The age-herald., 1900-03-18
MRS. GIELOW TO GIVE RECITAL
Miss Mcconnell Returns from Paris Miss Johnston Will Consider Dram- atization of Her Story "To
 Have and To Hold"
BY ANNIE KENDRICK WALKER.

To observe the beauties of the west from an observation car would perhaps satisfy the ambitions of the average woman, but after number of such passages the charm of scenery might become lessened by fa- miliarity For woman, however. to own a stretch of sun-kissed valley in California and to realize that by her own efforts she was creating a little garden spot all her own is an experience besides which the incidents of a mere journey to the Pacific slope would be not unlike those of the American tourists who do London in a week.
 Ut meant hard work" said brilliant young Birmingham woman recently as she was recalling her four years existence on her California ranch. The lands that were owned by my mother were unimproved, and the entire responsibility of the work of improving rested upon her and myself. There were canals to be dug, wells to be bored, house to be built, the ranch stocked and all the work necessary in con vertlng a great waste of plain into little paradise hedged about with palms.
 Dear me- I said, picturing this charm ing girl in a far-away sunset valley, look ing after the work on her ranch with the SdHS dIIOull Ou interest that SIS Woulu take in the duties required in her fashona- ble life in town. And while she talked so interestingly of her life in the west and of the numerous cares and difficulties that were incident to the successful manage ment of a large ranch, the little party of friends who were sipping tea in her boudoir were more firmly convinced of the energy, determination, pluck and daring that char
 
 that she undertakes. To give up a fash ionable life for a few years of existence on a ranch is not frequent occurrence in the life of charming young woman of wealth, and one would imagine that she would hestitate before packing away her laces and jewes that would be so incongru- ous at a dinner party on a ranch.
 My mothers ranch,' said this young woman, lis in San Joaquin valley and when we decided to improve it, it seemed a gi- santic task to be accomplished by two men. It was simply great waste of land in this great valley. The first step to be taken was the work of irrgatlng. Fresno was the nearest town, and l advertised for canal diggers and we'll borers. When the irrigating system was completed the house was built and then the ranch stocked with two hundred head of cattle.
 ''rhe getting of things under headway was, of course. great undertaking and while l was at Fresno my mother was detained at ranch in Arizona that is owned by my sister, that the plans of the house. the extent of irrigation and indeed all the details of equipping our ranch was left to my decision or judgment and l was naturally anxious~to have the most attractive ranch in the valley
 When the house was completed and fur nished and we took possession, there was very little time to be homesick, for the duties required in managing a ranch are far more onerous than in keeping house in town, and l imagine are even greater than those on the old plantations in the south when the mistress of the beautiful old homes felt the responsibility of the large household.
 "rhe hardest work for a woman who superintends her own ranch is that of supervising the work of the men. The men employed to herd the cattle, in other words, the typical cowboy, is proverbially lazy and if he is not closely watched will steal the grain from the cattle. If one wants wel-fed, well groomed horses and cows on ones ranch the cowboys require the same amount Of scoiding as the south ern darkey.
 "A portion of the ranch is. of course, de- voted to the cultivation of Alfalfa. which is the clover of California. It, however, grows quite high and requires to be cut six times during the summer It is shipped and sold at the rate of S30 ton. and 1t