Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-09-16

A true southerner does not realize how
distinctly southern he OF she is until they
come into a country imbued with north
ernism. some of which are delightfully."-
pleasant and attractive and others make
a southerner feel that climate always
stamps its seal upon the human race. The
sharp, harsh voices OF northern people are
out OF tune with this soft air and environ
ment. However, have found the people,
without exception, kind, courteous and
pleasant.
The social position OF the negro shows
that separation Is the key note to the
racial problem, and a southerner here.
as at home. receives only respect and
Difference.
left Los Angeles on April 5th, and
am now enjoying the spring-time freshness
Of mountain scenery 123 miles southeast
from Los Angeles half way up San ia
cinto mountain, and the mountain lifts his
snowy crest $50 feet above u.s. Twenty
three miles of my journey was by stage.
partly through a fertile valley, carpeted
with wild flowers, rich in fruit-laden or
ange groves, poisoning disciduous fruit
trees and fields of waving grain. Then we
entered the narrow, dangerous mountain
pass, between high mountains, with the
stage wheels often only six or seven inches
from the brink Of a deep, unfathomable
canon. suppressed my fear lest my voice
should Tighten the horses. but animal in
EflriCLea drew them near the mountain
side. The four tired horses slowly climb
ed the mountain by means OF a switch
back, road, turning around and passing
an old pine tree five times, seemingly go
ing over the same road, but really winding
upward a serpentine way. The air OF APP
preaching night grew colder, sharper and
breathing more labored and the scenry
more rugged and terribly wild. Had we
been held up our night experience In the
west would have been complete.
Strawberry Valley, or rather simply
level place half way up San Jacinto noun
tain, was our destination. but the name
and climatory was at variance, for with
the dawn came snow six inches deep and
reappeared three successive nights, and
again on May 1st four inches of downY
white flakes mantled mountain and valley.
Our fires were kept bright, while we en-
joyed luscious cherries that day gatheredin
the sunny, warm valley scarcely twelve
miles away whittier the birds had flown
to suck juices OF fruit and pluck ripening
grain. BY noon the snow had sank into
the ground to bring forth May flowers and
they are here, beautiful, fragrant wild
flowers. There are many varieties of ferns;
also begonias, anemones, yellow violets,
wisteria, baby-blue eyes, and the refresh
ing pink inverted bell shaped blossoms
Of the manzanita- The latter is lovely
bush-like tree, the branches are dark
req ana the lODdEt IL A8nN hAGNAtt cOAAN~
what resembling in thickness and shape
the old-fashioned house leak We have in
Georgia.
In Southern California the wild mustard
grows so luxuriantly that the birds of the
air may rest in the branches and the
boughs are so thickly enterlaced that the
yellow blossoms seem a yellow sea. No
wild flower is handsomer than the Cali
xrsf1H
This is not the section of the famous
"big tree" but near my cottage door are
pine and oak trees nine feet in diameter
and from one hundred to one hundred and
fifty feet high. The trunk and limbs of the
oaks are gray. Vegetation is most luxuri-
ant near the mountain streams. 1t Is like
music to hear the clear, sparkling water
gushing from the mountains, falling in
torrents in pools of water or flowing on
until lost to sight. There are mountain
trout in the streams such as abound in
northern New York brooks.
Deer, wild goats and Mexican lions roam
in the mountains.
There IS government forest reserve
here, no trees being cut. thus protecting
the streams, which otherwise would cease
to flow.
The altitude Is so high that often the
unacciimated and delicate constitutions
bleed from ears and nostrils. We, how
ever have escaped such unpleasantness.
The house wife, on account Of the high
altitude, must allow extra time for her
dinner pot TO boil.
1 have never seen anything in nature
that revealed to me so deeply and rever7
emily the majesty of our Creator as those
mountains which upon a cloudy day seem
to reach from earth to heaven.
They represent the sublimity and eter-
nifty of God. stand In their presence
awed, silenced, reverential and humbled.
II I had ever committed a crime OF con-
templated one 1 would bow down before
these mountains and confess.
1 stood on a lofty pinnacle and gazed
over the vast expanse of country, be-
held the ocean more than hundred miles
away Every object seemed to assume
the shape Of the earth, and the mountain
seemed to be the center of great circle.
Every object verified Isaiah's assertion
that 'It is he that stitch upon the circle
Of the earth and the inhabitants thereof
are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out
the heavens as a curtain and spreadeth