River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-03-30
CALIFORNIA LETTER.
SAN JOSH, March 5. 1898.

W thlCi SUN iAhSEAo tnC zap VI
spring" IL this sunny land as well a.
in northern chimes. but such differ
ence in the winter as there is!
We feel tie cold breeZes from off
the snow-capped mountains, but down
here in our lovely valley we are in the
midst of green grass, Towering shrubs,
blossoming fruit trees and pdRsy beds
that would do your eyes good to look
upon, and when we read of the big
storms and deep drifts in the valley of
the kinnickinnic, we are inclined to
think we'd rather be here than there;
but after all your changing seasons
break the monotony, while we drift
along month after month and forget
that life is not all summers day.
We have had rain in abundance
% inches to date-and many of the
flooded districts yet show the bad ef-
fects of too much water. Instead of
one flood, we have had two, and oh
how desolate some of the homes look;
one. entirely surrounded, was adver-
tiZed "for sale" and hitched on the
porch was forlorn looking COW,
while farther on two more were lying
on the top of a straw stack. the only
dry foot-hold on the place. This over
flow of the numerous creeks is sup
posed to be caused by tGa filing of
their beds with debris, and the auth
critics are discussing the remedy, but
like the man who .'did not need to
shingle his roof when it was fair and
could not when it rained," they will
probably let it go until another flood
overtakes us, for this is the third of
its kind since we came.
The outlook for a fruit crop was
! never better than now, and unless late
frosts injure the buds the yield will be
immense.
Business is brisk; buildings go up
| almost in "a night, and when they do
not go up they more on, for at every
corner one runs into them on their
way to some other locality. One pc
culiarity of the architecture here is.
that scarcely cottage or mansion can
be, or rather as, built without a tower.
and some of them are so small, |
should think their owners would feel
like taking them in at night, for fear
of their being blown away in some of
our high winds.
Electric roads are being built all ov-
ell he state, and our city keeps runs
ming new lines. one being laid to Alum
Rock Springs or Park some eight miles
away in the cannon, only one short
line of the old horse car road being
left.
The merchants have had clearance
sales until il would seem they were
all sold out, but the spring advertise
ments tell of more wonderful things
to be had. even now, and promises for
the future are bewildering.
This is our breezy month and the
sky is full of kites, the small boy at
the lower end of the string almost
wild as his pride gets higher than his
neighbours, and the other evening /
was for moment startled at what
thought was Mars away out of his
course, but found it to be only one of
the lantern variety.
The crinoline craze has not yet
reached San Jose and if only our legis-
lature would in its wisdom - enact
such a law as Minnesota has we might
possibly escape the infictiJn, which,
after all, cannot be much worse, if
any, than the street-swe ping bell
skirt, that has remained so long with
us. Our streets have been kept clean
by the street sweeper. but the busting
has been done by the bell skirt.
mo sale of cigarettes to minors"
was law passed at this session, and
yesterday we read that the bill for
pensioning school teachers had passed
the senate. and the thought came very
quickly--why not pension the father
and mothers of the boys they teachl
We think it would be quite as sensible.
n 1T flhn hi M naCOn1 4
All those of you who attend the
Worlds Fair must be sure to take
good look at the California display, es-
pecially that of Santa Clara Co , for
among the many wonders, they have
have sent their prune exhibit on horse
back. and our schools are to send some
fine work. The lovliest Gala lilly we
had has been taken for a copy by the
best artist of the Grant school, so if
we are not there our Gala will be.
We are of course much interested
in the hawaiin troubles, for from
here it seems but step to Honolulu,
where our earliest watermelons come
from. Mrs. Armstrong. who with her
husband, were the first missionaries
to the islands, long resided here in
san Jose, and died at home last fall.
Her son, of the Hampton school for
| cOlored people, lectured here year
ago. Our w. G. L. U. round the world
missionary, Mrs. Leavitt, has written
| the best history of their troubles.
| She is there at present and has entered
into the subject from the standpoint
of truth. The letter is in the New
York Voice.
She attended our w. G. L. U. State
| Convent ion last fall and gave two
very interesting lectures on her trav-
els and the work in foreign lands.
Her good, true face was an inspira.
| ton to all for she was seated on the
| rostrum nearly every session and Of
ten. when not taking part, she would
be seen with her knitting work in
| hand. At this convention was also
| Miss Margaret Winslow, first editor of
| Our Union, afterwaTd the Union Sig
nal, who told us how she was the first
| to suggest the white ribbon AS badge
and of her warm friendship for and
close relations with our Miss Willard.
and of the delight and true restfulness
of Rest Cottage. Miss Willard s home.
Mrs. Anna X. Bidwell, wife of Gen.
| B., Pro. nominee for Pres, was there,
and assure you she would have filled
the position of "first lady of the land
as well as any ever did. | wish she
might have gone to the White House.
Her address on "WOman and Her
Work" was masterpiece.
Another worker whose name will be
familiar to U. Signal readers was Mrs.
Henrietta SHELTON, State Organizer
among her own people, the Germans.
She is one grand woman. She speaks
broken English whenever she becomes
in earnest, with strong accent, and
one has 10 listen closely if not famil-
lar with her voice. The work she and
Mrs. Emma Pow Smith does is won.
derful, as they go through rain and
snow in the mountains everywhere,
carrying the white ribbon.
Awhile ago | met and formed the
pleasant acquaintance sof an old time
resident of st. Croix Co., Rev. Mr..
Spaulding, who gave me many happy
"reminiscences of his early ministry
and acquaintance with Mr.. Stevens,
first pastor of the Cong. church at
River Falls. His home is in or near
Sacramento now. but for a long time
| he lived in Oakland. His wife and
| daughters were here with him and
''pure gold" could be said of them all
| They were old friends of Mrs. A. ID.
I