New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-26
A FAMILY IN SPANISHTOWN
BY MARIA LOUISA POOL.

lMUUICUIIN, UIdpFIT
meets your look with eyes that nave both sparkle
and SoftneSs in them, whose whole attitude IS be
wldcrngiy suggestive of all manner Ol charm ;
"a woman with whom you fall IN love win reckless
abandon 1t first sight. That - Santa Barbara.
saint, is she No. indeed; she possesses not one
sihglc hint save her name, that she is sanity IN
auT way, except, however, that She mas an ar as
if she expected TO be WOrshipped
Do sou say there has enough been written about
Santa Barbara? In truth, there have been MANY
fair pages covered in her description: OUt enough
Who can say enough OF Cleopatra, for instance !?
And every one who takes Den in hand las fond
hOpe that ne will, pcTchancc, write something That
snail more truly describe this bit of earth's en-
chantment than any other words have ever done
Enthusiasm ought to have the thinning power
10 speak con aln0re ought 10 he 10 speak TO the
point. And love il not blind; on the contrary
ii is the sharpcst-sighted Of all the emotions.
But could love itself find any flaw in the siRIt
that meets the gaze when the steamboat slowly
rounds the Castle Rock Point, and shows the town
waiting in tranquil loneliness to receive her
new adOTeIs?
Size had been very unkind almost all the way from
San Francisco and nearly all our passengers were
hollow-eyed and pollid when they gathered 'on the
deck to catch the first glimpse Of their haven.
Everybody had not been sick There was one
woman from Massachusetts,, with small dog as
her sole companion she had been perfectly NeH'
and while she ministered 10 those who were SICK,
she took no pains 10 disguise the fact That she
despiScd them for their weakness.
She freely gave out the information that she had
come across the continent partly for her health
and partly TO visit a brother VINO had come here
six years ago because he thought he was consump-
tive. lie had become well and married and set
tied. lie had married Spanish woman, ms sister
had always understood; but she spoSed Spanish
women were human beings. She sad this doubt
fully however. rs il the chances We're greatly IN
favor of Spanish woman being Kind OF gorilla.
ANY way this unmarried sister was thus far Oh
the way to see how Iemuc was getting along.
l, too, was Yankee woman from MASSACHUSETTS,,
and was coming here for my health. The worst
aspect of my own case that | was not well
stocked with money. and my view oil thiS new
hum, ~fffI lrf
must be continually counting the cost of this and
the cost Of that II in this sketch there be too
much Of the first person, singular, II IS because
know no other way in which 10 give q record OF
a personal experience-and this experience has, il
seems TO me. been very different from that of the
ordinary tourist who visits this country.
anXieticS md apprchonsious woyc for the moment
overwhelmed in the cTot iori excited by Tic view,
very moment growing more besUtiful, as the steam
er stretched along over the classy water Of the bay
There were the hills for background, and there
the snowy towers Of the Mission; there the valley
curyiGg along The shore, which is not OF white
Everybody was cxclaminr al this or that beau
": those who had been here before were pointing
The houses with their gay roofs stood among trees
aud looked to Us like so many nests in paradise.
OF course there WIS some one telling loudly ard
cinphat icaly that ought 10 have come overland
from san BucnaventuT3; that tho town l00kci
very well. crrtainly. this way, but lust come up
tnat other way, and we should not THINK this was
through acres Of orange groves: We should have
had tie Pacific one side, and the mount"inS on
tie other So the mans distinct. assertive Nuc"
flowed on as we nearcd Tn. long wharf. where werc
men, women and children waiting TO welcome the
San Francisco boat.
Already | imagined myself walking ED and
down th.t wharf, blown upon by the wild salt
wind my eyes illed now with that sweep Of ocean,
row with the low outlines OF tie mesa, or with the
larger beauty OF the mountain range further on
Gracious. 1 do believe there is Lemutl him
self" sid LHmncIS sister close at my elbow
squeezing the dog in Eer arms and in her excite
ment squeezing him roo hard
Yes, it il certainly Lcmuel,' She went on
What would they say in tho Hancock n"iaubor
hood to sc> him in ding Ike that hc has ON his
shoulders and that hat It's all his w.f-'s Co
iags. What can you expect Of an outlaudsA WO-
man."
nearest the wharts end saw a figure with q
shabby, blush round cape on Us shoulders. ami
enormous felt ha; on its head. 1t seemed pre-
posrcrous that any man without a biuc-blac;
heard and Jet black ewes should have covered lis
head in that way. This person had thin sandy
whiskess, and pale weak eyes, a Stoop in his
shoulders and a generally Ineffective aspect that
made it incredible that he shOJd be kin 10 the
alert, energetic spnster at my side.
His aunt Jane never would know him. muir
INJURED Miss Hancock.
Her dog squirmed and yelpcd in her arms: tho
boat bumped against the piaHks, and passengers
hustle one another several of the gentlemen took
oil their hats; saw tie man in tie sombIcro
wave his hand then VIC all hurried 10 got our bags
and parcels and TO 20 ashore.
my anXieties as to what should do. There
seemed nothing for me but 10 60 first 10 a hotel.
while | locked around and tried 10 lind Il cheap
place in which % live But what a hole ia ms
pure a few DAYS would make. IS ! went solitlrv
among the crowd up the wharf looked OF. AZ the
mountains again and wished that had n Int on
one of their sides The sky above those noui-
tains was blue as Italy" blue rs ones dream Of
Italy The air had an Understandable sweetness,
which appeared at once to heal and stimulate.
Iemucl and his sister were ahead of mc, he
Slouching and she erect as the historical darn.ng
needle Stuck in board. Lemuel looked as il ne
would know all about everything that was cheaD.
I hurried up TO him. and asked him if he could
direct to a clearinghouse where the prices were
moderate. p. 81 - q
lie looked at me a moment in a wayering way he
had A. last he replied
81 s'pose YOU amt looRin' for STYLE"
told him did not propose TO spend my money
for STYLE He shufHed his feet meditatiyey, and
looked down at them.
out Of Spanishtown o don't lon ,td know Md ,. %EE
he company for Clarissy here, glancing at las
sister; who remarked that she was sure she Should
be glad to have me in the house.
What was | that ! should object 10 span sh-
town? ! would try il at any rate. Besides
] Rad very little idea as 70 what TIE place really
w9s OF course had read about Santa Barbara
but my readings had only given me general INF
pressi0ns not details. But | was soon 10 lose
details in profuson of certain kind
did not know how far We walked. The streets
were wide. and we were beneath the Shade Of
great eucalyptus trees. and what our guide said
were pepper trees. Could it he possible il was
the first of December? The gardens in which the
houses stood were flied with thousand strange
flowers; there was green grass al the edges OF the
sidewalks IL was a miracle How is the New
Highlander 10 believe his senses when he first
lands upon this blessed bit Of the Pacific Coast
Winter has been annihiated, swept from the face
OF the earth for in place like this it IS diff
cult to believe that there is snow or cold any
where.
Lemuel Hancock kept looking round proudly
OF us lWE
We turned corner and came 20 a small two
wheeled cart on the bottom OF which was sitting q
bov of nine or ten. He was gazing at us wit.
such entire absorption that his whole being seemed
10 consist OF a pair of c0al-black eyes that did not
blink in the least. To my great surprise Mr..
Hancock stopped at this cart and put our satchel
ito il. ] now saw that between the shafts was
erhed yellow pony. small that il appeared
lelty 20 make him draw the cart without any
= us.ang In it