The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-06-16
AT THE GOLDEN GATE.
HoME.s1cK. BUT HOPEFUL.


AN INDIANAPOLIS LADY IN THE ocCIDENr-
BREEZY SKETCHES AND STRANGER NOTES
Prom a. Occasional Correspondent of the Sentinel.
SAN JOSE, Juue 9, 1S74.-Sitting at the
open window OF my lovely occidental home,
the clang of the incoming overland train
opens afresh the wounds that time and
change refuse to heal, and emeoldens me to
turn the pages of memory with the hope OF
finding something of incident or experience
worthy space in your columns. have
never found book with so many fly leaves.
These 1 think must account for the vague
impressions made whilst crawling over the
prairies of Illinois with broken engine
in which i recognized an emblem OF
my own reluctant departure from
Omaha affords 10 the traveller
the best of hoiel accommodations and a.
nights refreshing sleep here helps to grid
the patience and strengthen your resolu-
tioRs to bide the time of your deliverancee
from that treeless monotony OF prairie and
plain. Here our colony entered into verS
bal contract that no man should be allowed
more than one grumble per day, except the
presiding officer, who, having to pay the
bills might indulge to his hearts content.
1t is worthy of comment how by common
consent the overland passengers sit desper-
ately down and agree to let the sage
brush grow on the great American
desert, whilst they become acquainted
and you are as one family by the time you
have shared together the varied experiences
of this overland journey. When you have
borne with common fortitude that three
DAYS of unbroken prodigal monOtony, and
by one impulse sprung to your feet In con-
cert of Joy at the long promised sight or the
thousand-mil tree, beautiful alone for its
solitude; when hundred hearts have
throbbed as one with the excitement of
MOUNTAIN SCENERY
and exhiliarting air, or been awed to silence
when grandeur bid defiance to expression.
When you have together sympathized with
bereaved mother as the too rare and chill
ing atmosphere at the summit quenched
the feeble light of her delicate babe;
when you have shared the common gloom
of snow shed and tunnel, and thrilled in
every nerve while rolling down grade around
the mountain base, and across the yawning
ravine on tumbling trestle work; or doub-
ling Cape Horn instinctively fallen into pan
tOmime of blank amaZement, soon to be
lulled to perfect peace by the balmy breezes
laden with the perfume of flowers that greet
you at the gsteway to the lovely Sacramento
valley; where forgetful of fatigue you revel
in spell bound rapture till the waning hours
of day remind you of your journeys end.
And now saving your farewells you may
find respite from the dust and worry of an
entire week on the cars, in one of many
hotels as spacious and elegant as any on the
eastern coast, and San Francisco anc its i'm
mediate surroundings Will furnish points of
interest and profit for at least one month.
Those who come later in the season after the
mountains and fields have become brown
and sere. and the air full of dust, can have
no conception of the beauty of California at
the time we entered the state Che middle of
April.
BREAKFAsIING UNDER A SNOW SHED
more than thirty miles in length, with snow
and ice twenty feet deep outside, and in less
than three hours trsversing a region
of unstinteG verdure and bloom was, indeed,
novel experience. AS far as the eye could
reach the earth was csrpeted with wild
flowers so many hued, and of such dazzling
brillIance as to be painful to look upon.
This Santa Clara valley was al the acme of
its loneliness and indeed, still seems verit-
able fairy land, Every tree is laden with
bloom or fruit. Three distinct colors of
locusts may be seen on every hand, the
white, yellow and pink. The golden acacia
grows full hfty feet in height, the Austr al
ian tamrach is a solid pyrsmid of crimson (;
the lilac and snow bail can not here be
ranked among shrubs. At least ffty stall
1yart trees, the names OF which | can
not here mention are mass OF
haoom. Among the huge shade trees
are the wide-spreadipg live oak, the majestic
maple and the weeping willow. In and
about this town are avenues arched over for
long distances by the iDterlocking boughs of
the sbove-named trees, planted nearly CEN
fury aimee by Spanish missionaries. The
innuuaerable variety and abundance OF ever
greens. trimmed to suit the quaintest fancy,
is of great interest to the stranger. Add to
these the endless variety of California lau-
rel, the eucalyptus, or blue gu n, the ex-
quisite pepper, the palm and other
tropical trees too numerous to men
ton. Then we have every fruit,
it seems to me, that grow on this earth.
Oranges, lemons, lines, apricots, prunes,
figs, plums, cherries, apples, peaches,
ounces, pears, olives, grapes by the thou
sands of acres, strawberries and all other