Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-08-18
THE FLORIDA MESA.

In whatever direction one travels
through Colorado. he is impressed
with the fitness OF the name that is
given our great mountain system--
sees craggy peaks, rugged clins and
cnnons. steep slopes where the hardy
sprnces seem 10 bc pushing their way
through solid rock Going on the
eastern. there are miles Of low mount
aims. their sides covered with small,
loose rocks. which look as II they had
been tossed into heaps by some mon
ster shovel and left to lie there
through the ages few spruce
trees grow among them, and sage
brush hlls the hot dry plain between.
where swift prairie dogs scsn'per
back and forth
This ls season OF drought the
worst for many years. and the Flori-
da mesa II one of the places that have
felt It's direful inroads. The great,
high. fla, mesa baslting beneath an
azure sky aud golden sun, is a
beautiful place. Ranches stretch their
wide acres in every direction. each
with it's little frame house and sheds.
Cattle, mcek-eyed and gentle, Craze In
the fields. and by the dusty roadsides,
Wild flowers lit their fair. sweet faces
toward the heavens. The hand OF
God produced fair creation when II
made the mesa ON the Florida.
Hut also. this year. It's ditches ARE
dry. It's creeks refuse their usual sup
ply OF water and many of the ranch
men have deserted their homes and
driven their cattle into distant mount
ain regions. where they may obtain
food and water. or others. loath to
leave their homes. have sold their
stock The winter Is hauled or pump
ed from reservoirs so low that 1t ~
carthy and diaagrccable 10 the taste
Mcrcilessly the hot sun shines down
on this parched and thirsty land. and
the cry OF everything In nature Is for
rain.
one of the finest residences on th'
Florida mesa is that belonging 10 Mr..
Spencer. Situated directly on the Du-
range road amid great wilderness OF
Spruce trees that surround II for miles
ON either side. II stands like n fair
oasis In n desert. In the rear stretch
lis nourishing ranch lands. In front
on either side OF the walk a profusiop
of towering plants. with their brigh
blossoms. lend beauty to the scene and
fragrance to the air. The house II
self " n fine brick structure and the
t...t l..
the weary. dcsolnte waste.
A little further on stands a deserted
school house The glass in one OF its
windows IN broken and blue curtain
tossed by the wind flaps disoonsolate
ly, The walls re-echo no more 10 I
sounds of childish voices. nor the floor
to the patter OF little feet An empty
school house, What memories crowd
around &C. What whispers haunt its
silont halla--tho merry laugh. the sol
of pain. the song and Jest and sharp
rcproof the oagcr little voices repeat.
ing their hard won task Where are
thoy now All. who will trace the
wandering feet that trod in childish
innocence that Wen worn step? They
ifN N'htt'lfu, never ibbl' W b' hhi''N
and throughout the whole land borne
seeds that were Bown in that schoo
room upon the fertile ground OF un'
formed minds to grow and ripen. an
bear fruit OF its kind for the harves
of eternity.
The school house left behind. the
woods grow thick and lonely on eao
side OF the long mountain road. Th'
air is sweet with the pure scent OF
spruce and pine. silence rcigns. Not
a sound save the faint rustic OF some
truant breeze breaks the weird monot.
ony, Not n house, not n traveller on
the road Al last the height is
reached and the steep decline begins,
winding around the mountains. rocky,
rugged. with deep wild guiches below
and splendid yistas of misty distant
mountains between the nearest peaks.
Down and ever down. and now the
white smoke of the smelter trembles
home. Welcome thought, after the
long loneliness. Hut there is still a
high, hot. desolate mesa to travel over,
where the burning sun has curled the
sage brush into crisps. and the dusty
road Is like u furnace oven. then u
gigzag path around the mountain
side and home, sweet home. once more
Is reached. PAULINE.