The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 53, July 1949 - April, 1950 Page: 337
538 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Book Reviews
lad to the hill country of Texas. Within this ballad the words
that the spotted sow had a "snout made outa granite" and was
"born and bred on Cedar Mountain," as well as some other words,
further associate this animal with the region of Texas where
granite and cedar are naturals. This spotted sow was a match to
all her enemies in nature and among man and beast, and when
the author, speaking as if he were her owner, last saw her with
ten pigs he gave "Ole Spot a deed ... to Cedar Mountain." He
couldn't round her up.
The author believes, as do those neighbors of his in the "hill
country," after weighing "the facts and figures for their quality
and worth," that "the country is the finest place on Earth" in
which to live. "Country" here does not mean just the rural areas
but the small towns as well. In the country you enjoy "true
livin"' while in the city, "where the joys of livin' ain't," you will
"hardly know your neighbors" and will wind up, because you
have ambition, "with hard arteries instead." About the city the
author laments:
"Yes, a big town was invented
Just to make friends grow apart-
Cause ulcerated stomachs
And to chill the human heart."
How happy the people of the hill country should be, indeed!
There are so many situations in "a big town," unfortunately,
that tend "to chill the human heart."
Carlos Ashley has had a rich background of experience, and
in that experience he has had many contacts that have steeled
in him the impressions he has of the people in the hill country.
He is broad-minded enough, to be sure, to see the gold qualities
of people who live elsewhere, and it would be a treat to read
a collection of ballads as a summation of these qualities. He
"has been a football coach, a rancher, a District Attorney, [an
assistant attorney-general], and chairman of the State Board of
Control. At present Ashley is the state senator from Llano."
He has other accomplishments, of course.
The illustrations in this small volume have resulted from the
challenge which Harold D. Bugbee, "the cowboy artist from
Clarendon," has seen in the ballads to portray with his brush the337
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 53, July 1949 - April, 1950, periodical, 1950; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101126/m1/413/: accessed April 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.