Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-07-14
FREEHAND NOTES.
SOME OF Tbs FINE COUNTRY HOMES
ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO.
One Million Dollars Of Farm Comforts
The Ralston Magnifeencs-E nthusi-
asm for American Women-ktc.
SAN Francisco, July IL, 1888.

Although there is very little Boosting
among Californians about their sumptuous
homes, and while they accept with re-
markable humility the patronizing descrip
tions given by the Eastern traveller OF
places on the Hudson, Long Island and in
the suburbs of Boston, to say nothing OF
the oppressive claims OF country-seats in
England, they have really every right in
the world to fell a reasonable pride IN their
possessions. After all the State is only
thirty years old, and tie luxurious laying
out of Monterey, the msgnifcence of Pslo
Alto, the San Mateo and Menlo Park resi-
dences and the white glories of Belmont
and its ivy. covered stone stable, make
wonderful showing of wealth and taste,
and, at certain season, of enlightened
hospitality. When the world-those five
hundred people whom it is customary to
call the world-separat after the dancing
season is over and the dust begins to fly in
the city, they betake themselves, IN the
capacity of hosts or guests. to estates as
beautiful and villas as luxurious as ingenu-
ity can devise or prodigality execute. In
enumerating the
COUNTRY SEATS ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO,
The Cook farm at the foot of Mt. Diablo
should have place, by the way, million
of dollars having been expended in making
it comfortable and beautiful, and neither
should Captain Fioyd's place at Clear Lake
| be forgotten, where all conventionality is
banished and ease and jollity reign from
| Nav to December. The most historical of
all these residences, the richest in associa-
tions, the most widely known outside of
| California, is undoubtedly Belmont, now
the property of MIR. Sharon, and formerly
that of the brilliant, restless and ill-starred
Raston; and in farm. house across the
field from her former grandeur, Mrs. Raj
ston lives to-day. The nucleus, SO to
speak, Of the house as it now is was built
| by General Cipriani, an Italian patriot who
had fought with Gsribsldi, and came to
| California somewhat richer in money than
many patriots-Italian or other nationality
and built at Belmont. 1t wss from him
that Mr.. Ralston bought the property.
General Cipriani Jared on to Baltimore,
and there married Miss Worthingtoa,
who was so charming that when the Cen
eral returned to Italy he so fired the heart
Of an Italian patriot friend with
ENTHUSIASM FOR AMERICAN WOMEN,
That the gentleman placed large sum of
money in the hands of his son, bidding
him to go at once to America and marry
an American "whose heart was filled with
ideas of liberty" The son was nothing
| 10th to seek American shores, nor yet to
spend the money, but the emancipated
| fair one was not forthcoming In the
meantime Mr.. Ralston took possession at
Belmont, tore down, built up and embel-
lished. There is bat one room of the orig
inal Cipriani domicile, a large red carpeted
parlor, which opens by two draped door
ways into the great ballroom. Who does
not know the house by night Bat it is
even more beautiful by day. The sunshine
sleeps on the polished floors of the long
| hall, where
LoUNGING CHAIRS ALLURE TO REST
Before going up stairs, and the hospitable
buffet in the small inner room holds Won
derful sherry and glasses worthy of it, at
all hours. At the head of the stairs, over
| looking the lower hail. is the balcony, with
its undulating railing, like succession Of
| bow windows without the windows, There
are some luxurious sofas and easy chairs
back in the dusk of that landing. 1t is
| trite enough, yet how one wishes those
| walls could talk. When Mr. Ralston was
master there every great man that visited
| San Francisco was his guest-men famous
in law and letters, science and art, in sport,
| in society, in business enterprise the fair
dead Adelaide Nelson has graced the
splendors of Belmont. There was clique
Of girls, daughters of stories that life is not
wearied of yet, ;" that he was always whirl-
ing with him from San Francisco to Bel
mont in his four hand Ella Maxwell
dead Jennie McNulty, divorced Mollie
McMullin, bankrupt, and the laughter
loving ''Smith girls" dark of eye, soft of
accent, where :!
so GOES THE WORLD.
he used to stand them up in row after
one of these four-in.hand expeditions and
proceed carefully to remove the dust from
the corners of their eyes. Original Mr..
Ralston. This summer Mr.. Sharon in
duced Mrs. and Miss Gwin and Mrs. Evan
J. Coleman to act as chatelaines of his
domain, and the place has been the scene
of uninterrupted festivity for three weeks.
Last Monday was the end of Mrs. OWNS
regime, but there are rumors of grand
ball of 700 invitations, TO be given at Bel
mont in September, when Mrs. Gwin is to
| receive, and the debutantes revel in bliss
unspeakable in contemplating the event.
They say that Mr. Sharon is willing to sell
the place, but no one is 30 prophetic as to
hazard the widest guess at who will next
control the halls, lawns, gardens, conserva-
| tnriaa and hn1ulirot allaus of Ralrannt