Document text
1
kdarie Carter
Anthony,
tew Liexico
1,100 words
Old Timers Dictionary
In
Detail
Cecelia Richards Alvaro&
The day was ,unday. I recall it quite well. Because the neighbor's
little girl woke me up to tell me that my cat had, had kittens in her barn.
Just why I selected that particular day to go to La Unions in search of a
former resident of Anthony, is something I cannot explain.
Alen I knocked at the front door of the woman I sought, there was no
response, so I meandered around to the back door, unaware that she was sick
in bed. The maid came to the door and opened her mouth to tell me, I feel
quite sure, now that I recall her expression, that the doctor did not per-
mit her mistress to see anyone. But just as she was about to utter the
fatal words, a tall elderly man shoved her aside and invited me to enter.
Having preceeded me as far as the bedroom door, he stepped aside and
bowed me into the presence of Cecilia Richards Alvarez, who favored me with
a beautifJ.1 sAle and inquired:
What is it you wish?"
Information.'
Carter -2
Regarding whom?"
You."
Oh:"
"It isn't anything to be alarmed about," I assured her. I merely want to
know how long you have beeq in the Southwest and the year in which you arrived?"
Jell I can tell you that in a few words," she said. I came here with my
parents when I was sixteen years of age."
Here?"
Yes, to La Union. 6ut in a few months we moved to Anthony." she explained.
Oh, I see. lhat year was that"
1890. I was oorn in Port-Stocton, kexas," she added.
Do you mind teilig me the year?'
Not at all," was her gracious reply. "January 25, 1874."
Now we're going places:" I exclaimed.
.ier expression was cpizzical as she softly murmured:
Ah, you are young."
Not as young as I sound," was my retort.
Mts. illvarez laughed and came rijht back at me with: You'll do."
Jould you like to know who sent me to see you?" I asked.
SI
Very much. You see," she added, "curiosity is one of my faults.
I must be afflicted the same way," I said,"or I wouldn't be here today.
But then, I'm drifting away from my main object. I believe I was going to tell
you--"
Jho sent you to La Union," she supplied.
Carter -3
Thanks. 2/en, it was a former neighbor of yours --Mrs. Pat Coleman."
Oh, was Her soft low voice throbbed with a note of pleasure.
You T,ust have known Charley Li_ler, too," I observed.
Yes, I knew him very well. Mr. Miller, Mrs. Story and I were in
business on the same street."
I believe that was old main street?"
Yes, west of the Santa Fe tracks. The present main street was a mere
wagon road. .."-Inthony was a stopping place for travelers.
Lr. Royal Jackman
was the station agent. A man by the name of 6cott was the first postmaster;
he carried the mail on horseback. Charley Eller ran a store and a flour
mill. And the Pat Colemans had a sheep ranch."
I suppose farming was the chief occupation?"
Yes, but the farmers were often discouraged. The Rio Grande was muy
furioso." She lapsed into )1Danish; then continued in perfect English:
"Thel.e was a flood almost every spring. The ,exicans were very brave though
and patiently rebuilt their farms and homes over and over again. We used to
ford the river or cross on crude rafts."
It
Didn't the people ever try to build a bridge?" I asked.
Oh, yes, but the river would rise and wash them away. The year after
I was married the flood damaged our ranch to the amount of five thousand
dollars."
Did you marry someone in Anthony?" I quizzed.
No. I married air. Alvarez, a rancher of La Union."
If you don't mind telling me, I should like to hear about your engage-
ment and wedding. For I think the old 3panish engagements were very romantic."
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You refer to the prendorio, or engagement announcement. I think
we to6k marriage more seriously in the
there are slight variations in the old
was with the prendorio. Some families
old days. As, no doubt you know,
customs of every country. So it
discarded the letter, but my family,
or to be exact, the noy's family, adopted it. The parents of my future
husband wrote a letter to my parents which they presented in person, asking
them for their consent to the marriage of their son to me. Fifteen days
later my parents wrote a similiar letter, which they presented in person,
to the boy's parents in which they gave their consent."
Did your parents give a reception?"
Oh, yes, and it lasted all day. jhile my parents received their
guests i remained hidden in another room. And, during the reception,
refreshments were served. Jhen it came time for the boy's parents to
enter, they left their son outside. Finally they called me in; then they
called the boy in."
'lere you embarassecL"
Very much," she replied. If my face was as red as my ears felt,
I am sure that it was the color of a poinsettia."
Did the boy bring you a gift?"
Si, senora, la cajita bonita! she said.
A pretty little box, eh? lell, what did it contain? Now you have
me curious."
No more so than I was," she laughed. "Upon opening that pretty
little box I fairly gasped with surprise. Of course I expected jewelry,
but not as beautiful as the pieces I received; they were family heirlooms.
Carter -5
Accepting the gift was accepting the boy, so he placed a diamond engagement
ring upon my finger. Then, after my father announced our engagement to the
guests, congratulations followed. The ladies remained inside but the man
went outside and celebrated by shooting off guns in our honor."
Cecilia 'ichards: Born in_Fort Stocton,
to acos with parents; moved from i'ecos to La
A.nthony, Jew Mexico, 1890 Attended Loretto
.Father ias English, mother Spanish;
born
palm
Cruz
Texas;
January 25, 1874; moved
Union; moved from La Union to
Academy, Las Cruces, New Mexico;
Married Deonicio (Dennis) Alvarez; Husband
in La Union, which used to be called, "Amoles," after the roots of the
Plant from which the natives made soap. Mrs. Alvardz is the mother of
ichards .-1.1verez, Attorney of Old Mesiila; Joe Richards Alvarez of La
Union; Edward Richards Alvarez of La Union; Estella ichards Alvarez, who is
now ijrs. .au1 Scharmen, Country Club —El Paso.
Amoles; roots of the Spanish palm, a fungas from which soap can be made.
Can also be used for soap in its raw state, by soaking it in water for about
an hour, after which time it forms a lather. Mexicans liked it better than
any other kind of soap for waaling wool blankets. Furiosa: furious, and la
cajita bonita, pretty little boa. Prendorio; engagement announcement.