Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-09-22
LETTER LRoM CALIFORNIA.

,Sdu JOSe-.Stern FdctS-BreGd as.
Mining-Hoaeynaoom City-Bridal
California Grasses.
San Jose is the Mecca toward which
large portion of the newly married
people of San Francisco turn their steps
when first learning to walk the road
matrimonial, and the Auzerals House is
usually the place where the few dalnties
are dished up which are necessary to
nourish people desperately in love with
each other. Ever after they are apt to
affirm that San Jose is but one remove
from the Garden of Eden, and the Auz-
erals House the only well kept hotel in
country; so, taking the knowledge Sec
I--l-L---1~-~--e-;~ +--+<>---r,Aaze~-s+-arso
fancies about the place, and to dream of
it as free from everything that is not
pure and sanity.
Hearing and dreaming would not do
for me; l must see this Acadia and
judge for myself. I could not go on a
wedding tour because, for me, this jour-
ney was made so many years ago | can
hardly count them, but could 60 with
my eyes open, and that, perhaps is more
than do all the people led thither by
Cupid.
From San Francisco to San Jose there
are three routes, yea, verify, four, for
part of the year steamer goes up the
bay to Alviso, fifteen miles north of San
Jose, whence passengers are carried by
coach. came by the San Jose branch
of the Central Pacific railroad, which
skirts the city of Oakland, runs through
the pretty villages of San Lorenzo and
San Leandro. branching from the main
stem at Niles. and following on through
the Valley. Fifteen years ago land
anywhere about here could have been
purchased for less than is asked for land
in Orleans county. To day, one must
pay at least one thousand dollars per
acre for any of it within twenty miles
of San Francisco.
The soil is highly productive; fruit
grows with little care-apples. peaches,
ounces, figs, nectarines, grapes, al
monds, walnuts, and all the small fruits.
Currants, which are so scarce in the
East. grow here in great abundance,
and will, l suppose. until westward the
currant worm doth take its way.
Reaching out to the foothills, and
climbing over them is carpet of thick
heavy grass, so thickly sprinkled with
wild flowers that l wonder if all the
fairies in elfland have not been holding
picnic here, and have forgotten to car
ry home their bouquets. Maybe they
are hiding now in the shadows of the
wide-spreading oaks, whispering their
love- tales and coquetting with the hearts
of the dear old trees which wear their
garb of everlasting green with so much
stateliness. Will we catch the whispers,
| wonder, if we 60 softly into the shad-
ows to listen ? or will the jealous leaves
rustic so loudly the merry imps will take
flight?
A little way from Niles we pass the
Old Mission San Jose, where still stand
some of the old adobe houses, built more
than hundred years ago by the padres
of the Catholic Church, and many of the
vines which now cover the sloping hill
sides, must have been planted by the
same hands. Were our visit in autumn,
we could see the wine watts where the
grapes are crushed for wine.
In one of the little adobe buildings
there still lives man who came there
years ago when the gold fever ran high
and nearly every man went to the dig
gings. He had no fancy for such work
and remained behind and baked bread.
His capital was only few dollars, but
his industry and patience made a good
stock in trade, and his little shop, stand
ing directly in the way of the miners,
found many of them glad to exchange
their gold dust for his toothsome bread.
Many of his patrons have died poor and
friendless the baker has grown gray
and rich, and can count his treasures
Ger and find them good one hundred
thousand in interest bearing bonds.
In California one never knows wher
they may run afoul of a romance or 9
tragedy. l found, here in this lovely
valley, romance which was born of ;
tragedy and dates back to the days wher
men left their sweethearts to come Yves
in search of a fortune. Many maj
who came for a single year never return
ed, and was given up as dead by tn
friends he left behind him; others sen
for their families; and now and then
some brave girl consented to follow tn
fortunes of her lover who could not com
for her, and made the trip over tw
, oceans to wed him. One of these loving
. faithful women found herself alone il
San Francisco after the weary thre
months voyage. She had expected he
lover to meet her on the steamers arriy
! ! al, but he had failed to do SO. Wit
q anxious heart she waited day after day