Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-04-23
A Provoking Surprise.

Doctor B. B. Briggs, one of the pro
prietors Of the Canada Rancho, has
been clearing brush, moving rocks,
making roads, and laying water pipes,
with his headquarters in rude cabin,
while his devoted and accomplished wife
remained in Charlottesville, Indiana, the
Athens Of the Hoosier State, looking
after the interests of religion and the
missionary cause in Persia, where her
daughter is teaching the difference be-
tween Zoroaster and st. Paul. His
letters home explained his "cabined,
crbbed confined" abode, and his prim-
tive dict Of bacon, morning. noon and
night. with the luxury Of drinking water
from tin cup that had previously done
duty as cove oyster can.
As the lady presumed that tea and
coffee would lack home flavor and inspi-
ration in an oyster can, she placed nice
cup and saucer in her travellers lunch
basket and started for California when
the roads were clear. Last week she
set foot in Los Angeles and the Doctor
calamity met her to escort her to the one
rocmed cabin, tin cup aud bacon, on a
lonely, drear, inhospitable ranch IL
miles from the city. The couple sped
away teacup and all through the
thousands Of acres OF barley now
falling before the reaper, all different
from the snow and slect aud mud OF the
prairies. In due time the cabin was
reached, dreary, whitewashed struc-
tdre with tin cup outside. The
structure was surveyed and found to be
accurate according to the letter Of her
liege lord. The prospect was dreary for
domestic comforts, but the brave lady
had determined to face tho fate and
make the best of it, provided she could
have the tea-oup and saucer.
Before alighting, the doctor suggested
the propriety of driving up on the bench
above the cabin to get better view of
the country.
They drove up the steep on the
higher bench aud there alighted before
a fine substantial concrete house, about
Y5x30 feet, with porch all round and
concrete walks, and octagonal-cornere
rooms towards the risingand the setting
sun. The rooms were furnished with
black walnut furniture and upholstered
with satin and gold. The kitchen, with
all the modern improvements, hot and
cold " ater, and beautiful crockory in
cluding old-fashioned teaeups and saucers
there in abundance, was a model kitchen
indeed.
The lady was informed that that was
her home and the best cabin ON the ranch
and that terrible tin cup would remain
outside. The day was beautiful, the
view eatraucing, beautiful flowers burst
ing into bloom on every side in wild lux
uriance, the gray, grand mountains
towering overhead, while far away was
the great emerald plain and the SHIN
mering sea beyond, with the ships and
steamers coming and going on its sllvery
surface. The scene. SO rare aud exhil-
arating, SO full of beauty, from height
Of 1000 feet, which gives touch of
almightiness to the mind, was not
lost on this cultured lady, and the sur
prise which she experienced at the joke
which was played upon her can be left
to the imagination. The contrast be-
tween a wretched cabin of boards, with
one room, broken stove and that dis
NAL rusty tin cup, and an elegant resi-
dence with large and spacious rooms
fitted with luxurious appointments, was
certainly strong aud sweet surprise.
The result is that the good Doctor is
looking for wig factory while his
spouse is writing 100 letters to her
| friends in the East to tell the lights and
shades Of this beautiful land