Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1882-04-25
New Publications.

u me Iuu-paSe portIulp VI iehiy W ""'
worth Longfellow, and leads off with a
very interesting article on the California
Missions. Pictures are given to the old
San Gabriel Mission Church, and those
of San Luis 0bispo, the Carmel Church
at Monterey, and those of San Diego,
San Bueneventura and San Jaun Cap
istrano. The cuts are clear and well
printed. The magazine contains several
clever poems, well-written papers on
selected subjects and graphic sketch
of that very tragic episode in the history
of the Texas struggle for independence,
the taking of the Mier Prisoners. This
paper is written by Mr., James 0'Meara,
a gentleman of fine literary talent, who
is making fame for himself by his appre-
ciative treatment of interesting histori-
cal events on this coast. In selecting the
taking of the Mier prisoners as the sub
iect for dramatic sketch, he has chosen
q theme which is of great interest to old
Californians, for many of the survivors of
that terrible event became conspicuous
citizens of this State. There are now
we believe, only two left-Alfred La
forge and George Wash. Trahern. Mr..
O'Meara derives great many hints in
his sketch from Mr. Laforge, who is now
living in San Francisco. g Al Laforge," as
his friends Familiarity call him, is tray
cling the down grade of an exception
ally adventurous career, being hurried
on by chronic suff'erings inherited from
the damps of the Castle of Prote and
from the privations and abuses of his
terrible Imprisonment. We remember
him as young man of splendid phys
ique and stature, full of life and animal
spirits, and noted in every camp for his
fine Craftsmanship and epicurean pro
pensities 1t was Il creed among his
friends that no matter how sterile and
inhospitable wild his tent might be
pitched in, "Al" would bring up at the
dinner hour with the green's for a new
salad and the material for some novel
and inviting dish. We have sat around
many camp fire with him when he
would astonish us with meal which we
enjoyed far better than any we have
since discussed in Delmonicos or the
Maison Doree And we can vouch for
the accuracy of Mr. O'Meara's his
torical contribution, for it gives the
incidents as we have often heard
them from ''Al's" own lips.
Mr.. Laforge was the second Treasurer of
Calaveras, in this State, after it had
been organized as a county under the
Constitution adopted in 1919 at Monte
rey. He was selected ON account of his
sterling integrity of character, for the
people had been so shamefully served
by the first treasurer, one Nudge,
that the scrip of the county became
almost valueless. We call to mind an
incident in this connection which is in
teresting, and as it has never been pub
lished before it will be appreciated. In
1923 difficulties sprang up ON the Mo-
kolumne river, between various foreign
nationalities and Americans with regard
to important mining rights. The con-
tending parties few to arms, and the
authorities were called upon to put down
the instruction and restore law and
order. A military company, just organ
lied at Moke lumne Hill, was ordered to
the scene of war, the emeute was quelled
and the claims of the rival nationalities
were adjusted. On this stirring episode
young resident of the Hill wrote a
burlesque after the style of "Bombastes
Furioso," and called it the Battle of
Campo Seco, or the Fall of the Six Ma
tions. " 1t was replete with local hits
and had great run at the fine theatre
which fiourished at Mokelumne Hill even
at that early date. One of the scenes
represents the Calaveras Guards on their
march to the seat of war. The General
in command, styled Braveall, in making
his rounds of the camp, finds some of the
soldiers III state of insubordination.
The chief malcontent declares he will
proceed no further in this business
because he has learned that the soldiers
are to be paid in county scrip instead of
coin of the realm. He shows the utmost
contempt for county scrip, and as
Braveall approaches he declares in en-
phatic terms that kind of evidence of
Indebtedness to be utterly worthless.
Braveall annihilates the mutinous sol
der with this outburst:
''would that those words had choked within thy
gorge
Is county scrip not honored by Laforge?
There was time when county scrip was fudge,
But that was in the dynasty OF Nudge"
Mr.. O'Meara is doing fine literary service
in collating and putting in permanent
obofNa >
figured prominently in the important
historical events Immediately preceding
and just subsequent to the Mexican
war. They will be of incalcuable value
to the future historian and form rare
fund of memorabilia from which accu-
rate annals twill be writ" The Cali
toraiaR is improving with each number,
and it is a duty we owe to such an en-
terprise to give it our liberal support.
The ATLANTIC MONTHLY for Nav is a
usually good number. Besides several
serial stories, it contains a number of
well written papers on various seasonal
BILE topics, such as very searching in
quiry into the late French panic, fine
review of Ernest Remains Marcus Azure
Illus, an interesting sketch of old Fort
Charities, the last stronghold of the
French in the West, and the continual
ton of two very thoughtful contribu-
tions-one, Progress in Agriculture by
Education and Government Aid, from
the pen of Prof. E. w. Hilgard, of the
California University; and the other,
''The Arrival of Man in Europe" by
John Fiske. The first is q strong plea
for the encouragement of agricultural
education by the government, notwith-
standing there has been evinced a great
backwardness on the part of the
youth of the country to avail
themselves of the facilities to that
end placed at their hand by State
Governments and by the liberality of
Congress in providing for the support of
Bureau of Agriculture and the wide