Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-09-11

5s4A7S,f y. irssefl"it and II us main
Hea features IL was lit.
fsS, y y tic altered in three
~ " hundred years Ia
~ ~ ~, climate where
& 2 there is no frost,
49, walls OF adobe last
as long as granite
The house consisted, practically, o. but
one story; for although there were
rooms under the root, they were used
only for storage; NO one slept in them.
The plan Of the building was not un-
like that Of train Of ratlway-cors- or
81 might ee more appropriate 70 say, Of
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. There was series OF
rooms, ranged in o line, access 70 them
being had from marrow corridor,
which opened ON the r,ar veands.
Several Of the rooms also communicated
directly with each other, and through
low windows gave ON the verauda in
'front.' for tho house was meroly a COM
paratiyoly narrow array Of apartments
between two broad vcandas, where
most Of the living, including much OF
the sleeping was done.
Logically, there can be nothing uglier
than q Spanlsh.Amcrionn dwelling Of
this type But, as n matter OF fact
they appear seductivcly beautiful. Tho
thick white walls acquire certain
softness OF tonei The surface scales of
here and there, and cracks and orevlccs
appear. In damp country, like Eng
lrld, they would soon become covered
with mossi but moss Is not 10 be had Ia
this region, though one were to offer
for 1t tAe price ~ the silk velvet, triple
ply, which somuch resembles IL. Never
heless, there are computations, The
soil is incyhausuhly fertile, and SIS
fertility expresses itsNlf In the most
inyeterate beauty, such colors and
varieties of flowers exist nowhere elise,
and they continue all the year round,
Climbing vines storm the walls,
md toss their green ladders
all over Il, for beauty 20 walk up
and down, Huge inis, standing on the
yerandas, emit volcanoes OF lovely
blossonsi and vases swung from the
roof drip aud overflow with othor,, Us
if water had turned 70 flowers Ia tho
garden, which extends over several
acres 40 tho front OF the house, and, as
It were, makes Il an islnnd In % goi-
Pcou6 sea of petals, there are roscs,
almonds, orunges, vines, pomegiunptes,
and hundred rivals whose names Are
unknown to the present historian,
marching joyfuly aud triwnphautly
through the seasons, As the symphcny
moves through changes along its cen
trial theme
Everything that is not an animal or
a mineral seems TO he flower There
are too many flowers, -or, rather,
there is not enough Of anything else.
The faculty Of appreciation WcHriUs,
and at last ceases 10 take note. II h.
like converting with person whose
every word is an epgrhm. The fensoa
have their limitations, aud Imagination
Dnd expectation are half OF beauty and
delight, and the better half otherwise
we should have no souls. a single vio-
let discovered 10y chance Ia the by
ways OF an April forest Ia New Eng
land, gives n pleasure ~ poignant as,
and more spiritual than, the miles upon
miles Of California splcudors.
Monotony is the ruling characters.
tic, monotony Of beauty, mouotony
Of desolntiou, monotouy even ofvariety,
The glorious blue overhead il mou0t-
onous; as for the thermometer IL pacos
up and down within the narrowost
liuits. Ike prisonc In his coll, or a
meadowlRrk coping two and FRO Ia
sevcn-iuch cage Tho plan oud aspect
Of the buildings ure monotonous, aud
so Is the way Of life OF those who in-
habit them. Fortunately, the sun does
rise and set In Southern California;
otherwise life there would be nj an
absolute stand.still, with no piiet aud
no future. But as 10 Vs. Que can look
forward 10 morning, and remember the
evening.
Then, there arc tho not iufrcquent
but seldom very dcstructiye earth-
qualses; tho occasional cloudhursts and
tornadoes, sudden and violent nB O gum
powder explosion. aud, finally, the as.
founding contrast between thd fertile /
regions and the desert There are
places where you can stand with one
foot planted ia everlasting stcrility aud
the other IN immortal yerdure. Ina the
midst Of an arid and hopeless waste,
you come suddenly upon The brink Of a
narrow nyinc, sharply defined aH n cut
ont with an axe. aud packed 10 tho
brim with enchanting and yoluptuous
fertility. or you will come upon noun.
tains which sweep upward out Of burn.
ing death into sumptuous life. Whom
the monotony Of life meets Chr mo-
notony Of death, Southern California
becomes a land Of contracts; and the
contrasts Themselves become monoto-
nous.
Gen. Trcdnolte's ranch WIS very near
the borders Of these two mighty forces.
An hours easy rldi would carry him 10
a region as barren and apparently 90 I
irreeiaimablo a. that through which
Chiide Roland jourueyed in quost Of
the Dark Tower; lying, too iu q TEN.
pcrature so hery that n coagulatcd tho
blood Ia the veins, and stopped The
beating Of the heart undorioot were
Gnc dust, and whitencd bonesi the air
was priAnatie and magical ever con.
iuring up phantom pictures, whose
was that they were at
the farthest remove from any possible
lit ffiN. q. I.s..... t..4 4.I.aas..fs.H .rN