The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-02-17

men Of the house 70 produce fiddle,
while his brother played French
harp. Soon the girls were lightly
tripping away their cares across the
neatly-scrubbed pine floor Of the
Chavez living-room.
Our baggage and wraps had been
| piled in the corner behind the stove,
where a hearty fire still blazed in n
friendly fashion. Across the room
( stood two beds, and between them, on
the table which held the lamp, set our
violinist. mute Of English speech but
eloquent of rhythm and melody. The
rest of the family sat on the beds,
watching US silently with curious, but
friendly eyes. We seemed TO be a
troop OF invaders in the calm dignity
of an atmosphere rcdolent of the New
Mexico of fifty years ago.
At the witching hour of eight-thir.
/ ty the girls retired to a room in which
we're enshrined the Holy Family and
"A gallery of saints. Hiawatha stood
on guard over one bed, so that we
felt thoroly blest by both Christian
and pagan divinities.
Daylight revealed the most roman-
tic dooryard in New Mexico. From
! the side Of the house the ground
Sloped in u steep, rock incline TO q
deep canyon. The water was frozen
like skating rink, and covered with
light fall of snow. Beyond, rose
loftier crags and taller pine trees.
! The ranch was an oasis in desert Of
solitude.
We had half expected Mexican
dishes for breakfast, but our meal
proved TO be genuinely American. An
unlimited supply of steak, eggs, po-
tatoes, biscuits, and coffee, appeared
from time to time, and almost as mi
raculously disappeared We strug-
gled TO say our "Tenemos sufficiente." /"
and finally left the table in order to
avoid fonndering.
As we bade them farewell. our host
tried TO keep one Of the forwards
as souvenir, no doubt. But she
managed TO escape, and we resumed
our journey with no casualties.
/ Our main objective on Saturday was
Lamy, and we knew we must eventu-
any NphiN W "a highway
we could reach that town. Our search
for the official road led US thru deep
snow, and our experiences crystallized
in the parody on =" "Tis Love that
makes the world go round" which
we sang along the way:
'Tis girls that push the Fords up
hill
Thru drifts Of snow knee-deep.
We put our shoulders to the wheel
When weaker souls would weep.
When roads are bad, and gas runs low
We keep on pushing still,
For it's girls, girls, girls that push
The Fords uphill"
The men of the party always did
the hardest work, of course, but no
one escaped doing his or her share.
When we finally reached the high
way imagine our disappointment at
learning from stray traveller that
the route to Lany was impossible
on account Of the snow. We were ad-
vised to push on to Moriarity the
nearest town. There remained no
other course 10 follow, so we pro-
ceedeG thru the snow and mud.
About two o'clock we came within
sight Of a sheep-herder's camp. By
tramping about q mile the men Sc
cured some beans and biscuits from
an absent host, but no information.
When we had resumed our journey for
over an hour. we were glad to be con-
firmed at a ranch-house in our hope
that this was the right direction. The
roads grewbetter, and we sped over
the miles until at last we caught sight
Of the town of Morarity. II might
have been one OF the magic cities of
Cibola, judging from the cries of JOY
with which il was greeted.
Mr., Lovelady cruelty increased our
suspense by calling up visions Of T.
bone steak smothered in onions. II
was now five o'clock and we had eaten
nothing since breakfast.
When we arrived at the town our
first question was.
when does the first train leave for
Santa Fe?"
The answer was:
Next Tuesday"
This, be II known, was the New
Mexico Central. Naturally we aban.
doned hope of reG ching Santa Fe tina,
night, for one of the cars needed ex'
tensive repairs and there was no 9th,
or way of reaching our destination.
A long-distance call to Santa Fe pre-
duced the information that another
game could not be scheduled for a
date earlier than the following Fri.
day. Nothing remained for us hut
to return TO Tucumcari
One hope remained-beafsteak.
While supper was being prepared
the girls spied a piano in the hote
partor. Soon the air rang with the
song, There is high school II ,ui
town." Here's to our lassies," at,
long way to Tucumcari," and othei
high school songs. One Of the regu
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