The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-16
HOME IN THE FAR WEST.
"sappho's" Long Promised and Expected
California Letter.


California Letter
FRIENDS, ONE AND ALI have not for
gotten my promise to write you about my
home in the far West.
Santa Clara valley, which is shaped
somewhat like an elongated horseshoe,
opening on the north into San Francisco
bay. Its entire length north and south is
about sixty miles, with an average width
OF about one-half that distance from sum-
nit to summit OF the double chain OF the
Coast range, which gracefully holds it as
In the hollow OF a great hand. On the
eastern border Of the valley Mount Hamil-
ton proudly rears its head high above the
surrounding mountains, upon the summit
OF which is the Lick observatory, contain
ing the largest telescope in the world. The
road by which it is reached is twenty-four
miles long, and it is 1850 feet above the
level OF the valley. it is stated that from
the summit of this mountain more of the
earth's surface is visible than from any
other known point upon the globe.
About thirty-three miles southeast of
San Francisco, in the midst of this great
valley, lies the Palo Alto estate, which
has recently become popular by the richly
endowed Leland Stamford jr., university.
AT easy walking distance from this great
university / found my home in a most
fascinating and fOreign-looking little cot
tage, which has q history. 1T was built
by Frenchmau, who called himself
Coutts, in imitation OF the Petit Trinon,
the cottage built for Nine de POmpadours
rustic outings, and occupied bv Marie
AntOinette when she played at dairying
and hay-making; and il looks much in
keeping with the little play shepherds and
shepherdesses on the mpadOur fans"
Close by be built him a quaint brick
library, and here he is said to have
brought wonderful books. 1t seems. how
ever, that the pretty home in the
far West was hiding place and
"Coutts" a refugee, had fled from Paris
with lawless spoil from the last commune;
and the day came when he was traced or
recognized Then he and his family were
suddenly missing again, leavingthe cottage
as it stood, with ali its furnishings The
present owner OF the grounds afterward
! met him in London, bought the place and
/ added il to the Palo Alto farm. In memory
of which episode the present occupants
I have named the pretty hiding-place
] EsCondite Cottage. EscOndlte, q Spanish
word meaning hidden. The cottage itself
I is quite hidden by clusters OF trees, such
as California alone can boast OF. 1t Is
/ most interesting to me from an architec-
/ tursl point of view. 1t is a frame building
OF one story, with quite large square
/ room with bay window in 'front.' From
/ the rear OF this room one door leads into
! long hall and another into a small bed
room, from the rear of this bedroom
+ u.
! opens one into the other and into the
| long hall. The walls and ceilings
of the rooms are all covered with beauti-
| full lowered French chintz, over each
seam in the chintZ is pretty fold of the
same material, stretched tightly from the
/ ceiling to the floor, which is very effective
and forms pretty moulding. The base
! boards, windows, and door castings are
bordered with heavy wool cord OF fancy
colors. Each window is draped with a
!ambrequin of the chintz, reaching from
the ceiling to the floor, with pretty white
lace curtains and shades under them.
Even the chairs are upholstered to match.
| So much for French style. From the rear
end OF the hall opposite the rooms a door
| leads into a wing, which contains the
practical parts of the house, such as
dining-room, store-room, bathroom and
kitchen. These are not so French. In the
corner between the two wings is a large
| porch, which is carpeted and used as
sitting-room nearly all the year. From
this one door leads into the dining-room
and one into the long hall, which
is the only froE. entrance. Very interest
ing persons in this household are two
young Japanese boys. Their names are
Sandanosuke Kokubo and Keinosuke
Otaki. They were converted to the
Christian religion in their own country
! through the teachings of foreign mission
aries and became martyrs for the cause,
whence they fled to our country. They
are working their way through college and
have learned to make themselves very USE
full in the household. Their ambition
| inspires them and they are very bright
and studious. They hope to return to
theii own country some time and preach
the gospel to those that are yet in dark
! ness. Their cause is a noble one.
! must confess that California did not at
first correspond to the dreams my fancy
had conceived. During the months OF
May. June, July, August and September
IL seldom ever rains, and the dry weather
has been doing it's work. When l arrived
the last of September vast fields of dry
wild oats greeted me. At home 1 had left
green fields and hills, and the trees were
Just ripening into beautiful autumn tints
and when visiting the home Of my child.
hood thought il would be hard to find a
more beautiful place.
Here the tall, CHASTITY eucalyptus trees
with their scraggy barks hanging from
their limbs did not bear me the friendly
greeting that the beech and naples did al
home. Even the people seemed strangely
different The express delivery man
stepped up and shouted: Take your
trunk, lady, for six-bitsl" Now, what dc
you suppose / thought he meant?
thought. perhaps. he wanted to take my
trunk into bits. had to confess being o
tenderfoot, and ask for an explanation
He explained that six-bits meant 70 cents
| felt quite relieved to learn that was al
he wanted, for 1 could not have spared Q
bit OF my trunk. After a drive OF mile
through the busiest roads had ever seen