The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-17

Santiago. Chill. April ;


HE pride Of Santiago and of Chill
Is the wonderful hill of Santa
Lucia. 1t is a towering pile Of
volcanic rock so covered by trees and
Nihes and flowers, that it looks like
great garden hanging in the air.
10 Sues are scanned by walks and
IA Ihat coil about it like the cling
ing Ioius or "A serpent, and TO follow
tleIn is Ike turning the pages OF a
DOCK OF views. Here is a spreading
tree with vine about its stout trunk.
ana flower in full bloom among its
lhlck branches; there is a white foun-
tam with gold fish leaping about the
Ieet OF the stone mermaid reclining I'm
me water in that grOttO the marble
image OF saint has been bending over
Jus prayer book for so many years that
Il CUSHION of moss has grown about
It's knees, and a coat of dust has set
Tied upon its shoulders. Below is the
vista OF the city, its many blocks look
lng Ike tiny squares in a great check
or board, split here and there by long
slender streamers Of green, which are
rows of trees lining the avenues: and
10 the cafe on the summit people are
always coming and going-the people
VINO provide the tone which is the life
of the picture.
It may be impolite to repeat what
resist telling some of the interesting
things l heard as ! sat in my corner of
the old cafe on Santa Lucia That
stout man with the coat of brown on
his fat cheeks and the big diamond in
his shirt front. is a cattle king who
owns seventeen leagues of land and
10000 head of stock. He has come to
the capital to spend the weeks end
and the price of one Of his fat steers
III filling up his stomach with good
food and his ears with the latest Cos
sip. His companions speak Of the pres
ldeuts wife who is a sort of heir TO
the first honor of the land. The pres
idency runs in her family. First her
father was elected, afterwards her
a brother, and now her husband is the
executive. She has several sons and
m Is her ambition to have the coveted
n pnor descend to one of them. 1t is
most unusual for such n thing TO hap
peA in "a republic.
4 Santa Lucia's Dark Secrets.
At another table a stranger is being
told the history of Santa Lucia. In
The beginning IL was merely "A barren
rock lifting its bald head above the
dusty pain. In its bosom there were
uUmberleSS caves where robbers fled
after committing their nefarious acts.
1t was a safe retreat for thief and as
sassin. Few of the colony who luTked
jn this dark lair but could boast of
having cut n throat, some for money.
some for vengeance, and some for the
mere love of letting blood. And many
"a maiden was forcibly carried to cap
tivity i'm this rookery Of devils imps.
Although Santa Lucia is all smiles
now there are many. dark secrets hid
den in its heart. II was to rout the
robbers that the idea Of making il
pleasure PLACE was frest conceived.
This was years ago. Now the rob
beers are gone and their haunt has be
come one of the fairest garden spots
in the world.
10 is often remarked at plays that
the light effects are too eXJravagant,
hut no such coloring as one sees from
Santa Lucia can be reproduced. let
alone overdoue. The valley becomes
dim with blue as the mountain holds
the waning light Of the sun. Muffied
sounds rise from the city as If il were
far away. The lamps are lighted in
the cafe. and the night shift begins in
the world Of work but still the noun
tain wears its crown of light Be
tween the snatches of conversation.
the rattle of coaches in the narrow
streets sounds like the far off roar OF
q suIIen river. The heavens fairly
shine as day waves its last banner in
The west. then the stars come out,
and night steps upon her throne TO
watch over her subjects as they walk
beneath her canopy, and then go 10
their rest