or that name If
the Deputy Clerk don't get ahead Of
YOU. Here, for the first time since
my boybood, (some ten or twenty
years ago., | saw Indians. There
were probably hundred of them at
the depot, and they were gorgeous
in their red paint, red blankets aud
dirt. Occasionally, good specimen
Of physical manhood could be found
among them, but on an average they
were not handsome. The women
were hideously ugly, and even the
" coy, blushing, supple Indian maid
ems" were each and every one Of
them homely enough to stop an eight
day clock; so If any of the Osceola
bows who read dime novels think
Of coming west 10 iasso the aforesaid
Indian maidens, they had better stay
at home; though it would do no par.
ticular harm were they to come out
and kill few Of the warriors. I'm
mediately after breakfast, at Yuma,
W. started across the great Yuma
Desert. This is the most desolate
spot on earth; nothing but sand on
every side, and away in the distance
can be seen the snow-capped noun
tains. The wind has in many places
piled the sand in great drifts, which
reminds one of snow-drifts. Upon
one huge drift some humorist had
painted and stuck up sign, Sand
for Sale, Cheap"
had often heard of the mirage
that ''leads the weary and thirsty
travler on and on, and ever on, un-
til in despair he sinks to the ground
and dies" and at last l have seen
one. While looking out at the win
dow saw what appeard to me to be
the most beautiful sheet OF water
that my eyes ever gazed upon, and
called the attention of several pas
sengers to it. They were all like
myself "Tender-feet" and We sat
there admirlng it until the conduc-
tor took pity on our ignorance, and
informed US that it was not water we
saw but a mirage. Mirage or no
mirage, it was the most beautiful
sight ! ever saw and one that | will
never forget.
At ten o'clock Sunday night, Dec.
2nd. We arrived in the city, and the
next day | started out to view the
city. ] expected to find ofcourse
live progressive city, well laid out,
and with two story frame business
houses, with here and there 3 brick
house, and occasionally = handsome
residence. But to my surprise, !
found a great city of $1,000 inhsb.
itants, the streets are wide, mot too
wide)paved ~i,n asphalt, the pave
ments wide and even, and not
frame business house Oh any Of the
business streets. AL of the stores
and hotels are of brick or granite and
are very handsome. Several Of the
large retail stores being as large as
Menkens. There are few as stately
buildings as you will see in Memphis
the building Of very tall houses not
beitg encouraged for fear of earth
quakcs. 1 have never in any city
that ! have been in except New York
seen the streets so thronged with
people as here. In this respect it
reminds me Of Broadway in New
York. Stylish and handsome turn
outs are seen on the streets. took
u walk to-day in the residence part
of the city and saw many handsome
residences, the yards full Of beauti-
full flowers, in full bloom. | have
seen as many roses in bloom here
to-day as in Little Rock in May.
Oranges, lemons and bananas grow
here in profusion. At breakfast this
morning we had sliced tomatoes and
cucumbers fresh from the vines, they
grow here out Of doors the year
around, think can hear the sigh
of envy yelling up from the heart of
a certain druggist in Osccola, whose
idea Of Heaven is place where they
have tomatoes every day.
To day | walked up to the top of
Euclid Hill, and had a view of the
Pacific Ocean, distant some twenty
miles, 1t looked no wider than the
Mississippi, though ! am told it Is
much wider, | intend tomorrow to
run down and look at it and will tell
you all about IT.
The climate here is simply perfec-
tion. For the twenty four hours
ending this morning the highest
reckoning of the thermometer was