Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III THE RISE OF THE YEAR In New Mexico early in February the alfalfa is greening here and there, and is not quite so crack- ly under the feet. But it is still too crackly for Cortes. The pads of Chihuahua dogs are tender, and like the wise little old man he is he takes a seat on the edge of the irrigating ditch and watches me wistfully on my passage up the ranch. Jealousy also agitates his snowy shirt bosom because lazy Betsinda, ever on the lookout for indulgences, has approached me in her most engaging manner, with the result that I am carrying her. That Cortes considers such a performance absolutely despicable makes no difference in his feelings; or that never does he consent to being borne aloft unless when crossing a crowded street, and even at that he sighs woefully. Betsinda's manners are admired of all beholders, and it is she who attends to the social end of their existence—coquettishly, and assisted by the lavish use of large melting orbs, and always with that air of nerves-on-the-jump characteristic of the truebred Chihuahua. Despite a mitigating quality or two February can scarcely be called a softening month; in fact the Oldest Inhabitant believes it to be the most unpleasant month of the New Mexican year. For the rheu- matically inclined it surely is. A chill damp breezefrom south or east frequently annoys, rain or snow drape the mountains and sometimes descend on the valleys. The typical winter of this section is dry and sunny: or if not, whv the presence of health- seekers and tourists? December may be cold enough to freeze water in open vessels nights— outdoors, that is—and occasionally waterpipes. Nevertheless robust visitors from sterner climes laugh at well wrapped residents, and are inclined to parade in the sunshine without overcoats. Every tra...