West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1892-06-16
THE LAND OF SUNSHINE.
A Long Letter From the Eaitcr, De-
scribing His Travels Through
New Mexico,


ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MExICo, }
May, 1892.
We stopped two hours this morn
ing to get breakfast and see Los
Vegas. This was our first stop IN
this old-new country that is now
knocking for admission into the
Union, and is bound to soon be
crowned with Statehood. We got
breakfast at Mexican cafe, the
proprietor of which was from sunny
Italy, while his better half was an
Italian from Cork and the girl who
waiteD on our table was full
blooded Mexican lass, with very
black hair and eyes, and right pretty.
One of the sights OF the town that
interested our party of "tenderfeet'
was drove of little burros at the
depot loaded down with cord wood.
They are not much larger than a
jack-rabbit, and carried about a cord
of wood each OH their backs. They
are kind Of Mexican mule and 1t
is wonderful the load they carry.
At Pecos we made shcrt stop
and all got oat to trade with the
Pecos Indians, who were at the
depot in large numbers with pottery,
beads, petritied wood and various
trinknts to barter for money. Most
OF them were ugly and vicious look
ing and seemed unable to talk Eng.
hsh, but readily recognized the value
OF the money offered them. Some
OF the specimens of petrified
wood and pottery were very antique
and valuable, and / would have Civ
EN- most anything to have had a
selection of it at home, but the long
trip we were on made it impossible
to carry it. Some Of the little pa
pooses were too cute for anything.
AT least that was the expressed
opinion of the ladies of the party.
1t was funny to see the sQuaws at
several places, with their papooses
covered up in their blankets and
refusing to show them unless they
were paid for it. One squaw would
ask dime or "ten cente," and an
other would under-bi her and
say, "Me show for Mickey" and so
the opposition was lively and the
competition in the papoose line very
ludicrous.
We got dinner at Glorieta, an old
town of adobe buildings and little
mud huts. The Mexicans refuse to
make any Improvements and con
tinue to live as they did hundred
years ago.
We passed the Spanish Peaks,
looming up grandly in the distance,
with their eternal snow capped
crests ever pure and white in this
land OF perpetual sunshine. We
struck the Valley of the Rio Grande
River about hundred miles above
this place, and from there down the
country is beautiful indeed. Splen-
did ranches, large flocks of sheep,
droves of cattle and horses, and the
whole Valley seems TO blossom forth
like the rose. This is the only part
Of the territory fit to live in, so far
as we have been able to see.
We stopped little while at Lamy
and got ont to see the Indians, some
of them being very intelligent and
well dressed in comparison with
some Of the others we have met.
The squaws have great fondness
for bright colors and deck themselves
out in a costume that would put
Joseph's Coat to shame. The men
smoke, drink fire. water and play
cards, and are inveterate gamblers.
You can find them i'm any Of the
gambling houses here playing
"craps" or "faro" whenever they
can get hold of any money. There
is an Indian school here, and the
Indians heTeabout are wards Of the
Government, which accounts for
their being better dressed and more
intelligent than others VIC have
mentioned. Some Of the young fell
lows in our party got up quite a
Irritation with a beyy OF Indian
lassies from the Government School
here. They had come down to tho
depot to sec the eastern Editors, ;"
and are fast learning tic wiles and
coquetry Of their white sisters. IT
was funny TO sec members Of our
party trying to get snap shots at the
l.. 4 L.