Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-08-09
California Letter.
CoLroN, CALIFORNIA,
july %. 1908.

DLah 'oih. nave ollouAut iol d
long time of writing you short let
ter telling of a few things of the
summer of this sunny Southland.
Early in the spring the greater
part of the orange trees are in bloom,
and cannot tell You how filled with
lovely perfume is the air, especially
the early twilight. Every breath we
draw night or day is perfect de-
light. The lemon trees, also, when
in blossom, which is about the same
time, add their sweetness to the per-
fume.
The rainy season this year was
mostly since the holidays, though
sometimes it comes before. Old
residents say we had more rain this
year than for several years before.
| have forgotten how much, but it
was several inches-seems to me
like thirty or forty, and perhaps
more. During the winter there were
what were called very cold snaps for
this place, the thermometer twice
registering. % degrees above zero.
1t would certainly make the Iowans
smile great big smile" to have
seen the people here at that time
almost frozen to death. We had a
fire in our little heater morning and
evening, but during the middle of
most days we were uncomfortable
with a fire. 1t was the coolest time
here for several years.
think we had our first s,rawber-
ries in February, and lettuce, turnips,
green peas, string beans, beets and
onions and such like, we can get the
most of the winter. Oranges are
gathered mostly before the largest
blossoming time comes, although
some trees have fruit and blossoms
on much of the time. Lemons are
gathered more at different times.
We have had no rain since some
time in the spring. Some mornings
there will be quite heavy fogs, shut
ting out the view OF the surround
ling mountains, but it all rolls away
/! from s to 10 o'clock a. M, when old
Sol will shine just as though there
had been nothing to hide his face
for time. On most days there is
a sort of smoky look to the noun
tains like the Indian Summer of
the east. Mornings the thermometer
is from so to 60 degrees above zero;
then there is gradual rise until
toward noon it will be from so to
9S degrees, and a few times it has
been over 100, twice to l04 and LOG;
then from 2 to 4 p. M. it will begin
to grow cool, going down to ABOUT
So or 20 degrees, and so on cooler
during the night; and every day,
even the hottest, there is a lovely
breeze from the ocean, and there has
been only two or three days but
what it has been a cool breeze. Now
this morning at nearly II O'Clock
the thermometer says so degrees
and the breeze from the south is 81
cool | cannot sit where it can reacf
me. But these warm days to work
in the sun it is quite large
warm, and yet there is never thai
sultry heat that melts people RICH
down. When | have read Of those
terrible, scorching times back east
have been surprised that we have
not experienced anything of the kline
here in this warmer climate. w,
seldom see clouds these days ant
then only few small ones.
l have heard there have been thre
or four shocks of earthquakes sine
we came here in October last, bu
we have experienced only one. Jul.
10th, about l2::40 p. M there was
rumb' like a train of cars comm,
several miles {: second, then a shock
1t shook the house just a trifle, lik
a flash, and that was the end Of i
There are two lines of railroad-th
Santa Fe one side of us few block
off, and the S. P. and Salt Lake
. few blocks the other side Of us-s
T: we did not think of the rumblin
sound until we felt the shock.
was the worst they had had here fc
several years. They have never dor
t any harm here. Someone told II
! this shock lasted about seven SCI
: onds from first to last.
|. Before we came out here we hear
r SO much about feas The facts al
in regard to this vicinity we ha,
not seen flea. The flies are not ;
i bad as back east; bed bugs are n
% seen or heard Of; mosquitoes a
~ about half the size Of those bao
~ east, and but few of them; and thi
r. of course, is up to the present time
NJ Well, take it altogether, there
Va no place, it seems to me, SO perfe
- to live in as right here. We ha
y, been doing fairly well here. "
Is have little home all our own, cel
= ent walks in front and up to a,
~ around the house, all nice and nj
= and of our own planning; have
~ wood-house with floor, a chicke
VI house, park covered with grown
OF alfalfa and a large olive tree in t
park, SO our chicks have it pref
be fine. We have good deal Of law
lie all kinds Of garden stuff, strawbt
MS ries, orange trees, lemons, peach
OF pears and other fruits. People co
MS pliment us on our home.
"a. B. A. Stone lives on the corr
to diagonally across the street from
ne They have a pretty cottage home
five rooms, besides closet, pant