Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-10-15
MATCHLESS
M0NTEzUMA

whatsoever ye SOW that also shall
ye reap"
by their fruits ye shall know theA-"
Montezuma valley is in Its morning.
and 1t Is morning In Montezuma val
ley. The monarch of day filings far
his golden draperies in courtly obeis-
ance to the children Of men. some OF
whom rub their eyes and leap joyously
from comfortable country beds, thank
full for another fine day in which to
garner crops, for there is the third
cutting of alfalfa. more bountiful than
for many seasons past, the grains,
likewise more plentiful, and the roots
of the garden, all to gather and store.
But cen as a child, by its mothers
lullaby disturbed, sinks back to sleep
and dreams of angels songs, others
of Gods sleeping children, only half
awakened by the shining yellow flood.
fall to dreaming of that land of eter-
nal light, where there shall be no
more sowing and reaping and gather
ing into barns, but a realization OF
this earthly symbol of the higher life.
In the garner of knowledge. love and
truth for the storehouse of God. And
10. in the vision voice calls out in
slow and solemn measure. by their
fruits ye shall know them" when the
laggards, like unto their brothers, leap
joyously forth; for have not they
made a literal translation OF the Bib
lical metaphor. and grown fruits un-
surpassed, by which they are known
far and wide; and today the orchards
choicest product must be gathered to
again bear testimony to Montezuma's
peerlessness as land of fruit
The while, / sit on the ground in
the shadow Of quaking-asp tree near
my neighbor's cabin; no sound save
the song of a meadow lark, grass
hopper stirring the grass at my feet.
and the trembling leaves overhead.
| Shorn grain fields Of yellow stubble
| reach to the end of the wood yonder,
| where stacks of yellow grain stand
like hills of gold against the green
fringed cedars. And DER the widen
ing valley spreads the court train OF
autumn's queen, richly woven COW
ering for summers bier, while as pail
bearers, the foothills stand mutely
mourning on either side; and encir-
cling all, towering white peaks hide
meath purple veil their frozen tears.
Overhead arches the blue dome of ma
ture's wonderful cathedral, blue! blue!
liquid blue everywhere, save the ris-
ing sun in the east and the silver
moon in the west, who is so in love
with day in this matchless land that
she never sleeps, but risks losing her
hearts dearest by basking over In the
burning light of his amber eyes.
| How silent 1t is! How prayerful
one feels; How thankful for life. with
all Its mysteries to solve, for its ills
to bless, for its joys-perchance, to
curse. 1t is all so fine! so glorious!
to live. to laugh, to sigh, to weep, to
have broken heart and let it heal
again, thankful for the splendid les
son Of suffering; to have faith cen as
the Israelites, that the waters Of grief
shall separate and let us pass to a
land Of forgetting; to tend our graves
where nothing Is, and to build our cas-
ties, quite as empty. How excellent
to be human-just human being
flesh and blood and tears; to ask
What am II" and to answer. "An
atom Of the Great Am, spark from
the central sun of light, life and love
which ever was, is now and ever shall
be, time without end," to dream, to
idealize: to own all the beautiful and
rare works OF art and architecture
that come within your range, though
the title be not In your name, and
your bank account be represented by
four figures on the debit side; to
work for sweet souls God gives to our
keeping, and try. though vainly, to
exemplify in our own lives the ideals
we would have them emulate; to for
give our enemies, and bless those who
spitefully use us; to be not self-ho!y
for none are perfect. since 1t has been
1 said that "Whosoever keep the whole
law. and yet offend in one point, he
is guilty of ALL" In fine. to conquer
self, to love. and find our greatest
Joy in the happiness of those we
love; tc know that as atoms of the
universal mind we are creating God
and with our dreams create the place
of happiness called heaven.
Again 1t Is morning. The milking
and feeding and numberless chores
done before sunrise, man and matron,
lads and lasses Of matchless Monte
yuma are on tbeir way to the fair.
the older people In wagons and bug
gies and the younger on their favor.
lite mounts. A pretty sight, to see
them coming from all directions, with
animated faces and gay chatter over