4 OBSERVATIONS OF A RANCHWOMAN 



Thereafter ensued the disillusionment 

 the disenchantment, rather above men- 

 tioned. Hurled in heaps to all four corners 

 of the omnibus in turn, our observations 

 were necessarily superficial and perfunctory ; 

 but we were rolling apparently between rows 

 of mud-daubers' nests, and crude side-walks 

 edged with a frill of boneless and unwashen 

 Mexicans. Arrived at our inn, even a genial 

 host could not furnish comfort for the weary, 

 be it for mind or body. Small rooms, all 

 alike infected with the deplorable Southern 

 (American) habit of opening immediately on 

 the open air, are not conducive to the well- 

 being of the invalid, either in summer or 

 winter ; and this was distinctly winter, with 

 that tang in the air which goes with the 

 brilliant sunshine of high altitudes. Then 

 there was the Chinaman, who administered 

 the affairs of the culinary department with 

 the careful parsimony of his race when his 

 own provider. To us he allotted leather 

 stripped from the mighty bones of range 

 cattle, watered milk, eggs that had seen 

 better days, canned goods of the year before 

 last. Peace to his manes ! He may be 



