The San Francisco call., 1904-06-19
Journey to Mission
of San .AntOniO
de Pddud.
By LAURA BRIDE POWERS.

At the foot Of the Santa Lucia, on
the wiIlow-walled banks Of the San
Antonio. lies the beautiful old mission
OF San Antonio de Padua, with its
ruined olive orchard, its tile-waIled
city Of the dead and its arched corri-
dors, long untrodden by the devotee,
save at the yearly service within the
ruined chapel in honor Of the good st.
Anthony. It is 10 attend this cere-
mOny that for 1872 years has been held
Unremitungly in this sacred spot that
members Of the California Landmarks
League and lovers of the old sanctu-
airy jOUrneyed yesterday TO King City,
thence by team 10 JOlOn. the old-time
stage coach station. and on 70 the mis-
sion al sunrise this morning. Why at
suurise2 Because the mission is never
so appealing as then. wrapped in the
gray folds of morning, the Santa Lu-
cia rising behind il like a great white
specter. And as the sun rises the
mists that enfold the mountain and
mission are lifted. even as the BRIDE
groom lifts the veil from the fair face
OF his bride; the birds and creatures
that dwell within the sanctuary fare
forth TO greet the day, while the patio,
with its tangled roses, struggling
grapevines and its pomegranate trees
abloom with flaming flowers is never
so witching as in the early morning
hours. CLEAN with dew-never, except
it be at the moonlit hours, when the
ruined garden is Tapped in the soft
silver light beloved by the dreamer.
This famous old mission was five
years old at the birth Of our nation.
II was founded July "A, 1771, by
Frsys JuniperO Sierra, the well be-
loved father Of the West, and Buena-
ventura Sit1ar. the latter living in his
tory as the compiler Of a dictionary
OF the Indian languages then spoken
round about the mission.
The fertile fields dotted over with
liveOaks We're carefully tiled; aque-
ducts built. which are to-day in sound
condition; the chapel. with its adjoin-
ing residential quarters, was erected;
workshops were scattered about the
Enclosure; a mill was constructed,
which stands weed-grown by the tan
ming vats-all withstanding the raw
ages OF q century in mute testimony
Of the love labor Of the sons of St.
Francis in the western wilderness. It
Is these things that the Landmarks
League seeks TO save. these things
that uplift mems souls, for the man
does not live who could stand in the
midst OF these things unmoved to re-
Election.
FRIARS LOSE POSSESSION.
The tragedy Of secularization threw
its black shadow over fair San An
tonic, as al all the missions, save
Santa Barbara wrenching from the
good old friars the possessions they
had gathered for the care Of their
Indian children and turning their
charges adrift- Having lived in COM
munity for a half century, perform
ing their labors under direction of the
padres, each for the good OF all. and
obtaining their food, clothing and
shelter from the community fund thus
created, what could be expected but
that they fall helpless by the wayside
when turned adrift?
The possessions Of the mission. what
Of them? Well tbs a long tale, and
not Ger pleasant telling. Cupiditv.
lying. bribing and Shylocking might
silhouette the tale. To-day the mis-
have dwindled TO thirty-three-even
the nOria, or famous mission well. ly-
ing beyond the boundary line. How
ever. as il lies in the Atherten-
Macondray rancho, il is believed that
the owners viii deed back TO the mis-
sion this historic, stone-lined well.
which was left out of the survey at
the request Of a squatter. whose house
was built over It By way Of extenua-
ton, I would add that the surveyor
was much In love with the squatter's
fair daughter. and TO win the senorita
he must first win the senor-therefore
the wriggle in the boundary line.
And far be il from us to blame hini
And by the way. one of the first
duties that the Landmarks League set
itself was TO clear out this old noria,