Yours Sincerely

LETTER FROM MASIACA:

I have no words to explain my gratitude toward you, my good American friend, for sending me those wonderful and very interesting copies of ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, November, 1947, dedicated to our State of Sonora.

Now I have a new Kodak camera film No. 620, will take good pictures of the Indians at the occasion of their fiestas, and some scenes of their everyday life and will send them to you. Maybe, some of these pictures would be of some use for a story or two that I may write for you.

Sonora-Sur (Southern Sonora) has great chapters unknown to the civilized people. As soon as I have some spare time at night, will write something about the Mayo Indians, so that you may publish, together with pictures.

Jesús G. Rodriguez Masiaca, Sonora Mexico

• It is good to hear again from our old friend in Masiaca, Jesús Rodriguez. We should like to learn more of his Mayo Indians in Sonora-Sur.

SUGGESTION:

Just a suggestion-Thousands who visit Arizona every year are interested in learning in advance what they will see and what interesting events will be on in the cities and communities in Arizona. A half or even a full page might be given each month in your magazine to a calendar of events, six months in advance, with descriptive detail for all your cities and centers. Hundreds of tourists and visitors reading your calendar would know what was what, and come and bring others accordingly

Irving R. Templeton Buffalo 2, N. Y.

• Mr. Templeton's suggestion is a good one. At the beginning of each quarter we will try to list interesting events to take place in Arizona as a guide to the visitor.

PROSPECTORS:

The gratifying results of our Indians getting some deserved, but long delayed, courtesy is undoubtedly due in good part to your excellent articles on these pioneer Americans.

But, let's further hope that the example of Arizona, particularly Phoenix, will be furthered towards establishing homes for aged or incapacitated prospectors. A practical tribute while living is always much better than the shallower obituary and flowers.

They could serve to teach! Perhaps some public generosity should precede any county or state allotment. Let's keep the charity angle out of lives which were mostly sacrifices and for the greater rewards of others. They don't deserve to go over the Pass hungry, ill, alone!

A. L. Murphy Trona, Calif.

• Arizona takes care of her pioneers at the Pioneers' Home in Prescott. Many of these oldtimers roamed over our hills in decades past searching for mineral wealth. Arizona can never repay the debt owed to these deserving people.

DIED FROM LACK OF BREATH:

Please refer to page 12, January issue, in the article on Boothill Graveyard. It seems to me that from all accounts and pictures I have seen on the hanging of John Heath your magazine is quite in error. The article referred to him as "Bob."

The article also states that he dangled "on the spinning twine swung from a limb outside the Court House." Pictures in the accounts of early Arizona show him hanging from a telegraph pole. I believe this to be correct, although I have no first hand knowledge of it. We bear the same last name but so far I have been unable to trace any relationship, albeit he is affectionately known in our household as "Uncle John."

However, when I was in Globe in the late 30's, the Citizens' Patrol, an elderly gentleman by the name of Castle, told me that he had been in Tombstone at the time and had actually seen John Heath suspended from the aforementioned telegraph pole. I have also read in an early account that the coroner's jury gave the verdict that John "died from lack of breath."

Herbert M. Heath Phoenix, Ariz.

• We thank Mr. Heath for getting us straight on our facts regarding the Heath necktie party in Tombstone.

"It's A Lazy Day" The gay season paused to have its picture taken by Chuck Abbott. The scene is just an Arizona hillside, and the plant pointing the way of a soft breeze we call "bear grass."

THE OLD CORRAL

On the sunbaked desert there's an old corral, The gate is a-sag and the posts Are rotting away, while chaparral Tries in vain to hide the ghosts Of the men who loved, and sang as they rode O'er these frontiers so long ago. Some fought, and bled, and died by the code Of the West when they met a foe. Here on this rail is an "XIT" Over there is a "Figure Two" Someone was "rep" for the "Lazy E" Someone else for the "ICU" And I see their ghosts just as plain as day, When the sunlight begins to fail, Before they saddle and mount to ride away Who cut these brands on the old top rail.

Mrs. Henry Allen

DESERT RAIN

Rain falls In slanting gray On parched and cracking earth. Clouds lift above the rim of hills, Light comes.

Georgea Rice Clark

YAQUI EASTER DANCE

Dust-spume from earthen floor Shadows ramada core; Yaquis this night explore Remnants of ancient lore. While the swift rhythm of the Easter dance Weaves its hypnotic pattern at command Of grieving violin, of gourd and flute, Within the tomb, adoring supplicants Kneel by the taper-guarded bier, or stand In somber retrospect, unseeing, mute. Dancers cavort and pose, Drum cadence ebbs and flows, Swifter the cadence grows Brighter the taper glows. The violin sinks to a lyric note, Emotion grips each dark impassioned throat; Once more man's search for deity unites These ancient and divergent worship rites.

Frances Adams Moore