St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-09-26

able for their purposes without going
back from Sacramento some distance,
and they must expect q hard life for a
number of years; but it was beautiful
country, and would one day be thickly
settled Already few families had
started fruit ranches, and had obtained
the most gratifying results.
Grapes, peaches, pears, apples, april
cots, nectarines, pomegranates and
many other fruits were grown of quail
ity that the men had never seen equa1ed
anywhere In the States" and that
which under the circumstances was of
equal Importance to these people was
the rapidity with which all fruit-bearing
trees and vines began producing.
Grapes at three years from the cut
ting, and peaches at three years from
the pit, would bear no inconsiderable
burdens of fruit; while most other vari-
cites were equally rapid in reaching
maturity.
Melons, and indeed all kinds of vines
and vegetables, were wonderfully pro-
life, and Irish potatoes, turnips, car
rots, beets and other root crops could
be raised in abundance, and by the
simplest methods of cultivation.
For the present it was probable that
the mines in the vicinity would con-
sumo, at large prices, any surplus that
the squatters might produce; and if in
time this market should fail, a little
work would enable them to transport
everything they produced to the river,
where it could be shipped to Sacrament
to, or down to the river.
Those whose duty it had been to as
certain regarding the title to the land
in the locality under considera-
ton reported it free from faint
of any kind. In point of fact
the claim oof these men to the land
upon which they settled in the foothills
above Sacramento City was never dis
puted.
A motion that they locate upon the
lands described was put to vote and
carried unanimously, and preparations
for the journey at once began.
The team which had brought John
Parsons family across the plains was
again hitched to the canVas-covered
wagon, their little store of goods was
packed therein, including as much OF
the products of the garden as could be
added without overlooking the team,
leaving all, even Mrs. Parsons and the
children, to walk, and thus they again
took up their journey, a dozen families,
all told.
Some in the little company were en-
tirely without money. All, not except
ing John Parsons, were nearly so. And
Martha knew well that worse hardships
than walking for few days, or even
weeks, beside the team, awaited her
and her children before they could erect
shelter or procure the wherewithal to
provide comfortable home.
True, the men might go back to min,
ing. There would be mines in the vi
| cinity of the claims they expected to To-
cate, but these men had lost all faith il
their luck with the pick. They had
worked at it, more or less, all OF them
but none had ever 'sstruck it rich. !" Be
sides, they were of that class of mer
who prefer steady gains, even if slow
and small, to the excitement OF specula'
ton or searching with pick and shove
for fortune which may possibly come
at any moment, but in all probability
/ will never come at all.
Mining partakes very much OF thu
character of gambling 1t constantly
| holds out the promise of large gains
of a fortune to be secured in a day, il
an hour, perhaps. The next deal, tn
next shovelful, the next blow with tn,
pick, may disclose pocket filled will
gold, and convert the finder into ;
Cresus; and so he works on for day
and months and years with but one ob
iect, one thought-to find that which
men have decreed should be of NOR
value than home, or friends, or honor
than the means of sustaining life; thai
| life itself-nay, more; that failing t,
procure this one thing. shey shall b
denied all others.
But these men were not spectators
not gamblers by nature They Wer
men who loved best the quiet of hom
and the peaceful pursuits Of agriculture
Farmers and farmers sons back in tn
i States, a brief experience in mining ha
| satisfied most, and all had tried it unit
j thew were satisfied. What they wante
was an opportunity to earn their Twin
and make homes for themselves an
families in obedience to natures law
and their own inclinations, by the cult
walton of the soil, and the gathering
its ripened fruits and grains.
They were not unused to hardship:
What man or woman was that had bee
d miner or miners wife back of go
California?
And they were not towards. II
towards went ous later, when the wi
derness had been, in a measure, sui
dued; when drawer men had prove
the immense resources of the countr,
had bridged its torrents; had opened i
mines; had driven out the Indians; ia