Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-11-10
We are permitted to publish the fol-
loving extracts from a letter from Mrs.
Edwin Brownsill to Mrs. Y. T. Cameron,

Edwin Brownsill to Mrs. Y. T. Cameron,
of this city:
SANTA BARBARA, CAL, Oct. 10. 1885
We have our house nearly completed,
and Ed has done it all, Chat is the carpen-
he is much better than when we left
Austin. Mark and I have done the
painting and plastering, 50 you see I
am getting to bo Jack of all trades. I"
The plastering Is cloth tackled on the
boards which form the partitions, paper
when pasted on this adheres very firmly,
and cloth stretched from side to side
over head forms the ceiling, which, when
kalsomined, makes as nice looking wall
as plastering. The painting is simply
cling and varnish, and as the wood work
is white pine, and red wood together,
the effect is very pretty. Our house is
q cottage, containing parlor (from the
windows of which we get fine view of
the mountains,) dining room, with q
window looking toward the ocean where
we can see the steamers as. they comeiand
20, q convenient kitchen, three good
sized bed rooms, closets. ETC.. porch, the
whole length in front, and enc on, the
back, with good we'll of water. and al.
together we are very pleasantly situated.
But this house would be scant protection
against Minnesota winter. think we
would freeze to death in it. We have no
cold to guard against. have written
about the winters, and now / can speak
from experience in regard to the sum.
mers. They are simply perfect. The
heat has not troubled us particle.
There has not been q day all summer,
when I could not SIT with all the doors and
windows open and be warm enough.
I have not worn light dresses as often
here as did in Austin; and as to the dry
weather, I'VE haze not seen drop. of
RAIN since last March), If it were not for
next years crop / should not care if it
never 1sined. And perhaps you will
think nothing will grow without rain,
but I will tell you of some things which
I saw at the fair during the past week:
squashes weighing two hundred and
seventy lbs, q water melon weighing
sixty pounds, beet. fifty lbs, corn four
teen feet high one stalk with zen ears on
it, which grew there, as fine an exhibit Of
wheat and barley, as I ever saw IN Min
nesota, and all this without a drop Of
irrigation, nor drop of rain after plant
ing. Our fruit is almost total failure.
l have had to pay almost as much for
peaches ~ I did in Austin; grapes have
been quite plenty. at two and three cents
per pound.o And now this will do for
climate, and produce, but you must take.
as q penalty for corresponding with .
resident of Southern California, q good
deal of ''praise of climate" and especial
ly from me, - said climate has seemed
to do so much for my husbands health.
He has not had one of those asthma
spells" since we came here. and never
whales his medicine during the day, and
sometime sleeps all night without wax
ing! Can you wonder at our being
pleased with the country? They ed and
Mark 60 nearly every week with sail
boat, and some times catch three hundred
lbs. of flsh ct time. Marx loves to fish
~ well as ever, and that is saying good
deal. 49,
Our town is booming IN wonderful
manner. Property is selling for three
times what it did when we bought
our lots. New buildings are going up on
oil sides, and there IL talk that we are to
have q cable car line. Our railroad will
be here next spring. and the steamship
company are putting more boats on their
line, % everything is moving briskly;
and as get more acquainted feel more
1t home. have made many pleasant
acquaintanees, although there are no
friends as dear ~ the old friends, and I
would give good deal to get glimpse
Of you oil. It frightens me some times,
% the TRANsCR1PT comes bringing news
of one and another crossing the dark
river, to think Of the changes going on
there. :. ...s...r. = J.. ..=,...ss@ss.z