The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-10-16
CLYDE MATrox Is LITERARY.
He Tries his Hand at Writing a Piece OF
Texas Missions.

Clyde Mattox has entered the literary
field. That there is nothing particular
ly pyrotechnfc in him along this line
the following on the missions Of Texas
which he contributes to McMaSter's
weekly at Oklahoma City, this week,
is probably the only time he has ever
WRITTEN anything of a descriptive nat
IRE for public,a ton.
Mlattox's attorneys are still working
for a further pardon, setting up the
plea that he is dying of consumption.
Following is the article in question:
The Lone Star state affords a number
of ancient missions, which never fail
to attract the eager eye curiosity of the
traveller. Those which rank first are
the San Antonio mission, San Ferdnan-
do Cathedral, Mission Conception and
San Jose. Each of these old edifices
present an abundance of picturesque
scenes so grand that one never forgets
the striking appearance left on the
mind after visiting them, from the fact
that they have all been built more than
one hundred and fifty years. These
shrines are located in and near the
present city of San Antonio, where they
were founded by the FRANCISCAN Faith
ers. a devoted order of monks, the Tula
Indians doing the manual labor when
Texas was part Of the Dominion Of
Spain.
walls and peculiarly sculptured archi-
lecture, then San Ferdnando Cathedral
which has been added to and is still
used as a place of worship by congre-
CATION Of devout MeXfcans, small in
stature, patient countenaaces and
small feet. AS they enter this sanctum
they bow low, some even TO their knees
and crawl TO the altar. To an Ameri-
can not accustomed TO the Mexican
language. wierd are the chants of the
hymns they chime.
After leaving the last named mission.
we drove out of the main city TO the left
of the San Antonio river to Mission
Conception, founded in A. D. 1716. Time
has been more lenient TO this ancient
structure, than ITO any of these other
missions lit is in fair state of preSer-
walton, even to the roof, from where
one upon ascending may obtain a love-
ly view Of the city and the broad
sire itching prairie valley. We could
have tarried with interest in this mass
i've place a whole day, but sufficient
time was not allotted us as we had still
another place to visit ere the day was
done and after our departure from the
Mammoth" a drive of four miles fur
Their down the river brought us to San
Jose Mission, founded in A. D. 1920.
The staying hand of God has not been
so merciful to San Jose as to the other
missions. II is sad to note how neglect
and vandalism have joined hands and
rudely run riot over this once magnifi-
cent and elegant structure But for
that time might have left il a beautiful
memorial. upEfted in praise, on a wild
prairie, isolated from city or town. The
Spanish monks were lavish in the ex-
penditure Of wealth and artistic skill on
this surprisingly elegant structure. The
main enuyway is semi-circlar. thirty
feet or more i'm heighth. and is a mary
elOCS work of art. Immediately opDo-
site the door is a sculpture of scriptural
embfemS. with foliage inter'twined. On
the right stands the headlesS remains
Of 4 statue OF St. Joseph. on the left the
Virgin Mary and Infant Saviour Above
the arch is another statue of the Nir-
gin. and above this large window sur
rounded by artiStically sculptured en-
blemS. flowers and foliage. There are
three statues Of fr'iarS and several chill
uren in the form of winged chsrubs All
TINS has been mGrred by vandalism
The ruins indicate that one room. pre-
sumahly the bapistry, was furnished
and reserved as a sleeping apartment
OF some priest or monk. but there was
nothing luxurious about il except the
Sculptured door, which riVais the main
door in beauty. The Old bake oven has
baffied time more than any other part
OF the ruins In one OF the ruins there
ere several graves. probably the last
resting place Of one OF the holy fathers
of this edifice The Mexican family
that live on the grounds. evidently
have but little sense Of the sac-edneSs
81 the place. for they allow their stock
70 trample at viii over the remains of
these sleeping monks
CLYDE NATION.
ALEXANDER re- elved more bravery of
mind 10y the pattern OF Achilles than bv
hearing the letinitlnn Of fn..rit,,.a., =. -