The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-11

Ths following letter about Texas appeared
In the London KensinGton News, bsdng WRIT
ten BY Bcrtram Millor OF Burlington. Yer
mont who formerly resided In this State:
Texasl what visions OF bowie knives, Win
chesters. long hair and dcsperadoes the name
conjurcs up--that IL. TO tho uninitistcd q to
the dwcller In somo far Eastern country Il
lie, however. cot necessary to 20 farther than
Boston or New York. distant less than 1900
| miles. to and woful lack Of knowledge OF
the existing state Of thinss N the largest
OF the United States OF America, whilst In
Europe there have been told so many tales Of
the Jesse James order. and Of the rcmarkA-
BILE proclivity Of Texans for shooting that
many people who have unfortunately bsen
llled ny with such nonsense will ilatiy re-
fuse 10 believe ans other than that Texas
ugh! the name almost makca ones hair
stand on ond t!)-co0tains nothing but ~
CALDER revolvers with the accompanying
| bowie knife tnamed alter the brave Colonel
James Bowie. who was ruthlessly butchred
by the Meaicans under Santa Anna Vt The
siege OF the alamo In 1885,. and carried BY
h.ree-yisaked inen VINO care LOT now they
uso Such weapous. what Pity tnat S.Ats
80 tuii of Historical hRueicst. 30 tuti OF nat
ural beauty. wlivn n.lsl4Defs anlong iIs IN.
havitauts 10 many falr women ana cultured
anu Grave hitn should bear SO uucnviauls =
~
voiveis have played an important part In
the history OF Texas. but there Is a reason for
TINS. which the length OF tnts article Will moi
| allow me to enter upcn. Tue reauer may rest
assured. hon ever, that dangerous weapons
are now almost "a scarce IN feAas as Ia Lsons
ooh. and any one VINO would make tip
! through the State Tor the purpose OF enc
countering stirring adventures is doomed to
SAD disappointment.
The Lone stnr State has an area Of 274s5s
square miles, or ko.oSS,s4U acres, or, In other
worus, is as large as England, Ireland. Scst-
land. Wales. Holland. beigium, Denmark.
Switzerland. Greece and Turkey comvinel.
and the variety and beauty OF Its scenery 10
the pride OF LIS citizens and the admiration
OF travellers. who sometimes enter the coun-
try In the expectation OF seeing only great
stretches OF Prairie and plains covered WITH
cactus plants. These he will find. certaialy.
but not by any means to the exclusion CT
natural mud artificial beauties that may sur
Guadalupe mountains. Garlic mountains.
Chsas and Diable mountains, are sure TO en-
thnse the lover Of rugged scenery. whilst the
old spanish missions near San Antonio, the
church OF fsleta, which Is 800 years old. anu
other relies of the past are full OF interest.
and carry us back To- the days when Texas
was under Spanish rule--or misrule, rather,
The name Texas is derived from Thtbuas
the name OF an ancient tribo Of Indians that
Is interchangeable with "hu' in the ancient
p!onunci1uon and spelling, md II is reason.
able to suppose that the word Tihuas tpro.
neunced Te.wausl should finally resolve IT.
selt In Texas. This. AT least. is the generally
accepted genealogical definition of the word
Austin. the capital, is beautiful and we'll
rel resenta,ire society men and women OF the
State. The magnificent State capital is stu.
ateo feie, Tor winch WAS paid 5000, OtJ acres
os land. Tho city Is named after stephen +.
Austin. the founder OF Texas.
How strange u Will seem to some to read OF
what is Texas sociiety?S indulgent reader der.
y y Mhds up OF me sons OIL sueh men rs
SrosKelt travis. houston ana bowie-men OF
aople minas ana brave nsartS, and OF iaai.s
Who are tue psIiectloh OF eieSance anu re.
IineIb eut. anu WHO possess tnat Quaiity Wnicn
enoesrs them to az, VIZ: hospitality. Inc
81 ris r.n suse tU INA ih apo1 sns hs
" Els IecepuOn Anu tue klnu treAtmelt NJ
VII receive M tnls southern STATE. ana the
.t W., sOutnsIn aM WIN sQothe ana com.
si .r,a ns, and sunshine
nl - ~ . ttra ~ tns o'a ava iV ,nn
v v u ~ ilost uiniiupla iea.ures, anu sne
5 E, scnooi system IS iarseiy enuoWea. ~.
cnn,rlats IN srsr, dasaii ~ n'S'A' aAN :.
Eninns,an liz ,r,..,,.., .sanor, .,,,a a.,
the quiz of MeSipa' IL aamoae va haviae ne
io',yss, hsach ~, no a., GO s,,nts an.
un,Iarfn Is Il that buSxv ca, he ar.vel aIois
its en,Ira 20 eneth If nvsr thi,tv n,i,es Ths
surf baihins aiford. prea, anse,nent /, the
,,sitnrs na ,sssI.. asr, annii,, .. nv
Sometimes on Sunssss as L.. - -
nj. re to be seen en- tbe beach which dunn
he wten. however. ls Utmost dcsertea,
Kew Vet Tanui,o meSeo, AsoinwsJl ma
also IN bTornAn ivnrnooi isy ,ia,ia 49, uan
chaster. so. that the snipninp Ia n,,iIn a sfa,.
sive, and Ia A few y1aIs' with add 't,,..,.,l
1rst..hs Sacii,,tss f',,, 49, - a.aI
ttse iste.t aeaation r. w6teb l.. ~. Iln"-as
CIV. Iittsblrg mud Gulf saIsnad ,ec.nfis
ousred, u.n me r..,,,nlsri,n ~ n,sr ~. innt,
desp W.T. 6arpsr' Usivaston sbomis - ',,nv
nroninent nlnca an,nnes, mo ensnor,s y;
fha cn,,nirv any oT ~. ar az mi ~ "
Tssss hnvs hsan hui, 11 r ne ouinss 60
eraniie vb,cS is fo,.nn A., ,a ~. iuoen ssay
n.1y nnr,s ~ ~ So 10 Nv du1.i'..vs "
.h raA s, y. sno I,, Inu ~, y.
n,,. bs,apts uua.y. 70 au..SS' v.iulo.c
h,a sSaacaa ~ b oso nan ,sIse us sucn NO
bo t 40 .e vapto' a.. huSt'l; Tue couss
nouses a. n Daiiai rott Motth aaa san An
.o ai lily p.li n!Sa schooi al oa!Vsstan. nld
80, "a n :, msu,u ue stsuit ~ aug Gun
". .'tiu tsAais pol.t VIII JusunH9e pTlue
W ~. slg NJ spes'nehs " nIsn!teetursI beauty,
IN Ieaas Is 70 De found the longest bridge
~ tns mo'a' GonnecIng ING lsland on wnich
1aMes.oh rs situated WIN the mainland and
spIAhihs tne west Day. II IL TWO ana hail
miles a.e W ielgth,
lhe moGefh appearance OF ones surround
lies aisappeJ!s 70 great extent on nearing
the mexican border, whether 1t be at Ei Paso
70 ths extreme I'M. western part Of the State. Or
Laredo IN the south. both OF which towns
much In common with the adjoinilg Mexican
towns across the Rio Grande, Juarsz and
Nuey0 Laredo, IL must, b-MayNr hA Hdauf4-