San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-06-13

Luc oIotcIy' lOHS' AO"' MultS IldLlSlOh DS-
fore us
The Cerro is truncated cone of three
or four hundred feet in height. One
side has been torn away, probably by the
force Of some ancient flow of lava, and
discloses to view what was once the era
ter, and is now a natural bowl of ex-
quisite verdure, with soft and pleasing
slopes. In the center of this open side,
at the top of gentle rise of ground,
where it receives the breeze only from
the most favoring quarters and is shell
tered against every inclemency, stands
the imposing residence, spacious, sculpt-
ured, battlemented and loop holed
against attack, and with gabled belfry
in which hang two tiers of old bronze
bells, to summon the family to chapel or
other domestic purposes.
The emerald bowl around it, perhaps
half mile in diameter, which had once
been 50 terrible, fertile now with crops
and gardens, merging near the top into
the darker green of rich forest, presented
4 scene of peculiar and quiet beauty. At
to be seen, in some basaltic cliffs, with
hot springs at their foot, from which
wavered up thin wreaths of steam. Be-
hind the CerrO rose tall and savage
mountains, of which it made part. Up
there among them, at great distance
off, you could see the white thread of a
waterfall. There was a beautiful light
over everything, the herds We're coming
home, and the bells of the hacienda
struck with musical Ginning.
II marveled to find this palatial abode
set down in the very jaws of destruction,
as it were. A most intelligent young
mantle one who happened to be here
by accident-who rode beside me, ex-
planned to me something of the character
Of such Il site. He spoke English, though
with a good deal Of accent, and was
made interpreter by the others.
There are great many such hills
scattered about here; you will often see
them, he said. They are probably off
shoots of old PopoCatepetl (the great peak
towering snowy white on our horizon),
thrown up by the elemental fires that
had begun to abate there. have not
been abroad, but have heard from trav-
elers that there are plenty of them in
French Auverne and near Naples. A
king Of Naples, when there was one,
used to keep his deer in crater ring
something like the Cerro; he had only to
slut in one side with gate, and there
was his deer park complete. And these
old volcanic cinder heaps, az we know,
make the very choicest of soil for vine
yards and gardens Yes l answered,
signing, | am afraid-I have never
been abroad either, but l have often
heard my father tell about drinking the
delicious Lacrvma Christi wine, grown
IN the slopes Of NesuviuS.
Yes, my dear family, had to admit
at once that this was my first venture
into that great world of travel and ro-
nance after which my vaGrant spirit has
long had such a laundering. However,
this is an opportunity that bids fair to
make mp for all my past daprivatiOns.
You will think it shocking III me, but |
have harlly had time as yet even to be
hOmeSicG. am not sure bat | am CRATE
ful for the ailments that recOnclled You
to letting me come home with the kind
general and his daughter, to try the ef
feet Of their lnilder climate. l am far
better already; You would hardly know
me.
Il stop dozen times day at the love
illness all around me TO cry in invOlun-
tary wOnderment, oh, beautifulr
What a sweet and perfumed air.
What delicious gardens. what terraces
AID statues, in the Old fashioned formal
style of the foreign palaces! What fish
ponds, with carp in them! What fOun-
tains, labyrinths and clipped alleys!
What thickets of laurel and cypress,
with rose trees flaming in their midst,
md oranges starring the dark breadth3
ike golden lamps! Ny dear, common
place, poverty stricken family, how am
ever to 90 back To you? Have You an
hacienda some ten miles wide by twenty
lOng, lying upon the mountain slopes in
such way that it possesses a number Of
different climates Of its own, VARYING
from temperate to tOrrid, and grows the
choicest productions of each? Have you
herds on a thousand hills, and employees
ike a small army? Have you majol
iomo, and bookkeeper, and half
dozen other principal subordinates be-
fore the ordinary servants even begin?
Have you an establishment the granaries
Of which alone are like monumental
nails, and the various buildings of which
cover acres of ground?
mo, should say not. You have only
4 sLyeat Ettla fit ,nanr. tho No ri: I-ith IL