The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-14
PACIFIC GROVE, CALIFORNIA.
Extracts from Letter Of Mrs. II. II. Hol.
lister, Kindly Furnished by Her Daugh.
ter, Mrs, Anderson.

Pacific Grove, a summer resort of CAL
ifornia Is situated on Monterey Bay,
about 100 miles south Of San Francisco.
The town Is really but a perpetual camp
meeting. of various denominations who
each receive from the Southern Pacific
Railroad company a gift of sufficient
land for church purposes, and the op-
portunity of renting for a small amount
either ground for building, or furnished
houses for temporary or permanent res
idence. All the land in the vicinity Is
held by this company, and It's invest
ment Is amply repaid by the travel
on the road and the rental of the ground
and buildings
The weather is delightful. an almost
uniform temperature throughout the
year, except for trifie more rain in
winter. there being no other difference
between winter and summer. The place
is literal flower garden, sixty varieties
of roses in yard being no rarity, while
other plants and flowers, attain a size
and perfection In the open air not to
be seen even In nurseries In the east.
CHINATOWN.
For labor Of all kinds one depends
on the Cinnamon, who have q small
settlement by themselves. and who also
supply us with fish taken the night be-
fore and with vegetables and fruit from
the gardens cultivated by their wives
and children.
Yesterday l walked through China
town" on my way to Monterey, three
miles distant, and the women and chill
dren were busy cutting bait. and bait
ing hooks for the night fishing. the
few men around were fixing boats for
the same purpose. The climate en-
ables them to live in smallest and bar
OF pf hnx Gn hnt in,
the open air and being at almost no
expense. They each and all expect 10
return to China carrying what. for that
country, is an ample fortune The chill
dren are very cOmical, dressed in bright
red trousers and a loose padded coat,
looking like collection of barrel slaves
and a tiny red cap.
A CHINESE FUNERAL.
Today u Chinese funeral passed me
and l followed to see the odd cere-
monies at the grave, the mourners all
being barefOoted. After a number of
tapers and paper prayers were burned,
low table was placed by the grave on
which were placed small cups If rice.
dishes of fried potatoes, chicken cooked
whole, large piece of meat. |macaroni.
teapot and tiny cups, not exceeding an
inch in diameter.
cups and then poured the contents in
the grave. After the box was lowered,
the greater portion Of the food was then
thrown in, and the remainder scattered
on the ground. After these ceremonies
the procession returned to the house
and carried out each and everything
the deceased ever used, nothing was
touched however with the hands; all
was carried out with pitchforks or
shovels. Today in my tramp on the
beach l was surprised to find all this
stuff on the rocks for the high sea to
wash out. as I was told 1t was always
burned. and saw 1t done last month at
another funeral there.
The grave looks very gay. There is
one tall, red banner about 8 feet high,
and three about 4 feet, also red, with
thin letters on. Then there are huge
paper lanterns, and one great big con-
cern. ] don't know what to call 1t. it is
of red and white cloth and looks some-
thing like an umbrella half open. Then
there are poles with strips Of white rags
strips of paper are to keep the devil
away. Only the men attended the fu-
neral. The women and children in
their little narrow street were firing off
fire crackers, this also to keep the devil
away, and the whole performance was
rather startling to me.
THE MONTERREY INDIAN TRAIL.
Today took walk to Monterey by
the old Indian trail through the woods.
and it is something to dream about;
the great trees and the glimpses of the
blue ocean between them. I picked a
long bunch of poppies within ten feet
of high tide mark; does it rot seem
, strange?
I remember years ago I thought a
picture looked so unreal If field of
grain was near or directly on the edge
Of the ocean. Out here fields are all
along the shore for miles and cows and
horses have the finest kind Of q place
TO feed. The tide Is coming in and how
the ocean roars, sounds like great trains
of cars moving over the rails.
About two miles from here is the
longest live oak in the world. This
king of the forest measures over 100 feet
across the top and 400 feet around. 1t
has thousands of limbs, and many that
measure 100 feet long, and are u to IS
inches in diameter. One thousand peo-
pie can find seats on its crooked limbs
at once and more than twice that num-
Der could at the same time stand be-
meath its cooling shades.
, 1t is not over 40 feet tall, and the
limbs after growing short height then
| begin q series OF long runs, thus form.