The San Francisco call., 1895-05-19
RETROsPEOTION.

first Governor of California, recalls to
memory the wonderful things that have
occurred in these forty-fve years that have
been devoted to the building of a State.
The two States which have the most inter-
esting history are California and Louisiana
most interesting because of the romantic
incidents out of which they have been de-
veloped: and so long as romance is cher
ished in the human heart, just so long
will the elements which have gone to the
making of these two States be alive with
interest.
1t is pity that the art of romance
writing in America has SO grievously
neglected its richest opportunities. George
W. Cable has taken merely glance at the
sweetness of early Creole days in New
Orleans, and Lafcadio Hearn has given US
but one touch of his genius in handling
the beauties of Louisiana's history by tell
ing the tragic story of Last Island. The
wonderful literary resources of California,
in the storytelling line, have been ham
died by exceedingly few-Bret Harte, J..
w. Gally and e. H. Clough in tales of the
early placer mines, and Helen Hunt jack
son and Mrs. Atherton in very slight and
inadequate touches upon the pastoral
sweetness of Franciscan days.
Beatrice Harraden, young English wo-
man who has written the daintiest and most
pathetic modern studies of English life, is
now with US, and has announced that she
| will write California stories. 1t is to be
wondered if she knows, or soon can learn,
sufficient for the task. The remarkable
thing about the telling of California stories
Wy, ho rif of fbac hot
a very long education is required. Miss
Harraden may bring with her all the fine
and simple skill of her English art, and
yet it may prove amiss in the treatment OF
subjects which require a certain sympathy
and understanding based on long residence:
William Henry Bishop, Charles Dudley
Warner, Julian Ralph and numberless
other sojourners who luxuriate in pro-
digiously long names have written things
about California that are interesting to
residents principally because of their ludi-
crous misconceptions. 1t may not be part
of their art to tell the truth, but it requires
very high order of art to violate the veri-
ties and still be interesting and instruc-
tive. The rich field of romance in Cali
fornia has not yet been more than touched.
Even before the Inauguration of Governor
Burnett the spirit of romance had long
been busy in spinning its web over the
country. The Russian traders who
operated from Alaska to the Golden
Gate; the English freebooters, headed
by Sir Francis Drake, who were a menace
to the sea; the incredible exploits of Faith
ers Sierra and Crespi in seeking out places
for the establishment OF missions the ex-
traordinary ability with which these men
and their assistants invaded, conquered by
persuasion and won by faith and upright
example the refractory Indian regions
which they encountered; the heroic task
OF building the vast missions out of stone
or adobes: the inconceivable patience and
skill with which, the Indians were brought
under the dominion of the cross-these are
all separate and wonderful chapters of in
Vulnerable romances.
But the story is only begun. Connecting
the bay of San Francisco and the many
mining regions were stage roads, which
were infested with the most picturesque
order of brigands on the face of the EARTH
If the old California and Oregon stage road
could talk, every mile of it would have its
tragedy to relate.
There are hundreds of other features of
the States history clamoring for artistic
treatment at the hands of romancist; and
we have cause to grieve that no sooner does
one of our writers begin to stir the world
than some poor consideration of dollars
and cents lures him from his duty and
OppOrtunity