Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-05-31
CAS- the People View 1t"

of man, Even when the Frost king
comes in winter, he cannot hold
this eager, struggling sprite in cold
embrace, for the sparkling drops
elude his arms and will mt wait
for his freezing touch.
Now this good fairy spirit
dreamed a splendid vision of love
'and service to the sons of men, on
his journey down the wild mount
ain gorge, to the great wide valley
which lay far to the southwark on
the way to the sea. He would
work for the sons of men, together
with his brothers from the eastern
and western mountains, Chama-
Jemez-Galisteo and all
the large and small cousin arroyas
which carry their floods to the big
FLYER They would mOisten the soil
and, aided by the hand of man, and
his intelligence and industry, bring
prosperity and generous harvests
to all the people of the valley. But
as he travelled slowly through the
country he grew to be a great,
sturdy fellow, helped and strength
ed by all his brothers and cousins
coming to join him, until the great
river wandered through the valley
at will and needed no check put IN
its path by puny man when he tried
to break its bounds. Fed by the
melting SHOWS and the driving
rains, headstrong and swollen, he
crept over the land from one side
or the other, according to his fancy,
green alfalfa. Here today there
are bikes and levees and tomorrow
swamps and lakes and leprous al
kali, where before had been rich
pastures and orchards; planting
mud flats and sand bars where
there had been head works for the
bitches; yet always bringing his
water to the soil and carrying the
rich silt washed from the mount
ain sides. which fortified and re-
vived the land, worn out by many
scOwled and roared. No more the
gay laughter of vigorous, healthy
boy, but rather the roar of a foul
friend and treacherous enemy who
grins and gloats and waits the
chance to strike without warning.
And thus the river speaks:
jewellers in the great valley; |
am the spirit of the Rio Grande. ]
can make for your welfare or break
your hearts. With the aid of my
master, whose name is drainage, We
can clear the swamps and pest
holes Of malaria. We can destroy
the malignant mosquito. We can
soften and sweeten the land. We
can kill that bad spirit the deadly
alkali, and increase the flow of
water and furnish food for the
herds in times of drouth. But you
too children of men, must work
with your hands, and your brains
and your machines. You must
|straightcn and enlarge your bitches.
You must protect my banks. You
must use my service efficiently and
not waste my precious gifts.
II have given you warning once,
twice, yea many times. Only lately
in the stiffness of the night YOU
were called from your beds. Men
answered the summons. Women
Iflressed hurriedlv and grasped chill
dren to their breasts, ready for
flight as my creeping floods
slowly but surely invaded your
homes. Your bridges are gone!
Your roads are injured! Your
tracks are undermined! Your
houses are, crumbling and melting
away and your crops are damaged,
81 have taken my toll of your
property and YOUR flin1sy struct-
ures. Beware that some time | do
not take YOU yourselves.
Guard me well and treat me
fairly. Help me to help you and !
will pay you thousand fold. |
! am the spirit of the Rio Grande,
A DWELLER IN THE VALLEY.
Editor Morning Journal:
1t is to laugh, as the French
would put it, when one calls to
mind the decorating of buildings
in Albuquerque during the visit of
the royal family of Belgium and
the attempt of decorating for the
n. NJ. f.. A. convention.
Two yards of bunting stretched
across twenty-five-foo front,
flags upside down, or invariably
turned wrong, and both bunting
and flags used that should have
been burned ages ago.
Why not municipal decorating or
if that is not possible, a committee
that will inspire merchants and
other interested parties to more
artistic attachments, and to super
wise the work in general?
Yours for a better home city.
A. j. e.