The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-21
SOUTHERN TEXAS GIRL
RUNS A RICH RANCH IN FINE
 s STYLE.
Caroline Bonnival Manages Million Dollar Enterprise in Southern Texas-orphan Daughter
 -&, of Cattle King.


 Just one giri-but she controls the big gest catie ranch in Southern Texas: she has clever business head on her pretty shoulders, she does a mans work daily in her own charmingly feminine way, and she would rather round up a herd of stampeded steers on a gritty mustang tnan make tour of Europe. says The Pittsburg Dispatch.
 Just one girl-but she has tackled a big cipher to the value of the property that her father bequeathed her four years ago and placed herself in the millionaire rank or American heiresses; she employs more than hundred people. who live well and happily on her estates, and she can as easily lead raid against bunch of mescal smugglers when they cut into her seventy-fiye miles of fence wire as any other American girl would lead CO., tillion. t.
 If you have never heard of Caroline Ponnival, 1t is because Southern Texas Is so far away that Las Floritas hacienda and its fair mistress live in a world prac- tically apart. And pretty Miss Bonnival has not the slightest intention Of quitting mountain and meadow and splendid re- moteness to enter your artificial world of pavements and patents, even for fly ing visit.
 T would not give one little corner of Las Floritas." she says. for the finest palace on Fifth Avenue in New York; nor would exchange the view from my win dows of the magnificent old Bravo and the boundless plains for anything scenic that Niagara can offer" s
 Las Floritas Is located in Zapata Coun- ty. along the Rio Grande. When John Bonical. cattle king, died 1t was supposed that his motherless daughter would re- tire to San Antonio or some other city. live in luxury upon the rentals of the ranch and eventually amuse herself with society teas and kindred diversions, but the spirited girl though for time over come by grief. surprised her friends by declaring that life of idleness would be reproach to her fathers. memory and example.
 She was thoroughly familiar with the management of the property. having been bookkeeper. Las Floritas was her birth place. She had even given the ranch its name. Excepting three years at Hardin College, In Missouri, she had known no other life than the free, untrammeled one which she dearly loved. She was proud of her father. whose wisdom and valor had won high honors in the field and at the court of Maximilian in Mexico.
 "I will stay here all my life," she an- nounced, quietly but firmly. Then she settled down to hard work
 Miss Bonnival now owns 10000 head of cate ana ZVOO head or horses and mules. Fences have been repaired, new pasture lands inclosed and numerous strong brightly painted gates supplied. Addi- tions have been made to the house and 1t has been refurnished in style that dis plays the taste of thoughtful girl who has read great deay. though her oppor- tunities for seeing costly things and en- toying luxury have been limited.
 If there is new line of wire fence to be constructed, she rides with the fore man over the ground. When bridges or tanks have to be made she superintends the work. In all weather she rides with her little army of vaqueros when there is a roundup or herds have to be moved.
 When smugglers cut fences or cattle thieves make a raid into her pastures she slings a Winchester to her saddle and leads upon the trail in pursuit of the out laws.
 Though the great ranch has a river front of thirty miles, and is from ten to twenty miles in width, she has been known to gallop with an armed body O. fence riders and make tour of the whole outside line of wire fence in 6 single day This necessitates jaunt of little less than seventy-hve miles, and that she could accomplish such a feat even by changing horses several times and taking advantage of short cuts certainly arRues