Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1890-10-08
LETTER FROH MEXICO.
Notes Anent Getting There.
CHIHuAHuA. Sept. q, 1890.

CHIHUAHUA, Sept. "a, 1890.
Dear Free Press: San Antonia gave us
our first impression of foreign town. The
old houses and the streets are OF white clay,
dazzling in the sunshine. The skies have
changed-they are so clear, so distant. You
seem to be looking away off into space, with
the white clouds sailing, floating anywhere
between Us and the far if'blue. or course
our first thought was OF the Alamo. twas
Just around the corner so We took it as we
started out. expected fortress and found
4 church so heavily built that it has stood
the assaults ofthe elements for centuries. IL
looks as if il might endure till time shall be
no more. Within all is rottenness. The
custodian had gone to buy some matches,
so we did not wait, Is our interest In Davy
Crockett and his band was its attraction for
us, and we were not eager to see the cells
of the old monks. Ii takes great deal OF
space to contain San Antonio. For miles
and miles villa after villa followed in quick
succession, suggesting thoughts OF the many
invalids from every part of our land hoping
for health. fear the druggist and the I'M
dertaker find brisk trade. Twenty-four
hours through Southern Texas; some seen
cry by moonlight that was beautiful, then
grand-but when daylight came we were in
the bad lands. Running through narrow
valley with hills or mountains 1--WE hardly
know what to call them on either side OF
us. bare from vale TO summit, torn and
scanned and SCARED as if in the long ago
some frightful force had rushed through
this valley carrying such desolation with
it that Mother Nature had turned away
hopeless of ever restoring any semblance oil
the time when the Creator looked upon II
aud called il good. Brown earth, with an
occasional touch of burnt up grass. The
only sign of man-the wire fence running
mile after mile each side of the road. The
only signs of life-one jack rabbit and two
or three herds of cattle. Atnoon there was
halt made for dinner. We had our bas'
kets. but wanted to see inside of the lunch
room, bought an eighth of n grape pie for
10 cents and some doughnuts at correspond
ing prices could not blame the proprie-
tor for wanting to make his fortune speedily
and come home to spend it. AS we neared
El Paso the country improved. An incip-
lent town showed up at intervals We cir
cled around three sides of an imposing brick
building, three stories with cupolas, and
half n dozen adobe houses clustered around
L.
house of any kind that the railroad could
not bear to leave its neighborhood. Az 400
we reached FL Paso TO find that old sol had
not been equal to us in speed and 1t was only
| 400 in the afternoon there. Our mission
airy brother, Kilgore, was aboard before the
cars ran into the station, and it would have
amused you to see how tired we were OF be.
| ing self-reliant, self.protecting women, ana
resigned ourselves, our bags and boxes into
his masculine care. The New Mexico Con-
! ference was in session at III Paso-Bishop
| Fitzgerald presiding-and we spent Satur-
day in attendance. Some brother that We
cannot approve-not being of the womans
rights order OF women suggested the pro-
priely Of presenting the three whiting mis-
siOnaries 70 the Conference. we were over
whelmed, but forced to step to the front as
the business of the body waited on our
movements. The Bishops face was study
as he took the hand of the first of our party
and recognized his fellow traveller in stage
/ in old Kentucky in years left behind. over
the Rio Grande, which, in place OF the lord
/ ly river | was expecting TO see was, here
/ Just in the rainy season, stretch oi SAND
with few inches Of water in the middle
we entered Mexico and the night together.
The country is absolutely waste land Tor
hours of our way. Our train made no stops
till toward morning when from my window
would see few sleepy Mexicans gather
ing their little bronchos-thcsc little don
| KEYS. as large as half-grown calf, saddling
and mounting them for the days business.
! What it was am still unable to guess for
the main use made Of them here is TO bring
in from the mountains about two good arm
fuls Of wood, or a basket of milk or vegeta-
bles. The men are not large but are GER
tanly too much so for their beasts. Their
feet reaching very near the ground, though
they are bumped up in q queer way very
far back Of where We would put the saddle.
Eight O'Clock Sunday morning we reached
the near side Of the river where our train
would stop for breakfast. so we took hack
and came over to be in time for Sunday
School