Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-05-23
THE CALIFORNIA WAY.
Strangers Get Everything Nice
Flowers. Fruit md Seats.

Flowers, Fruit md seats.
"A woman who has Travelled much was
commenting on California hospitality
the other day. She said: Il have new
er seen people who treat strangers as
the Cahforuiaus do in any other por-
ton OF the world.
sacramento was the first city of the
state which my daughter and entered.
Having few hours TO wait before TAX
ing the train. we strolled out and en-
countered a little girl with an armful
of magnificent roses. 1t was the mid
die of winter, and I remarked on the
sight TO my daughter. The girl heard
me and exclaimed:
"'Oh. you can have themr I said
that l would take one. but she forced
the whole armful upon nc.
az was just taking them 10 school,
she insisted 4 can get plenty more at
home
After lunch we walked out again
and stopped at n residence to look over
the fence at the roses in the garden.
The lady OF the house saw us from the
window. came out and picked a great
bunch for us. We were fairly abashed
W
the east. and we didn't know what to
make OF it.
Later we were at Pasadena one day,
riding on one of the trolley cars that
run out into the surrounding country.
The road was lined with beautiful pep
per trees, with great punches OF scar
let peppers among the glossy green
leaves. l made the remark that |
wished had bunch to dry and take
home with me.
"Pll get you a bunch said the con.
ductor. And he actually stopped the
car and got me bunch or these pep
persi A lady on the car asked us IL
we were going to the rose carnival. /
told her we knew nothing about 1t.
She explained about 1t and said:
Every one who attends is expected
to bring a bunch of roses. When we
get off the car, l will take you to my
home and give you roses to carry and
show you where the opera house is.'
She did so, and, armed with beautiful
lunches OF roses, we entered the opera
house. Every seat was sold. and we
bought standing room. The entertain
ment was sort of spectacular affair,
in which the young girls of the city
were dressed to represent different
roses. Every inch of the woodwork OF
the building was concealed by ma ssed
roses, every person in the house carried
roses, and at the close OF the pro-
gramme, by some sort of mechanical
arrangement overhead. shower OF
rose leaves fell upon the audience. II
was the prettiest thing that ever saw.
But the most astonishing thing about
it was that two gentlemen left their
seats and forced us to take them.
I'VE said: Why, we cannot take your
seats. You have paid for them, and
we have bought standing room They
replied. oh, you are strangers, and
we cannot allow company TO stand up
in California And they gave up their
ssRts - ~ sefsa< paging & APIECE for
them. How they knew we were stran-
gers l don't know, but they always
spot you in California and do some
thing nice for you before they let you
so.
my brother went TO convention In
San Francisco, and when his delega-
ton had reached the headquarters they
had chosen they found a perfect bow
er OF golden California poppes-a and
great baskets OF fresh fruit. nesting in
its own leaves, on every hand, and
each day the faded flowers and old
fruit were removed and fresh put In
their places. AT all the other delega-
tion headquarters il was the same.
It's little way they have in Califor-
nia."-New York Times.