River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-05-07
CALIFORNIA LETTER.
SAN JOSH. CAL, April Is, 1891

familiar face lies before me as write,
bringing the much enjoyed winter
visit out in such strong relief against
the background of memory's walls.
| think that | promised to tell of my
Quincy home and feel that an
apology is due for these long weeks
of silence, but when ! assure you
that heart, hand, yea, and tongue
also, have been busy ever since |
came YOU will not wonder. The
| questions asked at the end of the
route are as widely numerous as
were those on my arrival in River
| Falls last November, and | am be-
ginning to think that | might find
lucrative employment i'll writing up
the advantages and beauties of Wis
consin as well as California, for |
had so much of good to tell of pla-
ces, times and people, that | think
if you could have heard me you
would have given me credit for warm
love for our old home. To tell the
truth, did not want to come away,
even to this beautiful valley.
The world is full of good, and of
good people, but River Falls has
the Bible measure of them; the
"pressed down and running over"
kind, and they gave to me such love
and welcome as will brighten my
life all along the down grade. God
bless them all. | left the depot, that
cold March morning, carrying with
me many warm hand-clasps and
hearty "good byes," hearing meath
the words the hidden meaning, "God
bless YOU" AS long as | could see
kept in view the dear old mother
who had so lovingly breasted the
cold to bring me the bottle of cream
a friend had sent for my lunch
basket, and as | caught my last
glimpse of the little group vending
its way across the bridge, it was not
all frost that blurred the zVindozv
pane.
A friend from Hudson joined me
there, and the day in St. Paul was
kept bright and cheerful by her low
ing presence. The day was also
shortened by the fine dinner at the
r. r. restaurant. Don't fail to take
cup of coffee, if nothing more,
when you 90 there, for / am almost
a mind to say it was JOY forever
because of its creamy, delightful
flavor.
left River Falls under the inn
preston that | was to find my Jour
ney over the y. p. an ''up-hill' one,
and had already begun to anticipate
troubles of various kinds, such as
poor car, poor service, snow block
AIDES and delayed freights in the
mountains, ETC., but on going to To-
cate my train before the hour of
departure, the first bugbear disap-
peared at once, for | found nice
clean car, the polished woodwork so
bright that a mirror was scarcely
needed, and the storm-covered win
dows clear as crystal, promising an
unfrosted view Of the landscape.
The genial depot porter kindly
helped to settle us and our luggage,
and when the last parcel was in
place we discovered another fleeing
worry. The car was through one
to Oakland, CAL! Think of that,
will you! No change. No picking
up of "big box, little box, bandbox
and bundle" and in the darkness of
night changing cars in the city of
Portland, although the change when
it has to be made is only to pass
from your train to one already in the
Grand Central station awaiting your
arrival.
When my last friend had passed
from my view l began to take OBJ
servations of what was to be my
abiding place for the next five days.
found | was in a first-class COM
pany and with a sigh of relief set
tied myself to watch the fast disap-
pearing familiar landmarks before
night overlook us.
Did YOU ever travel in one of
these tourist sleepers? If not, you
have no idea of the enjoyment of an
indoor outing. The great range in
the corner is soon covered with coffee
and tea-pots, the oven sends forth
appetizing whiffs of savory food in
preparation, the little tables at each
section are soon ready for the much
wished for supper, and amid the rush
and roar of the long train we begin
our first meal.
AT first / sympathized with the
old song writer who so woefully
sang "Ten thousand around me, my
self all alone" for the other sections
were filled with groups while mine
was "singly alone"
The first night was wearisome
one. The bed ne'er grows softer,
but as you roll from side to side of
your berth, with the swaying motion
of the train, you leave all fear and
anxiety behind as the words of the
grand old song comes to mind:
Rocked in the cradle of the deep
l lay me down, n peace to sleep;
| Secure | rest upt n the wave,
| For thou oh God hast power to save"
The morning finds everybody
ready to begin the new day as early
as possible, and soon the porter has
beds made and the sections in order
and then comes breakfast, or at least,
it comes after awhile, for the car is
full, and such q huddle muddle as
we get into, trying to keep out Of
each others way, carrying hot coffee,
hot plates and food from the corner
range. The strangeness has worn
away and we are ready to give each
kindly s'good morning." with many
a laughing remark as we, the unin-
itiated, into the quickstep of the train
service go reeling into each others
sections, and sit down on some luck
less body who is trying to don his
shoes behind his curtains. / think
never laughed more in my life than
one morning when / did that very
thing. | then felt that would not
leave my seat again that day, but
found that such resolves were better
broken than kept and at last was
ready for wagers or walking equal
to any trainman on the line, as any
in the company.
/ Breakfast over, and we then find