Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-18

iIouSu L ttCiil HiiH Cautious
haste for some distance. / found NJ
lark buntings-nothing but white
crowned sparrows: handsome birds. the
ri ght of which is almost an event In
Massachusetts: but they are so abun-
dant in Texas at this time of the year
las Lincoln finches are. also-that have
begun to look upon them as almost q
nuisance. Ii becomes vexatious to Z
man in search of novelties when ever
an old favorite keeps itself too persis-
tently under his glass. AS the provert
has ii. there is reason in all things.
While | was beating the chapparra
over. still on the hunt for that larl
bunting | noticed Il funeral procession
corteGe was what in Massachusetts
town would be called depot ear
lriage." 1t served the purpose of a
hearse, | suppose, and in it sat two
men, bareheaded. 1t seemed a neigh
borly and Christian act to accompany
~ brother mortal to the grave in this
fraternal manner. The second car
riase was an open buggy, drawn by a
white horse.
These things | saw while the process
sion was still a long way off Ga military
band stiil farther away, at the bar
racks. suppose was playing a march,.
and meantime / went up to the ceme-
terry fence and looked over. The monu-
ments We're mostly, if not wholly,
wooden crosses with the usual cpl
taphs. A man who seemed to be the
keeper of the place approached me
from the hplIsa hnp
asked me something in Spanish. to-
which | replied in English We We're
unable to communicate with each other
till finally | said: mo sable" That
seemed to satisfy him. as indeed it
ought to have done. for if ever he heard
the truth spoken he heard it then.
| returned to FL Paso on foot, and as
reached the northern end of the
bridge, walking, as it happened, on the
wrong side of the road, with my over
coat on my arm, as careless as could
be, l was hailed by an officer in uni
form. | halted, and he approached.
He seemed to expect me to speak first,
and | said:
DO you wish to inspect me? ?"
We'll. what did you buy in Mexico?"
he asked.
"A postal card, and mailed it,.
WAS that all you bought >"
Yes"
".All right
The souvenir postal-card industry.
though comparatively infantile. is not
protected, it appears, although. if /
had brought the five-cents' worth away
with me. | might, for aught | positively
know. have been called upon to pay
duty upon it,
That WAS three days ago. Since then
have been to JuareZ twice, going a
little farther each time into the country
southwark. On both visits | found lark
buntings in plenty They move about.
and sit ahout-in peculiarly dense
foCks. One that | saw this morning
might have numbered a thousand birds.
II disturbed. they rise in q cloud, and
on coming to rest again every one
seems to desire perch at the very tip
of bush. As they must all alight in
the same one or two lunches of scrub.
however, there are by no means top
seats enough tn go round. and there is
deal of preliminary lowering. during
which, the white patches o. the culver
ing wings and tails showing through
the spectacle is most animated and
pleasing.
Unfortunately none of the birds now are
in fun black and white plumage. | am
extremely glad to see them. nevertheless.
aud the memory of that lowering flock
out in Mexican chapparlal. iillng the air
with Il chorus Of formlcss twitter' axS
will l,e one of the brightest of my Juarez
memories.
As for the city itself. it is squalid but