The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-01-26
Letter From California.
MONTEREY, CAL, Jan. IL, 1S9

My DEAR Mr. MANNING:-The truth was
well spoken in the adage, "prOcrastina-
is the thief of time" and in my present
condition think it was expressed to fit
my case, for it we'll answers any, yes, all
excuses that could offer for not writing
to you and fulfilling my promise. | don't
know exactly the cause, not that | did
not want to write, for often on awaken
ing in the morning l found myself say
ing ~ will positively write Thad Man.
ming a long letter to-day yet after
breakfast the crowd, consisting OF young
men and ladies, would invite me to a
game of tennis, to join a bowlingpa or
as has been frequently the case to join a
couple OF gentlemen on alittlehunt either
for quail or duck, which has afforded me
more pastime than any other OF the
amusements. These are the causes that
kept continually forcing me to say, 81
will write that letter tonight and 10!
and behold, as soon as the sun had gone
down to give light to another part OF the
world and darkness reigned supreme it
found the writer (of course, after dinner)
either in the billiard parIor with the la
dies or at a game of whist. These facts
will give you some idea of how it goes
each day with me until l realized for a
fact that my friends were entirely neg
lected as to correspondence. have now
made a golden rule for my own direction:
Answer all letters first which would set
me free, and then for amusements.
To-day is exactly one month l have
been at this place. To say it agrees with
me is best told by the scales which show
a gain OF ten pounds i'll weight, besides
have been enjoying the best of health.
,,ch 81 cd iof hof I
have some of my North Carolina friends
beauties of this garden spot OF America.
At this writing the thermometer stands
at 6S degrees, beautiful, balmy, Indian
summer day, with flowers in full bloom
on all sides and the people clad in white
hannels and summer costumes, while you
at home are having snow apdice. What
a contrast! and when think OF it | be-
lieve (if mother could be by my side) |
should be contented out here taking the
sunshine and flowers and allowing you
your Northern winds, cold, bleak days,
and snow and ice for your dessert. l
shall stay at this place until June and
may be July. l hope by that time to
have thoroughly inhaled sufficient OF
CalifOrnia's climate to have recovered
permanent relief. l never wear an over
coat and haven't had one on since my
first arrival which was during the rainy
season and that lasted only three days.
OF Del Monte and its famous hostelry |
should like to give an accurate account,
but knowing too well my limited capa-
bility at description will refrain from an
attempt but mail you one of the souve-
Mrs, which at best fails to do the place
justice. All the pictures are shams to
the reality and for natures own work
and it's beauty must be seen to be appre-
GATED There are 700 acres connected
with the hotel, all flower garden, with
drives and walks SO grand and magnif-
cent, that to the weary, overwOrked and
invalid on entering seems to appear az
a fairy land from afar Off | almost go
into ecstacy when think of this place
and it's surroundings. l am sorry you
did not stop just for a single day here,
when you were in California last sum-
mer. IT'S trip of q life time and one
not to be forgotten. Would like so
much to continue in this strain, but
don't care to bore you, only want to
show how glad l am Of the privilege of
writing to you, and O. ne feeling have
to write a long letter to pay for my ap,
parent negligence, which should however
be termed, not negligence, but simply
stronger disposition for pastime with
girls out here than for few words with
friends at home.
My trip coming out was more than
pleasant, especially as l cut up the ride
that | might not get tired, besides at
Wilmington and Savannah, also at Mo-
bile, | met co-sufferers of the Belmont
fire, not physical sufferers like myself, but
llx, IL IS
glad to see me again.
also visited the Crescent City and
while favorably impressed in one way
still the filth of the place took away all
good opinions. At San Antonio [ had
ter, one of our visiting bellies, who made
my visit to the Texas city one of MUCH
pleasure. In Savannah | enjoyed meet
ing some relatives, but above all an old
friend whom L now term sweetheart"
but don't give me away. If you do
shall not show you her picture. "AWs
Ucu that ends relt along the Ptoomac''
Another place of great interest to the
tourist is st. Augustine. OF course Flag
ler's National hotel, Ponce De Leon, is
worth the trip, yet consider two others
he has there, the Alcazar and Condova,
equally as pretty and fine but not so
massive. The three though show a va
ried architecture but all of them ex-
tremely handsome. Then the Fort, the
oldest in the United States, is an histor-
ical spot and we'll worthy of mentioning,
especially the underground cells where
prisoners were condemned to a death
only equal to the Spanish Inquisition
being of Spanish origin and belonging to
that country.
| must now draw q line as it's lunch
time and have an engagementfo for hunt
ing tkis afternoon. Hoping you will
forgive ny long silence, am,