The Shasta courier., 1872-11-30
LEGEND OF THE MONTECITO
GRAPEVINE.

Nestled between the cloud capped noun
tains and the sea, in the sunny regions OF
southern California, lies the beautiful town
of Santa Barbara. Here, through the long
winter months, the air is mild and balmy,
and the hills are rich with verdure. Pep.
per and acacia-tcees mingle the grace Of
their perennial foliage with that ofthesturdy y
live-oak and the dark .leaved, olive all the
year round while flowers, both wild and
cultivated, bloom in unbounded profusion.
Santa Barbara claims to be one of the
favored spots on the globe for healthfulness,
the geniality of its climate, and the beauty
and productiveness of its semi-tropical veg
citation. Differing from the Neapolitans,
the Santa Barbarans say, "See Santa Bar
bara and livep p
About four miles from the town, in the
valley of Moutecito, grows the now famous
grapevine, one OF the wonders for the
tourist in southern California. 1t is the
largest on record. 1t measures four feet
four inches in circumference at the ground,
forty -one inches two feet from the ground,
and rises eight feet before branching out
then, spreading with extreme luxuriance,
its branches cover more than five thousand
square feet, and are supported by ffty-two
trellises. The largest branch is thirty
inches in circumference, and, were it not
for rigid pruning, the branches would ex-
tend indefinitely in every direction. 1t is
of the Mission variety and exceedingly pro-
life, producing annually from five to six
tons of grapes, which hang in massive
clusters beneath the trellises, the effeca of
which, in the mellow autumn time, excites
admiration and wonder. 1t is claimed that
it has produced 1000 punches of grapes,
varying from one to four pounds in weight
each. A bean was put into a vase for each
bunch plucked, until the beans numbered
1000. 1t grows on a sunny slope OF the
foothills, commanding fine view of the
rugged mountains in one direction, and in
the other the lovely Montecito Valley, with
glimpses ofthe blue Pacific. The vine is
irrigated by waters from the hot springs a
few miles distant and the country about
the vine is very beautiful and Mexican in
its natural and artificial surroundings.
There is tradition connected with the
origin of this vine we wish to record. Sew
enty years ago, during the occupancy of
the Mission Fathers, there lived in the
vicinity of Los Angeles beautiful young
Spanish girl. Nearly all Spanish girls,
while in the bloom and freshness of youth,
possess more or less of their national cast
Of beauty; but the Senorita Marcelllna had,
from childhood, been the acknowledged
queen among the maidens of her native
place. Her complexion, tinged with the
warm, brunette hue Of her race, was clear
and bright with the rich tint of health
Her wealth of black hair fell in ripping
waves far below her waist and her large
dark eyes were fringed with silken lashes
that matched the exquisite penciling of
the arched brows above them. Her pa
rents, though belonging to the better class
Of Spanish, had become poor, through ex-
travagance and mismanagement, and had
formed the project of bettering their for
tunes by wedding their lovely daughter to
some wealthy Don.
The lovely Marcellina did not lack for
admirers nor ardent lovers, and among them
all, Senior Carlos de Domingues was the
favorite and the accepted suitor. He was
handsome, tall, and manly, but alas with
out fortune, and socially not the equal Of
Marcellina. As may be supposed, his suit
met with no encouragement from the Dou
and Dona Feliz; and they, finding the at
.tachment between the young people was
becoming stronger than accorded with
their plans for their daughter, resolved to
remove to Santa Barbara-a mission some
hundred miles north-where..resided many
wealthy families, among whom they doubt
ed not an alliance would be formed suitable
in fortune and position.
1 The announcement of their contemplated
removal struck dismay to the hearts Of
Marcellina and Carlos but the latter re-
.ceiving courage from desperation, presented
bis suit to the parents, as was anticipated,
it was scornfully rejected, and further in
tercourse sternly forbidden The lovers
we're, however, too ardent to be separated
thus, aud, through the medium Of an old