Evening star., 1899-03-18

with him much of the old choir music. He
not only sang well, but was good player
on the VIOLIN There was not at any of the
missions SO fine a band of performers on
stringed instruments as at San Luis Rey."
Yet later, after the friendship of these
two, Ramona and Alessandro, had ripened
Into love, the latter sends one of his men
to Temecula for his violin 1t was then
sunset, but the man promised solemnly to
be back before the next noon, and kept his
promise. Had he been at Camullos or at
the nearest mission to that place, San Fer
nando, that feat Of riding 200 miles and
more would have been impossible, even in
fiction. But as Temecua lies but twenty
or twenty-five miles distant from Guajome,
the journey was not difficult to perform.
Another coincidence, which cannot be re-
garded as d mere mental vagary of the
author, is that the owner of Guajome pre-
viouS to it's occupation by Colonel Coutts
bore the name of Pablo Assis The writer
of this article had the information from
son of the house; and, moreover. he met
and conversed with an Indian, now chief
man of the reservation at Rincon, whose
name is Juan Canito. which was that of
the head shepherd at Moreno ranch"
Dramatis Personae.
The chief dramatis personae on this ranch
were, as we may be allowed to recall, Sc
nora Moreno; Felipe, her beloved son; Ra-
mono, the beautiful half-caste, foster-sis-
ter to Felipe; Alessandro, the Indian of
Temecula and accepted lover; Margarita,
enamored of Alessandro, who precipitated
the denouement of the tragedy, finally mar
ried to servant, Luigo; Pablo Assis, Ales-
sandro's father; Padre Salvierderra, and
Juan Canito the head shepherd.
All these, except possibly Felipe, can be
identified with the Guajome ranch, as al
ready mentioned. The Sonora especially
answers, in every detail of character and
popularity of disposition, to the lamented
mistress of Guajome, who so recently pass
ed away.
Here, also, we find the watering place
shaded by the overhanging willow, and in
the private chapel attached to the place
the object of the senora's devotion may still
be seen the torn altar cloth, which has
been mended by slender fingers, whether
those of Ramona or some other.
In the patio, fast going to decay Is
barn and stable. much like that one men
toned in the story, and which played so
important part therein: 1.-THE
saddles, harnesses, brides and all such
as is constantly to be seen in southern
California, floor, a roof, no walls,
only corner posts to hold the roof"
All That is Left.
Fitting in and out the verandas. sing
ing from ridge poles and near trees, today
as in Ramona's yesterdays, are yet the
finches to be seen. At the time of the
writer's visit pair Of these finches had
appropriated and built their nest in a Ian
tern hanging In the southern veranda. This
lantern, by the way, came from the ship
Alert mentioned in Danas 1.-TWO Years
Before the Mast well as an old piano
and an iron safe. Every year, as the breed
ing season comes around, the old lantern Is
occupied by the finches, who, though but
five or six feet above the veranda floor
and in the throat Of a passage way, fear
lessly hold their own, confiding in the
good will of the household. Few, alas, are
left of the once numerous household that
assembled here in more prosperous times.
With the sonora passed on the last men,
Der who chung to the old place. Over in a
small village near to San Luis Rey dwells
the original of Margarita, Juan Canito lives
at Rincon, the padre still holds services at
San Luis, Alessandro and Pablo Assis are
dead, and Ramona-the one whose sad ex-
perience suggested the story-owns an In
dian hut at Cahuilla.
FREDERICK A. OBER.