Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-09-18
SECTION TWO.

to Peggy of Gay Gotham.
Peggy Dear-Your inevitable post
script is peremptory and somewhat
unansWerable. Tel me all about
New Mexico and what sort of social
life YOU have in Albuquerque You
always did set the "other fellow some
difficult task for your altogether
charming and lazy amusement and ir-
rcsistibly compel the best efforts.
"A primrose by the rivers brim,
A simple primrose was to him.
And il was nothing more"
10 that man, New Mexico will mean
nothing but a barren exile,
70 many the wonderful beauties of
cline and country are unseen and the
blue skies mean nothing but the sun
shine of restoring health.
But the poetic leads us away from
the g~eneralities, so, to return, New
Mexico may be compared to an over
grown youth with perhaps, a tiny bit
Of the awkwardness of that age. But,
mind you, this lad possesses capabili-
ties and desires for the big deeds
of big men, meaning by the grown
ups other states like your own New
York. Suddenly greatness is thrust
upOn him.
Just now he bids fair to have a
slight attack of the mental disease
termed by Thaw's lawyers 'exagger-
ated ego As Edmund Got says In
his Journal" of the arrogance of
little men when suddenly they find
power in their hands, 1t is so good
to be godlike, when one is not used
TO it," Certain it is, Peg. that young
New Mexico is fiattered by the recent
attention Of the grown-up states. or
course among the welcoming eyes
turned this way, one perceives thai
supercilious "o%ne-glass' stare, but the
dubious should remember the fate OF
Doubling Thomas
SO long. we have been up on the
map and in the minds of the vast ma
iority as d bowling wilderness of wild
Indians, uneducated coW-punchers
and horrid crawling centipedes-
doesn't the very name just make you
creep?
No one came out here to live, unless
tales Of chunks of gold in the hills,
made them venture out INTO the
realms of uneivilization or else as q
last choice of residence, here or the
hereafter. 1t has been often compar-
ed TO one of the resorts of the here
after. | don't mean Heaven, Peggy
But since congress took New Mexico
TO her political heart and added one
more republican throb. and fat good
naturcd MI. Taft patted the youngster
paternally on the head, the sister
stntes eve like the sound OF that fun
Meli) stand OFT and size us up. And
when fully assured that the afore-
mentioned Indians won't scalp, nor
centipedes bite. many of them Will be
willing to come over into the Kids
back yard to play.
YES. Peggy, letters Of inquiry are
now like the proYerbial poor-alWsys
with us.
Now for your gossipy James version
of the Albuquerque smart set. Ana
YOU having hastily run through the
preceding pages give a sigh OF reller
to find yourself once more at the rect
of your goddess. Let's commence
with that portion of yCur letter, "Ihey
tell me that anyone that goes to Al
buuuerQue and ''splurges' can break
into society" Well, my dear, we
don't hold out our hands for a mans
family tree when he presents his caro-
The western spirit takes a man at ms
seeming worth, and drops MIN JUST
as quickly at seeming Worthlessness'
Perhaps a trifle too ready, both
ways. but there is a world of GOOD
fellowship for the good fellow, ahd
small sympathy for the other sort.
As. for money, Peggy, 1t is the power
that rules the world and we western
ers are not impervious to its soft Sc
ductive voice.
II is a land of drifting humanity.
People come and go and 1t mas peen
oft advanced against Albuquerque that
no one seems to see you and that en-
tire loneliness is the portion OF the
stranger. And there is much truth
in the statement. For that greater
part of the population which claims
the place as home, which boosts lof
aud believes IN a great future for Al
buquerqUe doesn't take up the eN-
lies quite as much as il hould.
But am wandering away from
Socicty-Yes. we spell il with a cap
ital-you wont find here just the
same as in New York. 1t isn't such
"a hilarious round. No we are not Dig
and swell" enough yet For Whlch
the most Of us ferventiy give thanks-
Perhaps you Will say our smart ser
is more IKE the smart sets OF many
ycster-years. You assured me You
could not live without bridge. It's
the f~avorite game here. but more Sc
date and with no losses and no prof
its save prizes which are senerahs
iardinieres or fans. II isn't a siren
u0us village and the amusements art
taken in moderation.
| am reminded of a few words OF
advice given by Mark Twain at q
young aides boarding school;
First, girls he said, don't smoke
that is, don't smoke to excess. /
am 49, years old. and have been
smoking but - of them. But ! new
err smoke to excess, that is | smoke
IN moderation. only one cigar at a
ilme
sccond. don't drink-that Is, don't
drink to excess.
Third, don't marry mean ID ex-
cess"
That's society here: we do not
smoke, drink, or marry-to excess.
IT isn't fashionable for the women
Ca smoke at all. Peggy, so l nope YOU
are not one Of the thousands OF New
York women who enjoy the after dih-
ner cigarette.
OF course we have automobiles. per
haps several hundred. more OF less
but "a-plenty" to furnish you with an
occasional JOY ride"
To answer your two questions
what shall l wear2" and where
shall / lfve2" You wear the very best
YOU have and the chances are you VIII
meet someone with something smart
er. Don't come out with the idea
that you may as we'll leave your sven
clothes in New York as we won't
know how 10 appreciate them. me
Albuquerque women dress really wei.
and VIII surprise you quite a bit. .,
you won't see them mincing along IN
the extreme hobble skirt nor in freak
hats. That reminds me, Peggy Of .