The Republican journal., 1899-07-27
A Day in California.

One of my most charming California ex-
periences came about through connection
with the Girls Home and embraced a
visit to Mill Valley through the courtesy
of Mrs. Staples, whose early home was in
Belfast, Maine.
Across San Francisco's beautiful bay by
sunset light, then on by rail for few
miles, when a short carriage drive took us
as near to nature S heart as one could wish
to be, to a hillside home nest among the
redwoods, two of which stand sentinel
near the entrance. Here we found Mrs.
Crawford and Capt. Staples awaiting us
and a pleasant greeting added human
charm to the loneliness on every hand.
This cottage is equipped for comfort and
convenience "a fine range in the kitchen,
modern bath room, good beds, every
thing essential to delightful living, but,
after all, time is spent chiefly out of doors.
We were early astir in the morning,
through the woods blooming with wild
lilac and oxalis, stopping to look at every
tiny treasure, listening with interest to
plans for future improvements, following
the never failing "crick'' till we reached
a series of fascinating falls, calling on some
neigEbors who, having lived extensively
abroad, took place here for the summer
and are still content at the expiration OF
two years. They proved to be Maine
people, and good it seems to find many
mutual interests where only the unfamiliar
was expected.
| Mrs. C.'s cottage is within hearing dis
lance of the one wherein | was made so
happy, but quite out of sight OF 1T.
in many parts of the four acres which
form the grounds around these cottages
fruit trees have been set out but in such
way as to interfere little with the ''forest
main as nature left it.
A tree PROSTATE over a stream with two
redwoods growing from its trunk led my
most interesting companion to remark,
"There is no death for a redwood"
A picturesque old ruin of mill suggests
the reason for so prosaic a name being
given to a region so romantic. Nearby
Mount Tamalpais raises its wealth of green,
and at one point in our walk we clearly
saw the sleeping maiden" which its out
line defines. 4 few days later we were
standing on its summit, looking down to
discover the spot where this delightful
visit was made. This trip was by invita-
ton of Mrs. G. The ascent was made by
rail and it is d very sinuous one, winding
| through forests and open, with entranc-
ing views at every hand Looking back
ward from the hotel where we lunchcd
the track forms very good figure eight.
On an earlier visit Mrs. C. said she thought
she would walk down there, regarding it
as within easy reach, but on being told
it was four miles from the hotel gave up
the attempt. The air is very clear and
deception easy. The outlook from the
mountain top is grand. San Rafael is
nearby, where we sat out of doors all day,
in shady places; but most | enjoyed the
broad sweep of the Pacific, of which l was
about to take long, if not last, farewell.
The descent at close of day was only rival
led by the upward trip. I parted from
my kind entertainer at the ferry and was
made the bearer of many loving messages
to the eastern friends l was about to see.
1t was a day and a delight long to be
remembered, l. II. S. in The Girls
Home