The importance of the little Texas town on the Rio Grande could not in justice be estimated by the size of its population. Situated¹ in a thriving agricultural district, and near a stock-raising region, with ore deposits and coal lands to be found not far away, it had gradually developed into a center of trade for the surrounding country.

 

Founded by the Spaniards almost one hundred and fifty years before, some portions of the town still bore a faint impress of their domination in the quaint², pleasing architecture of the buildings. Others again were as characteristically Mexican in appearance as though belonging to towns on the other side of the Rio.

 

The demands of a rapid, hustling⁴, up-to-date age, however, was bringing about a change. Modern buildings sprang up, overtopping their[34] primitive⁵, adobe⁶ neighbors, and, like the cattlemen retreating before the steady advance of the homesteaders and farmers, a certain element of charm was slowly vanishing from this frontier town.

 

Its inhabitants, too, were as varied⁷ in character as the streets. Cow-punchers, Mexican vaqueros and men of business, such as might be seen in any Eastern city, mingled⁸ together. The Mexicans, usually long-haired and swarthy, their costumes often enlivened by gaudily-colored sashes or handkerchiefs, furnished perhaps the most picturesque⁹ note.

 

The traveler who stopped here was apt to have his ears assailed¹⁰ by a strange jargon¹¹ of tongues. Sometimes it was English, sometimes Spanish, or it might be a curious combination of the two.

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