The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-23
CALIFORNIA AND TEXAS.
Beatrice Hnrrndcn'> Latest story
Suggcsts "a striking Contrast.

SEEECsts "a sfrikluS contrast.
have been reading Beatrice Harradens
latest story, "Hilda Strofford" 1t opens
at the home OF Robert stanford, a young
Englishman from London, who. having
been unsuccessful in securing "a lucrative
position and suffered severe illness. three
years before came to California and bought
twenty five acres Of land among the hills
near Santa Barbara, southern California,
and went into lemon raising. and was Nv
ing there with only his dog for company.
young English girl, Hilda, was engaged
to him before he left. and against the &d-
vice Of her friends followed him, and he
wont TO Santa Barbara. met her and tncy
were married IT appears that th,re was
quito a settlement OF young Epgiishmen
10 his noiehbrrhaod. some six miles distant,
who was his nearest neghbors, except an
old lady and one Ben Overlcieh, had ridden
over and invited Robert to his place for the
night and volunteered to 20 back and have
supper ready on his arrival with his bride.
The time is early spring, before the
rains and tho whole country has a brown,
bare and desolate appearance. and Robert
OF Hilda, fresh from London, with its life.
hustle and amuscments lie eNclaims,
dread something more than her disappoint-
mcrt-her scorn. for when all is said and
done It's wretched land. barren and be-
reft and you know yourself how the wo-
men suffer here they all hate It, some
thing dies down in them. You have OF ly
TO look at them to know. They have lost
L -. ,Hlsa
and oyor again. and then have cursed my
lemon tees."
| His friend Bon cheers him up In the
next chapter llilia arrives. She is de-
scribed as n handsome. well educated young
woman with taste for reading. music
etc. and apparently appreciates all that
! Robert has done In tho way OF fixing the
small house, providing boolts and other
comforts, planting roses. vines, ctc.. hut
the realization that she has TO I've for
| years life OF waiting FOR the devt lopmcnt
OF the small fruit farm, which Miss Hare.
| den dignitcs with the name OF ranch.
comes home to her and she begins to ask
herself whether she had done me best 10
givo up London and It's pleasures for this
| life OF throhloSs quiet and economizing
until returns came from the farm, and by
her manner shows Robert. who is a s.nsl-
tive man. her disappointment
| In the next chapter seven young Elslisn-
relieve the monotony. storm COMES on
and they leave for their homes, pluused M
the prospect OF rain, which means so much
| for the friii grower Of Southern california
! Robert mad built a reservoir on tho hill
side and had 1t fun OF flume water. ana
not having made allowance Tor tho rain
and realizing too late that Their, WAS dan
ger Of an overflow, he arrives only IN ,i.nc
to see his reservoir the WORT O. months
swept away, and the body Of ,yatc- swc.n
| through his lemon groves, tearing cut ma
bearing away the choicest Of his trees ma
the chapter clcsCs with Roh,-t r.provino
himself for having induced her 20 share
his failure. The story closes with M.
/ death OF Robert from exposure oycrcvnr.
ton and dependency the sale ~. thr pIaco
land " '"e
The question Of the adaptabllpv or
southern California as fruit couoiry 10
not raised, and the only point Miss IInrra1
den makes Is that Hilda bred TO the WAYS
OF big city, was out OF place In th,t corn
Try, ana should not have been ,alto, ther,.,
ahn II occufs 10 me 10 compare their no.
siuon and what II might have been had
ROBERT instead Of going TO Southern Cali
t0Ihla come 10 the coast country Of Tavns
VIM" shan oontine my description Ia
Harris cnrnty and speak NEST oariiouinrIy
OF II IN the neighhorhood OF Houston nv
remarks Will apply With very slight v,ria-
ion 10 the stretch Of country nnO mills
long by from loo to 200 miles wide ahnu,
| f"'-"SVAht east ana west Win houston
''' center VI course. It must DC unaer-