West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-01-14

a GOOD Friend OF The Araus Whites
Highly Interesting Letter from the
Land OF asvoIusions-G ! owing
Description OF Country

Tampico, Mexico. Christmas night 1914.
To the editor OF The Argus.
MY dear sir: The happenings in this
beautiful country may interest some of
your many readers, for among them we
have many friends
This has boon very pleasant dav for
the little Kingwood colony and our
friends. for we met for din ler mt the
home OF Mr.. and Mrs. John w Mcdonald
hat is situated on hill that rises about
three hundred feet above the Gulf of
Mexico and back from the beach about
two miles. Around the house on all
sides are groves Of oranges, lemons, lime.
citron, grapefruit, avocados, manyos,
'vusvas, tangerines, etc fruits imported
from Brazil, China. Japan, Manila.
Florida, California. Cuba, and MANY
other parts OF the world. The setting IN
perfect with the gulf to the east, always
refircting the every change in the heavens
above except where the waves break in
white foam on the yellow sands At
again is yellow or crimson with the r,s.
ing sun, or leaden with the colors of
torn, but always beautiful Thus il
appears at distance, but on nearing the
shore you always see the perpetual rest
lessness that the winds and tina tides pro.
duce, rising and falling twice in each
twenty-fodr hours-rolling up and grind
ing To powder the sea shells, leaving "A
beach oil elitteriDg shells and sand and
drift OF broken trees, and stranded sbips
that tell the tale OF death and decay !;
AID over it all creep the crabs; and the
sea birds wade or fly. frgate birds that
seldom move wing, but sail on the
storm, or pelicans that skim close to the
tnmbling waves or fish eagles that dash
headIong into the salty water and rise
shaking the brine from their hard. tipb,
plumage. These make their living here
IL the storm he fierce the rolling waters
tar from their beds fathows below ON
The rocky bottom OF the sea shells of
conch and thousands OF other shell. fish
to die on the sands; and il it he quiet
one likes to sit and watch the white sails
AIRY the fisherman's boat along. or 10
watch the steamers come and go to the
nort a few miles up the beach, or to battle
IN the cool, refreshing water.
The dining-room on this most perfect
day was decorated with leaves of cocoa
nut palms that stood on the floor and
bowed their heads against the ceiling and
among them were panels and ropes OF
brilliant tropical fruits with their foliage
gathered in great clusters around them
roses in vases, and West Virginia apples
piled high on the sideboard And the
turkey 1t was nut brown, garnished
with celery and cranberries. Roasting
ears and green peas were gathered from
the garden this morning, and head lettuce
too-and the fruit salad and the fruit
cake contained deiicacies from every
quarter OF the globe, not forgetting
hickory-nuts from KiDgwood.
Including the home folk, covers wer.
laid Tor nine, and most agreeable as.
sembiy 1t was-and when the guests de-.
parted the sun was setting over the great
axe to the west. and the mountains TO
wards the city OF Mexico were taking on
their purple hue, and the lamp in tin.
light house at the entrance of the barbor
TO the north of us was beginning to glow.
reminding US OF the bright star that
came and stood over where the vounv
child lay in the maDger, nineteen humid.
red years ago. This thought to us is our
ornediction, for it is now bedtime, and
the fire on the hearth burns low Will.
we think OF our dear ones the Browns in
West Virginia. the McDonalds and Lees
In Florida, and our many other kindred
In many states OF the union. and the
many happy Christmas tides that we
have enjoyed. but none had more
beautiful setting than this one.
GEORGE n McDoNALD.