more, I reckon they'll keep on being commoner, human
nature not being a thing that changes much, till we get along to the
Day of Judgment round-up--and the goats is cut out and corralled for
keeps.

For certain, it was goats was right up at the head of the procession
in the Territory in my time--which was the time when the railroads was
a-coming in--and in them days things was rough. The Greasers living
there to start with wasn't what you might call sand-papered; and the
kind of folks found in parts railroads has just got to, same as I've
mentioned, don't set out to be extry smooth. Back East they talked
about the higher civilization that was overflowing New Mexico; but,
for a cold fact, the higher civilization that did its overflowing on
that section mostly had a sheriff on its tracks right along up to the
Missouri--and the rest of the way done what it blame felt like, and
used a gun.

Some of them native Mexicans wasn't bad fighters. When they went to
hacking at one another with knives--the way they was used to--they
often done right well. But when they got up against the higher
civilization--which wasn't usually less 'n half drunk, and went heeled
with two Colt's and a Winchester--they found out they'd bit off more'n
they could chew. Being sandy, they kept at it--but the civilizers was
apt to have the call. And in between times, when the two of 'em--the
Greasers and the civilizers--wasn't taking the change out of each
other, they both of 'em took it out of anybody who happened to come
along.

Yes, sirree!--in them days things was a good deal at loose ends in the
Territory. When you went anywheres, if you was going alone, you always
felt you'd better leave word what trail you took: that is, if you was
fussy in such matters, and wanted what the coyotes left of you brought
in by your friends and planted stylish--with your name, and when it
happened, painted on a board.

This place where the track got stuck--sticking partly because there
was trouble with the Atchison, and partly because the Company couldn't
foreclose onto a year jag any more out of the English stockholders to
build on with--was up on a bluff right over the Rio Grande and was
called Palomitas. Being only mostly Greasers and Indians living in
the Territory--leaving out the white folks at Santa Fe and the army
posts, and the few Germans there was scattered about--them kind of
queer-sounding names was what was mainly used.

It wasn't never meant to b