The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-14

bles from the brooks were mixed with
the mortar to make bands across the
house. All the timber of the floors.
the rafters and cross-beams. the door
ways. and the window lintels We're
built in" as the house was carried
up. After the house was rooted II
was usually plastered inside and out.
to protect 1t against the weather and
make 1t more comfortable. A great
deal of trouble was often taken to OBJ
tain stone for the doorsteps, and
curious rocks We're sometimes brought
many miles for this purpose. or for
gatenosts in front of the dwelling.
In the old days every one seemed
To live out doors. There was much
gaiety and social life. even though
people were widely scattered. They
Travelled as much as possible on horse
back. Only old people or invalids
cared to use the slow cart or carre,a
Young men would ride from one ranch
to another for parties, and whoever
found his horse tired would let him go
and catch another. In his Two Years
Before the Mast" Dana tells the story
of messmate who. having hired
horse from a ranchero. was. thrown
and saw the horse gallon away. The
honest tar picked up the torn saddle
and returned it to the owner. expect
ing to be jailed for the loss of the
horse. After inspecting the saddle the
Californian declared that it could not
be repaired under six bits. when
asked what he would charge for the
horse. he replied, looking indifferently
at the animal which was, scampering
UP the hills. oh, el caballo. he don't
count"
\ band Of gaily-attired caballeros, on
spirited horses. formed an interesting
feature Of the Fiesta celebration in
Los Angeles last year. -...
4ga /. HOLIDAYS FREQUENT.
! Holidays were moreifreqhentS in Cali
f0rnia than they saye news IN Mexico.
Al these, spectators weres joiced by
the sight Of horse races. lights between
bulls and bears, spectacle plays, In
Which vaQuero played Jesus Christ
and an altar boy the Virgin Mary The
whole bound up with a fandango. which
was Ike Kentucky breakdown. and
lasted all night, Rancheros who could
not cross u street on foot or cut fur
row would ride fifty miles 10 a fandango
and dance till daybreak without finch
ing.
Those We're the days of open-hearted
hospitality, such as we read OF in Bible
history, and such as still exist in some
eastern countries where q man regards
entertain travellers, without expecta
tion or hope of reward. In those days
the population was so small and scat
tered that the arrival of visitor was
hailed as Il welcome variation in the
monotony of life. All the leading
American settlers and travellers testify
to the unaffected kindness and gener-
osity with which strangers We're enter
tained.
1t was over forty years before the
first American arrived in Los Angeles.
In 1924 a. Scotchman opened a store on
the American plan. In 1891 there was
beginning of extensive trade with the
East. over the Santa Fe trail. Begin
ming in 1895, Los Angeles was for a
short time the capital of the state.
There were Il few bloodless combats
during the Mexican war, before Los
Angeles came permanently under
American rule.
THE COMING FESTIVAL.
The next apoach to fiesta celebra-
tion was on Sept. 4. 1881. when the city
celebrated its centennial anniversary
with geat enthusiasm. thousands OF
people being in procession, the native
Californian population taking an i'm
potant part in the ceremonies as they
have done in the fiestas of 1894 and 1885,
and Will do again this year in April,
when it Is promised that the fiesta will
far eclipse in magnificence the two pre-
ceding celebrations. 1t will last four
days, during which a constant round of
varied and interesting entertainments
will be furnished to the thousands of
visitors who are expected from all parts
of the country. The fiesta. however,
deserves a separate letter to itself.
The history of Los Angeles was an
uneventful one from early days until a
dozen years ago. when commenced that
remarkable growth that has astonished
the country. How the city has ad-
vanced may be judged from the popu-
lation figures. which have increased
from 1000 in 1880 to so 900 in 1890, and
$4,000 In 1895. HARRY BROOK,