Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1889-01-26
SUNDAY IN HILLSBORO.
oBsERyATIoNs~oF A WALK IN THE CITY
LIMITS AND HOW OUR PEOPLE ENJOY
HoHDAY-THRIFTY HOMES AND
PROSPEROUS FUTURE.

A HodDAY-THRIFTY HOMES AND
PROSPEROUS FUTURE.
A walk about Hillsboro last Sun
day afternoon in the keen, bracine
air from the snowy range awaken
ed a multitude of thoughts as tC
the possibilities and majestic fu-
ture of this community. In th'
) dark shades of tie bluff in the henC
OF the historic and eyer-howins
Percha below town is rainbow o
cosy cottages, owned and occupied
by our esteemed fellow Mexlcans
Adobe structures seem to be the
rule in selecting material toi
houses New Mexico over, and
Hlllsboro is no exception. In front
and enclosing each adobe dwelling
were clean, nice yards, gardens and
fruit trees. The finest young or
chard, however, is that of MAXWELL
Stapleton. This Ia peach orchard,
laid off and planted in straight and
gracefully curved rows, SO arrang-
ed for the convenience Of irriga-
ton. The trees are now IN their
third year, aud bore fine, luscious
fruit the past season. They look
healthy, and in a good state of
preservation and from swelling
buds and reddening twigs are al
ready feeling the gentle influences
OF spring. Aside from this. Mr.
Stapleton is paying much attention
to gardening and raises an abun-
dance of vegetables for home use
and market. All along could be
seen an cir OF thrift and comfort
in the little homes that skirt the
crystal margin OF the river. Though
it was Sunday and a day of rest and |
religious reflection, we saw men
and women about their premises |
engaged in some kind Of light and
useful employment. The Mexican
people are by nature, thrifty and
industrious, and untidiness or an
unclean appearance about their
household is of rare occurrence. On
our left we passed another enclos
ure of barbed. wire fencing, with
the usual tidy and comfortable
home Inside the enclosure the
ground had been freshly plowed
and smoothed AID another young
orchard growing. The trees were
each and all neatly bound up with
cornstalks and securely tied. This
Is to prevent the lnvasions and
destruction of the young fruit trees
by jackass rabbits and cotton-ta tails.
1t is Young orchard, probably on
ly planted last fall and consequent
ly will not bear fruit under two
years more. But it filled us full
of pleasant forebodings and anticl-
when we thought what it
is TO be. The farthest and last
house stands in the mouth Of
deep gulch, making from the mesa
in the rear. 1t looked brown and
lonely, but nevertheless clean and +.
This is also occupied /,
by family and a pleasant looking
woman and several bright-eyed
children were seen about the doors.
At one of the pleasant and certain
y happy homes, the bedding had
Deen placed outside for airing and
receiving the warm suns hine. The
inen looked as white and as pure {
IS snow so cleanly had they been
ard cared for. That house
S evidently presided over by
model housewife. We crossed the :,
aud tumultuous waters OF :
be Percha on a foot bridge and i
limbed the embankment and stood o
N the wide stretch of ground ly-
ng between the river and the Her =
nosa road. Ye gods !! What a /
waste Of virgin soil that lies there t
die and uncultivated. Why our o
ig shoes woald sink in over shoe =
mouth. We became affected and :
hought of what watermelons, Gu $
umbers, what pumpkins, cabbages b
nd SO quashes might there be grown q
'ut for the overflow of the river. :
he community known as Happy $