The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-09

one William Martinez. young ranchman
in the employ of Mr.. Lewis, an old and
respected landowner in this vicinity, har-
messed up team Of horses to make an
early start into town, exchanged CHEEKY
word with one of the family. stepped into
the sitting-room of the house on some
trivial errand, caught up a gun there,
went straight to his own room in a de-
tached building, deliberately put his 70
on the trigger and blew out his brains.
Martinez was a handsome, pleasant
tempered fellow. we'll liked and trusted
by his employers, young, healthy and
above the average of his class in intelli-
geuoe. Why he should have taken his own
life in this manner to this day remains
mystery.
The unfortunate young man had STEP
brother of Indian parentage, the son of his
fathers second wife, named Anton Or
zeras. Like most men of his kind, Anton
han grown up without any special moral
training; but while re had little principle
SO far as honesty and truth were con-
cerned, he had never shown anything but
a gentle disposition. When he beard the
news of his stepbrother's suicide and
during his attendance upon the inquest
he appeared Indifferent to the point of
brutality.
The village of Cathedral Oaks is named
from stately grove that stands at the
base of the mountains where the San
Marcos toll road begins the ascent of the
first grade of the foothills. Two canyons
come down from the mountains and meet
here at The Oaks Following the eastern
and most important, the road winds along
the hanks of little mountain stream,
bringing one to a succession of pretty
ranches. At the very head of the canyon
and at the foot of the high hills, where the
little valley widens, only to be broken up
by numerous wooded gulches, wrapped In
It's own beautiful solitude. is ranch whose
occupants have dwelt there for twenty
years. The father. Francis d. Ravens.
comes of a well-knnwn New 7 ork family.
The mother is the daughter OF San Fran
cisco physician much respected in his day.
DIR, William A. Snyder, who was buried ct
Lone Mountain in 1860. Early In the sew
entities Mr.. Ravens failing health brought
he family to Santa Barbara. The only
son. now 10 years of age, was born on this
ranch. There are three daughters, Nellie,
Alice and Adelaide, all older. This fam
iIy loves its home with extraordinary in
tensity, although its mem bers lead siu-
guarly solitary life.
"Maybe it's unreasonable to feel as we
do" says the dainty little 60year-old
mother, her thin hair almost white, but
her blue eyes undimmed, but Eve always
felt that people have their own ways and
their own places in this world, and l can't
bring myself to affiliate with those who
are not of my kind. It's better to live
apart than to take up with the sort of So
ciety that doesn't belong to YOU"
This is said simply and honestly and
without the least affectation by a plain
little woman in calico gown, who makes
no preienses about her homely way of life.
1t is proba BILE that this family knows more
about the affairs of the great outside world
than it knows, all hands joined, about
farming. The girls care nothing for dress.
but absorb over and over again the con-
tents of few good books and magazines
there are few late numbers among the
latter-and they know volumes about the
wild creatures and the plant life of the
hills.
This, then, is the family which Tragedy
entered in that eventful October.
Uu w eUneSudS, tuo -ONh VI tH6 month.
two DAYS after the shocking suicide of
Young Martinez, the Ravens children. as
they merrily call themselves-Mellie,A de-
laide and Judge" the boy-spent the day
al some distance from the house, perhaps
a quar- ter of mile away, with two gulches
and a high hill intervening. They had
turned some young colts out to pasture for
the first time aud thought it best to keen
an eye on them for fear the animals might.
in their inexperience, run into the barbed
wire fences. In the shadow of some oaks
and on o slight elevation above the brook
the young people had established what
they called their camp. This was merely
cleared place. with ferns growing wild
about ii, beds of iris planted here ana
there, and tiny stone fireplace, where
they could make a cup of coffee when thew
etc their luncheon. They were accustomed
to bring their sewing and books here, and.
while one read aloud the others piled their
needles, after the pleasant family custom.
Here they remained for the better part of
The day, until, as the shadows began TO
leugthen, they start ted home ward over the
hill.
They had already crossed the little
brook and started up the rise beyond when