Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-04-27
EROM LAKE ERIE TO THE
GOLDEN GATE.


bag, two brown ones, one red one, one
shawl strap. one umbrella and the baby,
(my head whirls even yet ns | think of my
mad Efforts 10 keep them nll in tow,) in the
drawing room Of one Of the slcepcr- Uf the
train, bound for the laud Uf sunshine aud
II wcts, until we landed with those same
bags aud bundles aud that blessed baby. in
the Cleveland union depot March 30;h, it
WIS one continuous, ever increasing lnppi-
meas. notice that travelling with the best
hu.b md aud the sweetest baby in the
world II very different from the way in
which some women travel, aud then to add
to my happiness there were Roy and Lloyd,
Roy nearly up TO my shonlde; nnl such II
man for his thirteen years, aud Lloyd 30
full Of mischiei that every separate hair on
his curly head stood on end and bid deli
ance to decorum.
When we left Cleveland We nearly froZe
in driving from our suburban home to the
depot, n distance Of only three miles. The
next day at ST. Lonia, Mo, we found it
bright and sunny, lovely spring weather,
We spent u very delightful day looking
about the city. Among other things, we
visited Slaw's Botanical Gardens; the
green houses are very beautiful; here can
he found specimen of all the plants and
trees mentioned in the bible.
Thursday evening saw us fairly; we
took the Missouri Central railroad and
struck the Southern Pacific at ---
Our car contained most delightful party
of twenty people, and II pleasaner COM
pany il has never been our good fortune to
meet The trip across tle plains WIS made
one holiday hour of pleasure. Mr.. Pate,
he agent, thorough gentleman and a
host IN himself, deserves the thanks Of the
entire party, and am sure received them
most unanimously. As Roy said, "onr car
was chock inll OF talent" We had two
fine eloculionis,s, Mrs, Jor,len and Mr..
Pate, while many lesser lights helped TO
make the hours speed right merrily, with
recitntious, readings, music, etc.
Texas, with its vast plains, fine farming
and grazing country, its enterprising little
towns, occupied II day and n night. At
| Welher-ford we spent several hours and
two Of our ladies enjoyed II ride with the
mayor of this promising little city, and
Roy took his first ride on Texan pony,
"wilh real cowboy saddle, you know,
mamma !"
Monday morning we found ourselves at
FL Paso, took street cars and crossed the
Rio Grande river "a mere thread here in
the dry sesson) to Pas del Norte, Mexico
1t seems impossible that tew moments
ride will take you so nearly out OF civilI-
zalion, The funny little adobe houses
many of them without window, chimney
or floor, belong to some bygone age. We
visited their Catholic church, said to be
three hundred years old. The walls are
nearly four feet thick and the ceiling is n
wonder of hand carving. In front at the
right and left Of the entrance are the
tombs of priests. Al the postoflice OH
party all purchased Mexican postal cards
and wrote TO friends at home. The Mexi-
can barracks are but stones throw from
the postoffice and after passing the guard
we entered the large enclosure, which j.
surrounded by high adobe WALL 1t is
without doubt, the most unwholesom,
place il was ever our lot TO enter. Here
the soldiers families live in the most fou
Of little novels. scarcely large enough foi
them TO crawl in, their FIRE in the center o
the earlhen floor, and without window ol
chimney; here dogs, chickens, dirty chill
dren, wretchcd looking men and worse
looking women tumble over eacl, other
Some OF the women were sitting ON III,
ground grinding corn between two fla
primitive manner with the muddy waiel
from the Rio Grande and placed il on
piece Of tin over red hot Goals To bake int'
cakes. Eighteen hundred years seem tc
have done little for these miserable people
The prison opens from these barracks AM
we entered il and looked into the Gel
where Cutting was incarceraled. 1t wonl,
be poor place to put any one who hat
much energy or desire tor escape. Ono,
ont IN the sunshine and queer irregula
streets: we drew long breath, and thank
ed God Tor home and country. Here W,
saw funny little donkeys laden with iagoi
from the mountains, being driven about b,
4 Slouching Mexicans who retaied The fago,
at so much bundle, the wholesale {?
business is done with two yoke OF oxei
, and an antlqnated cart. Some Of the shop
are qnile pretty and tasteful, and the res
taurants are quite novelty. by sre' Ia
vote OF the youthful members Of our party
we entered one and ordered dinner w
+ were shown through long entrance wa
INTO large court; here were any numbe
Of little dining parlors arranged about tn
= enclosure. In one Of these fire was KIN
, died by small hoy with large sombrerc
and an excellent dinner served us. w
|, left Pas del Norle with varied emotions
its wide sunny streets, it's ancient churcl
its dirt and squailer, lis miserable barrack
and queer adobe houses, the lazy, slnggis
, Rio Grande at lis feet, and Its crown q
, mountains IN the distance, all tend To lcav
you rather mixed in your ideas Of hi
funny old town.
Monday night we rode through aka
deserts and awoke in the morning with III
mountains AT our rght, their snow CAP
above the clouds. One OF the grandci
sights of this grand trip, 10 me, was til
4 snow-capped mountains, and from llli
I. time until we reached Denver on our re
turn, they were out oi our sight but shol
, time. Tuesday, Tuesday night and par
Of Wednesday, we rode most of the wa
through deserts of akali and sand with III
mountains in the distance. We trayele
hundreds OF miles without seeing anythin