The morning call., 1893-03-05

most dry In summer and an OVERLOOKING
river in winter, disgOrgng itself into the
Fresnu-are mines Of greater or less impOr-
tance. owned by single individuals or
groups of three or four: The Lille and the
Berry & Wilson, owned and run spasmodi-
cally 10y the Mcdonald brothers; the
Zebra whose fortunes and misf0rtunes
have been as varied and striped as its name
sake-managed by San Jose people; the
Waterloo, which cleared $500 per week for
each owner during several months of last
year.
All the roads leading to these various
spots ofgoldeD interest are not without GER
tain rugged mountain charm. greatly height
ened in the early spring when blooming
flowers deck the hill, but the early spring
trausmogrlfes all nature, however repel-
ling.
The road to Hildreth has its legend and its
ghost and depends on them for attraction.
1t was just at this spot, behind that rock,
that the highwayman stood up the stage !;
just beyond the other bowlder where the
second masked accOmplice emerged. Here
they blew up the treasure-box which held
the $4,000, and there at the edge OF the
burned field the white-robed apparition
comes every night at 10 o'clock 10 pace
mysteriously over the hills"
The robbers were sought high and low.
near and far, and two we're arrested and
tried for the crime. But the veil Of suspi-
ciOn was lifted as the mountain log. No
proof could be obtained and they were re-
leased free men. The guilty parties were
never found.
In the opposite direction the road to
Quartz Mountain is never devoid of majes-
tic beauty at any season of the year, and
has an intense interest centered In It's
windinEs and termin atoms not connected
with native surroundings. Quartz Noun
tain Is mountain with long history,
hich reaches across the continent and ths
Atlantic Ocean TO connect Southern France
with CaliforDia's foothills in Fresno. A
glittering mass is perched on its highest
peak, which attracts the eye for thirty or
forty miles in every direction.
One fine, clear morning when it seemed
''only across the way" / took tile trail to
ascend to its heights and found when 1t was
reached that L lad walked six miles to see
square villa house, painted white, with
broad veraHdas eIcireling It, | rang the
bell-its clangings echoed drearily through
the empty space and startled myriad of
linnets and wrens from their nests in the
porch hooks, the futter of their wings
sounding ghostly replies to my summons
No human being was In sIght-no human
footstep tread the broad halls. A noun
tain breeze ratified the broad panes of glass,
the pines mOaned the dirge of desertiOn.
Back of the house | wandered, finding
great kitchens and wine cellars conn ected
by underground tunnels with the main
house; latticed summer houses fitted up for
mountain quail; lane bordered Oh either
side with nnpainted, batten ed cottages, and
finally at the terminus of the lane an open
square or plaza surrounded on three sides
with large buildings. catering one OF The
buildings, on which was the legend, MAN
Wsh Store" was human being. greatly to
my delight though he was hut Cbnaman.
"Who lives here, JohnP Who lives in all
these houses p
Too muchee bad devll-Mellean call him
'spooks.'"
''All spooksi Where are the people?"
''Al go back Flance-Miss Pelly she tell
you; she lives over there"
''Spooks can't talk, John"
''0h, Miss Pelly she no spook-she fine
lady"
''She isn't dead then? ?"
"Oh, no, put him in the dead ground.
shove him under yet She alice same take
care alice house, alice bed, chair, plesdeut
house, everything; pretty soon she own
Quartz Mountain. Oh, no, she no spook:
she live 10 that big house."
l crossed the square to that big house, and
found the hOusekeeper, whom l piled with
eager questions.
Quartz Mountain is not a fairy story
but 1t is long one"
And one you are weary OF relating no
doubt, but If yon will only be so obliging r,
We'll. am French. you know, If may
talk in my own language"
So away up here in the mountain solitudes
! heard the story In that pure musical
French of the Parisans, interlarded with
occasional Ma joliel Ma cocotte!" ad-
dressed to several pet wild birds who
thought their mistress was talking to them
and who were jealous Of any attention to
the guests.
An old French missionary who came to
California in the pioneer days. she began,
was about returning to his home for visit
ten years ago, when he met Mr.. de Frees.
wealthy mining man.
Il am going home, De Frees; give me
good commission and I'll sell some of your
mining property for YOU"
We'll. said Mr., de Frees, there IA
Quartz Mountain down in Fresno: how
would that suit yOu?"
Admirably" responded the missionary.
for he knew there were rich diggings In
this vicinity, and so they soon made a bar
gain.
When the missionary reached his native
home. which was in Narbonne, southern
province Of France. be visited some of the
wealthiest nobility and offered them the
chance TO buy the mining property
Many French people are very wealthy.
but there are not 60 many wealthy as there
are Americans. The Americans who visit
france spend such fabulous sums uf money
made from mines that the se NarhoDn