The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-07
sAERMAN.s CALIFORNIA ROMANCE.
The General Betrothed to Spanish Girl
who Is Still Faithful to Him.

who Is Still Faithful to Him.
There still lives at Monterey, Cal.
beautiful Spanish woman, Miss Maria
Bonifaco who in her young days was the
favorite of Lieutenant William Tecumseh
Sherman. There are many visitors every
winter to UNDERGRADUATES from all
parts of the East-and among the inter-
esting objects they stay to see is the pref
ty home of this still attractive woman,
and also herself if perchance they can in
duce her to admit them. If calls are made
in the morning in the evening the Wis
itors do not need to be admitted to the
house in order to see the industrious ana |
tasteful occupant, for at those times she |
is certain to be out among the trees and |
flowers. \
In the old days Monterey was the capt. |
tai of Alta meaning upper California, |
and it was successfully the capital of the |
province after it was first in the posses-
sion of the United States authorities and |
when it was a territory of the United |
States and again when that territory |
came in as a state Being so old. 1t has |
some extremely picturesque features, and !
the natural scenery is extremely line. All
around the town, except on the front,
where is the ocean, are hills that are in a
high state of cultivation, and thse are
backed by lofty evergreen trees. The air
is loaded with fragrance and likewise with
ozone. 1t is heavenly there. All this may
BE- said without once thinking of the
average house and the average person in
the place. But the houses that have
been made picturesque by age. though
built cheaply, have a fine air of comfort
about them, and the people one sees on
the streets who not MeXicans show in
their faces that they are contented and
happy. And the old MeXicans one likes
| to observe as they move slowly about the
| town, for they are of the past and Will
| soon be no more.
| Every dwelling is EMPOWERED in flowers,
| but none is more beautifully so than Miss
| Maria Bonfacio's. Her romance and her
| sweet home are both heard of in advance
by most tourists coming to the place, and
| among the first questions they ask is:
| "Where does Shermans sweetheart live.
and where is the rosebush he planted for
| her?" And each is directed to a big
white adobe house in the midst of lux
| uriantly blooming garden and surrounded
| by high. tile-topped adobe wall, and
| passing through the lattice gate, along
| trim walk and under the very rose tree
each wishes so much to see, one may find
small, dark-cyed, middle-aged woman at
| work among the flowers or seated in one
| OF the deep windows bending over some
| delicate specimen of Spanish drawn-work.
She. will greet her visitors kindly in soft,
| beautiful Spanish. for she speaks no
English: will point out the rose tree, eX
hfbit her drawn work that looks almost
like cobwebs so fine it is. and if she
especially fancies their appearance will let
them see the old house and its quaint
furnishings This however. is so rare as
to be notable when it occurs. for she IS
| constantly hesieged with curious AMI
sometimes not too polite sightseers.
At the time when California was in pro-
cess of issuing out of its territorial condi-
ton and attaining to statehood, Monterey
| stall bod toe trnn
and among the officers of the garrison
was Lieutenant Sherman. Though very
young, he had on several occasions given
. evidence of soldiery courage and GOODNESS
? that augured well for his future military
career, and, being favorite with his
, comrades among the officers, he became
, also the friend of the men of Monterey
and the ambition of all their pretty, dark
eyed daughters and sisters
There was no young girl SO beautiful or
} charming as Miss Maria Bonifacio and to
the witcheries of her sparkling black eyes
} the American lieutenant fell willing vic
r | tim. Miss Ronifacio was also attracted
| but the attraction on her side quickly
I | deepened into something more, as the Sc
S quel shows. The balmy, flower-scentet
0 days sped all too quickly for their love
making and soon there came one upor
a which Lieutenant Sherman was ordered
+ away. The night before his departure he
e paid farewell visit to his little Spanish
o sweetheart and as they walked together
a in the moonlit garden he took the rose-f
glorious bloom of gold-from he
3 hair, and, digging little place beside thu
:. path with the point of his sword plant
o ed it,
e Before that shall grow and bloom
: again" he said. Il will return for m.
beautiful BRIDE
e The rose grew and biossomed and tn
with
o longing heart for the return of her absen
S lover. And he, out in the noise and tur
moil of the world, perhaps remembered
/ only as a pleasant episode. The year
e passed and the rose bush grew into
tree and occasionally there would com
II into the quiet life of Miss Bonifacio a
# echo of the renown her old-time sweet
= heart had achieved And still she KEEP
faith. Then came the news of his deaf
% and her dream was shattered.
= She tends the rose tree with constan
care and calls it her only sweetheart, an
= never a day passes that she does nc
wear or have close beside her in vas
one of the glorious golden flowers.
Miss Bonifacio IS well past 60 years c
age but with her abundant black hal
, unstreaked with gray and her smooth
clear skin and sparkling eye one woul
. not believe her over 40. She is small an
slight and dresses always in neatest blacl
, never affecting the gay colors SO popua
with the Spanish race.
The last of her family she lives alor
and earns her daily bread by fashionin
the dainty drawn work. for her fortur
has flown, as has that of so many of II
r old Spanish-Californians. Were it not fl
) the constant rush of strangers into III
i quiet home there would be only the dali
going to mass in the mission church ar
G the occasional visit of friend to bres
. the monotony of her life. La Tuiita
t she was called in her youthful days, al
so she is still lovingly addressed by h
So closest friends. but La Bonita" seems
more applicable name now, for with qui
- pety and devotion to daily duties her Ii
is passing peacefully on to it's close.-Cl
d. cago Chronicle.
Rernhardt a Girl.