Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-01
g. WEST VIRGINIA, THURSDAY EVENING, April. l. 1897

the mammoth warm spring with it
limpid, sparkling water, rising il
the midst and flowing through tn,
city.
In the outskirts was great vege
table garden, irrigated, and appar
entity planted early in january
FARTHER on was field in which
MeXicans were blowing. The plow
had but one handle-there was not
an ounce of iron about it, only q
crooked, pointed pole with long
tongue, to which span Of oxen were
hltched, the yoke being on the bncl;
OF the head and fastened to the horns
with raw hide. All Mexican oxen,
so far as | know, are thus yokcd.
and must pull by the head and neck
instead Of the shoulders.
But the mountains! The splendid
mountains! were in front, to the
right, to the left and behind us, and
who, beholding their splendor, could
gaze npon common things? The as
cent was gradual, but very steep.-
Many kinds of trees of Spanish
names | cannot repeat, were passed,
ana as we got to greater altitude l
was pleased to greet my old familiar
and well-beloved acquaintances, the
pecan, sycamore, blackberry, ash,
walnut and willow which grew along
side the date and other palms. On
the lowlands, mountain sides and
among the pines at the summit were
to be seen the straight stems of the
palms with their bunch Of dagger
like leaves at the top.
The train stopped in the shadow
OF great mountain. Two strong
wire cables, $500 feet each in length,
extended from the works below up
nearly 5000 feet to the mine in the
mountain side. Ihe bucket of ore
descending on the cable helped to
pull the empty buckets up.
The intrepid Miss Pauline KiIgore,
OF Ardmore, daughter of our u. S.
Judge, astonished the party and ma,
tives by declaring her intention to
ride up to the mouth of the mine
Climbing into the empty bucket, af-
ter the Mexican sounded two loud
blasts on his cows horn, she was
hauled away. AS we gazed in fear
and trembling the daring girl looked
aloft then from the dizzy height to
the depths below, and gayly waving
newspaper signaled that all was
we'll. AT the mine she jumped out,
greeting the aStoundcd miners with
a merry, BuenOS tardiS, iSignOrS -
and after resting awhile again placed
her precious person in the bucket,
and waving adios" to the cheering
miners, rolled down, down the thou
sands Of feet to where sister and
friends greeted her with bated breath
and suppressed huzzas, the Mexican
poems eXclaiming, Brdr0 .SenOnO-
rita de Anaericd1o %
If any other woman ever accom-.
plished the feat it has not been told.
While waiting for the ears to re-
turn to the city, the young ladies
partook of a repaSt, consisting Of
Mexican dishes they could not name,
and we strolled about the curious lit
tie village, going into the thatched
shacks where the MeXicans ate, slept,
lived. The strong ground was the
only floor, few had any bed save a
thin blanket. Occasionally we saw
box and trunk, and besides the
water-pots and baskets no other fur
niture.
In one hovel three women were
preparing dinner. Two had each a
broad piece of iron with rim around
it over bed Of Goals, and were busy
baking tortillios-fl fiat, tough corn
cakes. One had bucket of soaked
corn, and placing 1t In tray-like
stone mashed 1t into fine meal with
stone rolling-pin.
Near by ran a stream from a big
spring that gushed out beneath the
stones. Along the stream were
many women doing the weeks wash.
ing. a few had wooden tiays for
wash.boards, but most of them Dip
ped the clothes in the branch and
rubbed them on the smooth stones.
The boys were stripped and playing
i'm the water.
We got back to town too late to
accept gracious invitation to call in
body on the Governor Of Nuevo
! Leon.
But we did have time to stroll
down tho crystal stream that flowed
from the great warm spring, and
whilst, Mr.. Editor, your modesty
would have forbidden, yet we gaZed
with pleasure and amusement at the
large and jolly groups Of men, wo-
men and children on the banks.
Scores were busy dipping clothing
into the water and rubbing them on