The courier., 1901-03-23
THE COURIER.

little stretch OF ground. separated iron
the adjoining driveway by stone wal
surmounted by terracotta balustradt
behind which stood row OF feather!
bamboo trees. Orange, Zig and banans
trees are everywhere. tine latter in al
stages of growth from the tender pale
green shoots just springing from the
ground to the tree heavy with the fruit
which marks its maturity; litter o1
shrubs and low bushes. all new to us
filled up the intervening spaces. ex-
pressed euch warm admiration for one
with dark, lace like foliage among which
cleaned tiny red peppers, that it was
Immediately placed "a su disposition
Sonora" by its polite owner. But we
often longed for the sight OF a little
green grass Of which the yard was en-
tirely innocent; indeed, each unfortun-
ate spear that had the temerity to lift
its presumipg head above the bare sun.
baked earth, was ruthlessly pulled up
by the roots. For what reason, never
could guess. Near the gate WAS tiny
''sback" in which lived an aged invalid
relative of our neighbor's, who never
neglected polite greeting every time
any one passed through. The entrance
to our own quarters was by wide stair
way that mounted to a landing too
email to be dignified by the name of
hall; there was no outside door, only
pots of San Francisco Colorado on each
side, guarded the opening. The visitor
climbed the stairs to find himself before
double doors thrown wide open and in
the immediate presence of his host,
which was often equally embarrassing to
guest and host. The sdld was a pretty
room with cool, bare, polished floors and
the usual canvas walls and ceiling artis-
ticalIy stenciled in delicate colors; wide
open windows, like those in the hotel,
gave glimpses of luxurious tropical foli-
age and flowers AMI Infinitely blue skies.
Behind row of spindles between the
window sill and the floor was another
set of sliding panels, making it possible
to open two sides of the room from cell.
ing to floor and from the corner posts to
the partitions. In the corners rose
queer. crooked trunks of trees painted
to harmcnize with the walls but still
retaining the exact form in which pa-
ture nodded them. These were the
man supports of the building. From
this room opened two sleeping apart.
ments, so email, that with beds in them
it was impossible to open and close the
doors and We were obliged to conpro-
mise with hangings of pretty Indian
prints. From the windows OF these
rooms we looked out across the bay,
beautiful in the tender half lights OF
the early morning, still and hot in the
glare of a MONDAY sun, splendid under
magnificent sunsets behind Miriveles
and irrisistable beneath flood of mys.
tic moonshine. We never tired of its
shifting moods and changing aspects.
There was still another small room
that had been the kitchen. which We
utilized for storage and off which was
partitloned tiny corner containing
water faucet and shower for the bath; a
half barrel with plug in the bottom
did duty as tub, the water draining on
to the ground beneath, sometimes tenn
porarily intercepted by the heal of some
unlucky bdtd. From this room was Gus.
pended balcony which, with another
faucet and half barrel, served as bath
and laundry for the servants.
On the ground floor long low room