Arizona Republican

IN THE OLD PUEBLO
Members of the Legislative Committee Enjoy Themselves.

Tucson, Ariz., Jan. 28.-(Special Correspondence of the Republican)- Perhaps this letter may be interesting to a few who are acquainted in Tucson. Thursday the town was overrun with legislators, but some left for Yuma the same evening and the committee to inspect the university returned to Phoenix Friday. At first sight I was so disappointed in Tucson. "The lanes are so narrow," and the streets are lanes: there are no business fronts, and the sidewalks are so bumpy; but the people are so cordial that if you know one person in Tucson, you may be sure of a good time.

At the Orndorf, Thursday evening, Mrs. Marcus White, who spent last winter at the Adams, suggested an impromptu hop. The evening was passed delightfully by a few guests of the hotel and the visitors from Phoenix, among whom were: Mr. J. W. Benham, Mr. Brooks and Miss Leotia Stoney.

O! I forgot, Thursday morning, quite Thursday morning the Phoenix committee visited the university where several of the faculty and the visitors addressed the students. Judge Herring gave a very interesting address.

The university is a model school. The library is quite extensive. Mr. Will MacBride of Phoenix is librarian. Charlie Richmond occupies the very enviable position of commandant of the university battalion, and is very popular among the faculty and students.

The university grounds are so nice, and the green house boasts a numberless plants. The girls and boys dormitories are very clean, but, it was whispered that everything was in preparation for the legislative visitors. Am I telling tales?

I saw Ward McAllister of the university (Willis Warren), and Miss Randall, who is physical culture and French teacher.

Friday I was driven all over Tucson and saw the nice part of it. Judge Barnes has remodeled his house until it is one of the prettiest places in Tucson. The Catholic convent is larger than ours: but where are the trolley cars and the cement pavements?

But the most delightful pleasure trip of all was the visit to the mission. Mr. Benham, Mr. Stevens of Tucson, Mrs. Stoney and myself drove out to the San Xavier mission and went through it. It was a treat and well worth losing the night's sleep from Phoenix to Tucson, just to drive out there. I sat in the confession chair, went through the sacristy and examined all the interesting paintings which were bedimmed and erased by time. Many of the Saints' hands and toes have been broken off and pieces of their gowns torn or cut off. It seems a sacrilege, but people of today are souvenir struck and forget that they are handling religious deities. I got two fine pictures of the mission, both the interior and outside.

Most of the Phoenix people have been over here and this will be dull to them, but I shall always remember Tucson very kindly and the hospitable people who made my brief stay so pleasant. Quite a number of Tucsonites are coming to Phoenix to attend the Assembly ball, and the university students have sent a challenge to the normal for Field day, which, by the way, I believe has not been answered.

One principal thing I have forgotten: A delightfully, breezy, spicy little university paper called "The Sage Green and Silver," edited by Miss Florence Wells and Will McBride.

I spent a delightful evening at a house-party given by the Kennedy's when the time passed too swiftly with lovely music and entertaining games.

"I'll be wid you soon" and have been just a little homesick, in spite of my good time, for after all Phoenix is the only place in Arizona.

Au revoir