The log cabin Democrat., 1916-05-11
By MERTON E. BURKE.

| Columbus, N. M-COlumbuS sleeps with it's boots on and carries its guns on the hair trigger. Columbus is in a state of war. One approaches the scene of Villas murderous raid, which occasioned the invasion of Mexico by i United States troops, with feeling that thrilling scenes are to be wit 1 messed.
 The visitor is not disappointed.
 It would require the pen of Lew Wallace or Kipling, and the brush of a Remington adequately to portray the picture presented.
 Aged but stalwart Indian chiefs who fought against Geronimo, stolidly view the scene. Tall, bronzed cowboys stalk about, aviators mingle with broncho busters, chauffeurs wrangle with mule drivers and pioneer settlers sell ham and eggs to the influx of eastern tradesmen.
 Instantly the train pulls out of El Paso the hills of Mexico are revealed seemingly but a stones throw distant, so clear is the air-a great range of treeless crumbling mountains that slope ruggedly to the very edge of the Rio Grande river.
 The mighty Rio Grande. you dis cover, is but an apology for river. It's bed is wide and deep. but alas, the water is not there. You could dangle a piece of plotting paper on string, sop it all up and take the river along with you.
 pyramid of stones on the river bank marks the dividing line of Texas, - New Mexico and Chihuahua. The train swings across high trestle over the stream" and plunges into the noun tains. United States troopers, with guns slung on shoulders or dragging along by their sides, alertly pace the trestle and track.
 short tunnel is encountered, and troopers are noted at the entrance, with a cache of supplies just inside.
 The cars speed along. For a while white pyramids few miles apart mark the federal boundary. Finally you note their absence.
 "Oh, the land is so useless no one gives hurrah where the line is," fellow-passenger remarks.
 A table land-mesa they call it out here-extends in unbroken barren ness as far as the eye can reach, with ruined mountains stuck here and there around the edge.
 The rocks are lava. the soil pow dered lava, the bushes sage and cac- tus.
 Busy Scenes at Columbus.
 Columbus is reached. The railroad track is the main street. At the north lies the village of scattered frame, brick or adobe houses, stores and huts. At the south extends a square mile or more of the main base of supplies for General Pershing's punitive expedi- tion against Villa.
 A thousand or more soldiers line the track.
 Picture postal card men storm the tourists.
 Half a thousand army mules bray.
 A glance at the town indicates that there is but one building big enough to be a hotel, and that looks to have about six or eight rooms.
 If you are wise you jump from the observation platform, circle the water tank and rush for the hotel"
 Quiet enough in Columbus" ven tured to the clerk.
 Wasn't very quiet in this very room two nights ago" he said
 Fellow from Fl Paso said he knew villa.
 Gentleman from outside here a piece who'd been loading up on booze brought in by some bootlegger pulled gun and turned on him.
 "'Stand up,' he said.
 "El Paso chap knew his game. looked him in the eye and said 'Pard- ner what you doing with that gun?'
 "Im going to shoot everybody that ever knew Villa he replied
 "'Pardner,' said the Fl Paso feller. Let me tell you something. Round here when we pull gun we shoot first and talk about it afterwards.
 Just then a couple of soldiers who had slipped in grabbed him, gun and all, and the show was over"
 Civilian Feels Out of Place.
 An eastern civilian in Columbus feels as out of place as would lady in a bathing suit on Broadway.
 He is a foreigner in strange land.
 Soldiers scrutinize him. Tall lean westerners gaze down upon him from their varying heights.
 He feels he is tenderfoot.
 Alert young men in varying styles oi national guard uniform pursue and in ouire the business of all the arrivals They are the war correspondents at the supply base.
 A hasty trip around the village shows half a dozen frame buildings of various sizes, twenty or more 'dobe huts-Mexican bungalows someone called them-several corrugated iron shacks, a smattering of tents hastily put up to provide eating places for the