Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-09-21
NEW ENGLAND
In southern California Breezy Sketch
by n Hancock County Man.


| by n Hancock County Man.
| Written for THE AMERICAN by r. G. Wooster
formerly OF South Hancock.
| My good wife and had spent the whole
of five seasons and half Of the sixth, at
| Avalon, Santa Catalina Islands, the finest
watering place, by all odds, of any on the
Pacific coast, but we both longed for
| change, and for this change we thought
We would take to the mountains
We had heard most favorable reports Of
Strawberry Valley-a valley inlhe noun
| tsins. with an altitude Of over 5000 feet.
with mountain peaks all around about it.
some of them reaching an elevation OF
900 feet. This valley is so named from
the wild strawberries that grow aud fruit
there in the latter part OF August The
vines have been much damaged Of late
years, by swine being turned In ID f,cd
and fatten on the fallen oak acorns.
The location of this valley II IN River
side county, about twenty-thTcc miles
easterly from San Jacinto, and t. reached
by branch line of the Southern California
railway. The valley ], well wooded with
giant pines, stately osk- and great ce,tarS,
and the principal shrubs are msr-.t,ila,
grcase-wood. iron wood, scrub YAK. Mia
cherry and goosebcrry.
We had received charming REPORT, ,f
this valley, and so We decided 10 - t'.efe.
ON August I, at . 40 q. m. W. take the
train at Pasadena that takes Us eastward
through many thrifty settlements, and IN
the course OF lwo sud half hours W. are
At San Bernardno Junction Herr we
stop for an hour and lunch Then W
take the train southwark Through faIpou.
Riverside; thence through Alussando,
beautiful little town founded in honor Of.
and named for, Helen Han; Jack~un> hero
In her Ramona" on southwark through
the smart little town of Peres thence turn
ing to the left, we ride eastward through
San Jaclnto. but get oil at Helmet, 4 station
this side
Here we lind = stage Ia waiting. and We
take /; for the Florida hotel, il The foot-
hill town, Florida i've miles on our road
% the aforesaid valley. Here wc rest for
the night
Il Is hot sud SuItry, unlike The heat at
Pasadena, and unlike 1t here. dry; but We
hcsr pea!s If distant New Englaud thun-
der, aud see flashes II her lightning play
ing among the mountain crags, and we
know Il rains IL the valleys that lie nestled
among those lofty hills.
The stage driver has told Us That hc w III
curtain his surry when lie takes Us up the
grade tomorrow. We therefore lOok
forward 10 see New England, ami to Wit
mess her antics. which are 50 foreign ID us
10 Pasadena, or anywhere on the coast In
this latitude.
The only cool place we can fnd at The
Florida j, on is shady side ont ~ doors
Here We iud little breeze about thc size
Of a zephyr. that plays around corner #
the building. 1t drIc, the sweat from
our faces and nccks. and makes Us quite
comfortable, A hammock hangs in the
cool Of the trees, ami my wife ljr> in il
resting. After lea, we go out On The pi-
szza and enjoy the cool he evening.
But there j. uo cool inside the hotel the
Hye-lorE night. 1t Is brick building
and through the hot day has been heated
like furnace, and holds the heat We
survive the night. however, and take the
stage Al six the next morning for the val
ley.
About noon on the 9Th, we arrive at
Keen Camp in the valley. 1t Il pretty
hard 10 tell whether We are human beings
or pillars Of dust. Well. we are hungry;
our apprtites have been sharpening ali the
way, as we climb up the slxteen-uile grade;
but Mrs. Keen always sets good table, 80
We are soon refreshed
oar hearts are not very strong, and for
this reason, in 80 high an altitude we are a
little light-headed A few days elapse and
this feeling wears of; but We hnd our ap-
petites growing all the while, until Mrs.
Keen begins 10 worry how she shall be able
- provide fur and satisfy them.
This is a New Eog!and VAL, 5. Here
are the rocky hills. the valleys, tAe water
courses or creeks, the green meadows
with cattlr feeding thereon. This noun
tain Is full Of farms [ranche>) fenced H.
A l admire these great tall straight
pines and grand old oaks, l cannot help
thinking Of Maines ship-yards as used
to know them, and Of the masts AMI ribs |
OF oak have seen there.
A