Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-08
RAMONA A MYTH.
THE BASIS OF THE ROMANCE A
DIssoLUTE sQUAw.
A Charge That Mrs. jackson Idealized
Commonplace Facts-Ramona and Ales-
sandro's Slayer are Still Living.
IAN Jacinto Register contains Che

The San Jacinto Register contains the
following:
The readers OF Helen Hunt Jackson's
powerful novel, Ramona, may be pleased
to learn that as its scenes are laid in
this vicinity, many of the incidents of
her story are founded upon actual occur
rences and real characters well known
here. Previous to the composition Of
the book Mrs. Jackson spent some time
in this region, and it is quite interesting
to note the way in which she worked up
the materials furnished her by the local.
tiles which she visited. Those who
have not read the story may need to be
informed that its scenes are laid be-
tween San Bernardino and San Diego,
the Indian village Temecula and the
San Jacinto mountain being specially
mentioned. Her principal characters,
the Indian Alessandro and the Indian
Ramona, marry; Alessandro finally be-
comes half crazed by the loss of his land
and home in Temecula, and in company
with his wife flies to little valley upon
the San Jacinto mountain. While liv-
ing here, in crazy fit of abstraction, he
ssborrows'' white mans horse, who
pursuing him finds the horse at Ales-
sandro's door and shoots him dead.
These were all actual occurrences we'll
known here. The wife, or squaw, of the
Indian killed still lives in the Coahuilla
and is called Ramona" by everybody,
although this is not her real name. Her
"picture," taken by photogravure pro-
cess, is found in this paper, and serves
to dispel the fiction regarding "the beau
titul Indian maiden" Her character is
said to be dissolute in the extreme. She
is short and shrewd, knows of her noto-
riety, and makes merchandise of it.
The slayer of her husband is q resi-
dent of this valley, and at present fore
man upon ranch in Diamond valley,
near by. The Indian killed is said TO
have been a worthless horsethief, and
utterly unlike the noble Alessandro of
the story. Sam Temple. or Jim Farrar,
who really shot and killed the Indian
for stealing his horse, is not the wicked
wretch described by the authoress, but
only an average frontiersman. Mrs.
Jackson spent some time in Hemet val
ley at the residence of G. III. Thomas,
who now is and for thirty years past
has been resident there, and from
tllO = AhOhdo 6AO ObbdlACQ AuCn
of the material from which she fash
ioned her interesting story. That
Mrs. Mrs Jackson has idealized the Indian
and made her character speak, think
and act very differently from the true
Indian as he actually exists, is plain,
though far from discreditable to the au-
thoress. The grand people she describes
had no existence in real life and only
serve to show the capacity Of the author
ess to deliEeate that perfect man and
womanhood which she was able to con-
ceive. The actors in Ramona were the
creations of her brain and show us near
ly perfect people who doubtless ought to
have lived, but who, doubtless, never
did. Ramona is the name OF lady liv-
ing in this vicinity who is possessed of
many graces of both mind and person
and who is well known to both Indians
and Mexicans in this region. Mrs.
Jackson knew of this lady, and from her
took the name Ramona.
Those who have not read the story
have yet treat in store, for the work is
one of the finest creations of magnif-
cent brain and most signally attests the
patbos, purity and power which dwelt
within the mind of the gifted authoress.
That the Indians have suffered bitterly
and been wronged most grievously no
one having opportunity to judge can
doubt. But they are not the people de-
scribed by Mrs. Jackson.