The morning call., 1891-07-05
Los GATOS.
Notes From a Pretty Place Nestled In The
Santa Cruz Mountains.

Editor Sunday Call: Ho for the coun-
try! We had resolved to 60. IL had become
necessity in our minds.
1t was vacation. We had experienced one
warm day and recognized it as q forerun-
ner of the long cheated term" We mus
hurry away.
The clearinghouse where we had lived
for months in comfort suddenly became
disagreeable, the inside bedroom insufer-
able, and the whole house seemed to us to
need the attention of thrifty housewife
and season of housekeeping so familiar
to our early experience back East"
We had not noticed these things, or at least
had not suffered so keenly from our untidy
and stuffy condition, until after we had
spent day across the bay, and had taken
ride on the new cable and overlooked the
surrounding country from Piedmont.
In the evening we came home feeling the
calm joy that follows day in the open air,
and as two tired heads were laid on their
pillows two tired children sighed, "OhI
mamma, why couldn't we go in the country
to Stay?' and then they closed their eyes in
dreamless sleep.
The all-absorbing question during the days
that followed was where shall we g0?"
1t ought to be IN ideal. country place, with
fruit trees, hay stacks and mountain
sIream-a place where boys could climb rob
birds nests and hunt squirrels and girls
could wade, find wild black berries and have
no thought about the condition of their
clothes.
Inquiry among friends and n vigorous
correspondence soon decided us upon this
place as answering our requirements.
We left San Francisco on the narrow
gauge at 2:45 III the afternoon, and passed
south through continuous garden, remind
ing us much of the rural scenery; through
England.
A fine large brick building on the way
was pointed out to US as Mr.. Agnews'"
| (the iunatlc asylum, and not long thereafter
most of the people left The cars at San Jose.
| Jew miles further OH we reached our des-
tlnatIon, and beheld for the first time the
beautiful little town of Los Gatos. One of
| the oldest inhabitants" tells us that this
place has grown in ten years from few
! scattered houses, mostly occupied by Zone
lung refugees - from the severe climate Of
our Eastern States, to its present imposing
proportions
A short drive through the town and I'm
the, hillside to the first ridge aud we were
welcomed to Ingleside
There are some fine old spreading oak
trees further up the hill, and tob0ggau
slide of smooth boards works well on the
long dry grass and takes US ''a-kiting'' to
the base Of the Hill. The Los Gatos River
| Is clear, llmpid Stream-spendid for wad-
| ing. We have found the wild black berries
! and picked enough for a breakfast dish;
OalCu tue very Trees until we
are SICK OF them, climbed the mountain
| paths In the fresh air of the morning after
| rare Wild flowers, and mapped full length on
The grass in the shade of an old oak tree
| We have taken some long drives through
| the country, and what a countryi Acre
upon acre of apricot. prune and peach trees
bending with fruIt, thrifty almond and wal
nut, olive and orange trees and myriadS of
cherries glowing among the green leaves.
The ocean breeze is tempered to perfec-
nd - until no. Ts1.-
grape blossom.
One orchard called "Great Prune Grove"
covers 120 acres, all in prune trees of uni
form size, set out in rows as far as the eye
can reach, and not single weed visible be-
tween the long rows of shapely trees. At
$50 per ton, neat little fortune must be
realized IRON the fruit.
We noticed a lovely little vine-clad cot
tage with everything about it the pink of
perfection" Several acres of fruit trees
surrounded it, and an avenue of bright
flowers led tie way to the house.
| We learned that two maiden ladies', or
odd maid sisters, lived there together, on
| the income derived from their land, and
keep beehive of lively bees under each
window to protect themselves from outside
intruders.
A large modern plant, with fine dwelling
house, some three miles from here, on the
Santa Clara road. excited our interest from
the name over the entrance, The SJrosis"
1t is the largest fruit canhery and drier IN
this region, built less than a year ago with
w0men's money.
Some other time 1 may give you more of
its interesting history in detail.
We passed the Saratoga winery with its
cottage" where the manufactured article
Is sold, and then came round nearer the foot
hills. through Saratoga with its delicious
spring water resembling that of the far
famed Congress spring, after which it is
named.
We climbed to the top of hill and viewed
Santa Clara Valley in panorama before u.s.
Away TO the north streak of silver marked
the water Of the bay, and the white speck
away up the mountain above us was pointed
out as the home of the widow OF John
Brown of Harpers Ferry fame until her
death few years ago. The other white
speck across the valley on the mountain top
was the dome of Lick Observatory.
AS the bright points of electric light
began to glow down in San Jose We drove
home IN the twilight, singing army songs.
The Ladies of the Grand Army of the Re-
public (Ann E. Carroll Circle came in car
rage loads from San Jose to visit the host
ess of lngleside last Wednesday evening
and returned home by moonlight. Our De-
paTtment President and several members Of
Seven Pines Circle were also with us, ami
we enjoyed a delightful social evening.
After some of the objects and aims of the
organization-Ladies of the G. A. R.-were
set forth eight names were signed. to which
four have since been added, as charter
members of a new circle.
l have met an old soldier, who takes care
of fruit ranch of sixty acres in this valley
and receives $50 la month for his services. He
fell into blind ditch while riding in a
cavalry charge and injured mis- spine so that
he drags one foot as he walks, his shoulders
are out of position aud his ribs crushed and
broken. He gets So a month pension.
The tears started to my eyes as he told me
his hands were his capital and that he hoped
to keephis position, but was afraid he would
make bad work of gathering fruit from
step ladder
His wife, bright, cheerful little woman,
whom one loves ION sight," is in danger of
being totally blind at no distant dav, and
one of his sons, lad of IL years, must have
his leg amputated from neglected injury to
the knse-cap.
Dr. Buck is treating the woman's eyes,
but tells me it is too late to save the boys
leg.
Whv is it that so much. difficulty and de-
lay often attends the getting of sufficient
pensions from our Government headQuar-
tiers at Washington for crippled soldiers of
the War of the Rebellion? BIB,
Los Gatos, July 9. 1891.