The San Francisco call., 1905-04-26
PEOPLE AW AXE
TO CIVIC SIN.
No Longer Will Californians
Be Accused of Abandoning
Their Historic Landmarks
INTERESTS WHOLE CITY
Ramona" to Be Played for
Benefit Of Old Missions,
Promises d Big Success
By LAURA BRIDE POWERS.


Bells of the past whose longforgotten music
Still fills the wide expanse.
Tfngeing the Sombre twilight OF the present
With color OF romance
I hear your call. and see the sun descending
On rock and wave, and sand
AS down the coast the mission voices blending
Girde the heather land.
Thus sang Bret Harte of the bells
Of Mission Dolores-the bells that
rang out the Angelus at morn and at
eventide with never a miss for a CEN
tury, guiding the affairs OF the pueblo
with easy regularity.
Now they are still, but with voice.
less eloquence they appeal to every
heart that beats true to the traditions
of the West.
That the mission bells-the missions
acknowledgement to the patriotism
of the people is apparent when a direct
appeal is made for their care and
restoration.
Since the facts were made public
yesterday that Virginia Calhoun and
her company will present her drama
tization of Ramona" at the Alhambra
for the saving of old San Antonio Mis-
sion and the providing Of caretakers
at Mission Dolores. scores of good
people have come to the front to help
and they came with a will that was
good to see.
AS to Ramona" the play is said by
The Wise Ones to be one of the pret
test pastoral plays ever put on the
boards of San Francisco, telling in
simple. natural fashion the beautiful
tale of Helen Hunt Jacksons-the
purest love story of its time.
The presentation is coherent and
harmonious and breathing in every
line the atmosphere of the days of
old, when California was in truth
land of milk and honey. And writ
throughout the story is the tragedy
that followed upon the heels of the
seculariZation of the missions, when
the Indian-for whom and by whom
the missions were reared in the wilder
ness-was shamelesSly turned adrift
and his lands were snatched from him,
the desert alone offering him its dun
bosom for his weary head.
These things are true. unhappily
true Helen Hunt Jackson builded her
story upon these facts-not individual,
to be sure, but collective.
And in Miss Calhouns play is this
tale unfolded with scenic effects and
historic properties that bear out the
conceptions.
Even the little altar that stands in
the room of Ramona is cut from
cross that once stood in the old Plaza
Church in Los Angeles.
Not the least important of the play
to be presented in behalf of old San
Antonio Mission, is the music therein
Indian music by Arthur Farwell, he
whose weird and exquisite melodies
many of US heard some months ago.
This music has been lured from the
lips of aged Indians-through cajolery,
or the potency of a coin-and been re-
corded in the phonograph. With In
finite care Mr.. Farwell has arranged
1t and 1t will be heard in fit setting
in Ramona"
Now here are some facts to be driven
home in your minds-in yours, in your
neighbors'-if you be good Californians:
Miss Calhouns company will present
Ramona" the California pastoral
play, including Arthur Farwells ex-'
quisite Indian melodies, for the pur-
pose of completing the restoration of
Mission San Antonio de Padua, now
well under way by the Landmarks
League; also to create a fund for the
maintenance Of a caretaker at Mis-
sion Dolores, that the old sanctuary
may be open to the people for all
time; and-why not hope hight there
beautiful old Mission San Juan Bau-
tista, near Sargents, San Benito
County.
Here the east church wall is threat
ened with falling-in spite Of the pitt
full care bestowed upon it by its aged
custodian, old Father Closa, he who
for fifty years has labored alone in the
old clcister.
The dates of the benefit performances
are Friday evening, May 5, Saturday,
May 6, matinee and evening perform
ances prices to be determined later.
The Alhambra, remember.
The list of patrons-isn't it time we
dropped the antiquated word patron
ess ?"-will be issued in a day or two,
and will include a small army of lead
ing men and women, those who truly
love their State and all that pertains
to 1t.