Democratic messenger., 1889-06-22
SNOW HILLIANS IN LOS
ANGELES, CAL.
A Letter from the Land o. Per-
petual Spring.
VISITING THE GREAT ACT.
REss, MoDJEsKA.
Eastern Shoremen Never Left.

Los ANGELES, CAL, June q, so.
Editors Of Democratic Messenger
DEAR SIRs viii you permit me space
In your valuable paper for short letter,
descriptive OF Los Angeles and vicinity.
Though have been here only a shor.
time dare say there Is no town IN the
United States that has made \ greater
growth than tins place. Il was only 3
years ago the population was ten thousand
and to-day IL has one hundred thousand,
(somc say mOrc,) aud why! ist. II Is
noted for its even temperature. 2d. There
are but two seasons, viz: wet and dry. 3d.
Anything that can he grown elsewhere,
can he grown here. II Is fact, It gets a
little warm about 10 or II a. M, but there
Is always good coast breeze which comes
up about that time, and In the ailcr.
noon about 4 o'clock we get the mountain
breeze, which lasts through the night. .snd
IL has never been too warm for me 10 sleep
with less than pieces Of covering at
night. So you can see We are not trou-
blc,l with hot nights. AS to orange. lemon
and fig trees, you can see them In any iii.
rection you go. As TO the scenery II is
just grand, and the majority Of the people
are refined and polite.
My intention was TO give an account Of
my trip out here, but do not care to
monopolizc the whole paper so will give
an account Of one Of my trips since have
been In California, though asked space
for n short letter.
VISIT TO "FOREsT ARDEN" THE HOME or
MADAM MODJEsKA.
With party of friends. Saturday, the
Goth ult., len Orange for trip up the
Santiago de Santa Ana Canon. The at-
mosphcrc was perfectly clear and the
roads smooth as paved streets. Amer rid.
ing two or three miles we climbed quite
steep hill, and turned around to view
the valley afar in the distance could m
seen Ca,alinc, San Pedro aud the grand
old Pacific, while at our feet lay the beau.
tiiul valley Of Santa Ana.
The ascent up the canon was so gradual
that we could scarcely realize we were
climbing the mountains. We passed sew.
cral charming picnic grounds, and rested
ourselves and horses At two of them.
We noticed signs OF recent pic-nics--
wreaths Of flowers hung on limbs Of trees,
rope AMI grapevine swings. names cut In
the bark of trees, traces of fires that were
made to prepare luncheons, etc. One Of
the most striking beauties was the wide
Outsiretching arms Of the huge Live Oak
and Sycamore trees.
Before we left town, fire arms Of all de.
scription had been vetoed, but game was
so plentiful that il was constant source
of regret with the gentlemen TINT they
were unable to capture some Of il. While
driving along one exclaimed, "Oh look"
and just in front Of us, not ten feet away,
was n Cayote. staring ut us and walking
leisurely around with his eyes fixed upon
us, apparently quite aware that our "arms"
were left behind us.
Our second stopping place was an the
bank Of the creek. not far from Forest
Arden" After winding about, and in
and out" we suddenly came TO rustic
bridge which led us 10 the bcs, ',iful home
Of Count Bozcnti and Modjeska. md with
one breath all cried out. How beautiful -
"Is not this loveiy?" The yard contains
tA1s.l.. Ia. .rs0l. t... tar
and several fountains and stumps of trees
were lefl with ferns growing out Of them
The Madam told us they had an abund.
ancc of water. and sometimes twenty
fountains were playing at the same time
Al the left of the house, rs you enter the
yard. Is a large well, walled up with stone
about three feet above the ground. and
covered over with a trap door in the cen.
ire, over il is canopy top from which
swings the bucket that carries the water {;
around the base Of this well were ferns.
On the west side is one Of the largest
and prctticst rockerits I ever saw, II was
almost covered with ferns and close be-
side il was large live oak with branches
extending entirely across il, while on its
branches were little birds taking their af.
ternoOn bath in the spray from the f0un.
tain in the centre. The home Is a one
story frame Of peculiar design and quite
unique in effect. The library Is In the
centre Of the house aud Is In reality the
| tt,rss,.. 10 ssaii
ed. From the upper part Of the room
comes all the light through gothic win.
dows. with the exception of one large
window at the side. The floor is covered
with rugs Of all descriptions and sup.
pose gathered from many places. Upon
the walls hangs rare paintings, handsome.
ly framed. though some oi the frames
were made by the Madam herself. She
kindly let us Into the secret of how they
were made. hut they had not the least
"home made" air about them. There was
n very fine painting Of Nodjeska, taken
In New York four years ago. Around two
sides Of the room were massive shelves
filed with hooks and quantities Of music.
On one side was large fireplace, over
which was mounted the head of large
Buffalo. Slyly peeping around the cor.
ner of the maniel was Silver Fox. killed
by the Madam. II had lost one ear, through
the affections Of n mouse.
In the centre Of the room was mn elegant
Chickering Grand Piano also an organ
Music was indulged In for time by sew.
crcl of the party, but the most enjoyable
was the violin played by Mr.. Thomas, a
nephew of the hostess, accompanied on
the organ by Mohjeska, and the piano l,y
one Of our ladies.
Lunch was served informally upon n
table that once belonged 10 Marie Stuart.
and was over 400 years old. II MAS made
oi mahogany and the top slab was sup.