Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

| tract or three Thousand acres OF ldnd
Of which Guaj jome is the center, near
San Luis Rey, in san Diego county.
1t Is said to be their purpose to re-
construct the old place and to restore
its old glories. For years this famous
hacienda was the home of the most
gracious hospitality. 1t belonged to
Col. Cave j. Couts, a Tennesseean
who came out here in the United
states army in the early days. He
resigned his commission and married
one OF the beautiful Bandin girls
one of the three graces," which is
the name which was bestowed upon
them I'm the Argonaut days. They
were known i'm after life as Mrs. cave
Y. Couts, Mrs. Arcadia B. de Baker
and Mrs. Charles Johnson. The two
latter ladies' are mt present residing
i'm Los Angeles. A granddaughter of
Mrs. Couts is the wife of DR.. Carl
Kurtz one of our most distinguishe
| physicians and member of the board
of health.
Guajome in it's day was known
throughout the length and breadth of
! California as typical Californian
| home. 1t shared in common with the
Santa Margarita and Las Flores the
distinction of being the places where
manners and hospitality were best
displayed. The very music of their
names were typical of the delights
which weekly and often daily brought
the most cultivated and distinguished
people of both Alta and Lower Cali
fornia to their doors. Balls, rodeos
and bull-head breakfasts We're feat
ures of life there which could not be
approached in splendor elsewhere in
the state.
Col. Couts. old Don Juan Forster and
the lately deceased Don Marco Forste"
were hosts that have left their i'm
press on the whole county side The
lord of Qua jome was chivalous Ten
nesseean of the most splendid type.
In addition to a daughter, Mrs. Chal-
mers Scott, he left a son, Cave j.
Couts, jr., who is prosperous ran
cher and miner and who perpetuates
the best traits of his father-a genuine
chip of the old block. The colonel
died some thirty years ago, after
life of dash and adventure which few
men in these prosaic days can hope
to rival.
Reception to William H. Seward
In a previous paper l have dwelt
upon the great roster of eminent and
even world known people who have
spent more or less time in Los Ange-
les-a popularity of our city which is
notable feature of today In 1859
William H. Seward, who had been
Lincoln's and Johnson's secretary of
state of the United States, paid a
visit to Mexico after his retirement
from office. No man who ever visited
our sister republic ever received such
an enthusiastic greeting by whole
people. 1t was shortly after he had
given Napoleon his ultilnatum to get
out of the land of the Montezumas.
A guard of honor consisting of high
caste young MeXicans enrolled them
selves for an escort. Young Chico
Forster and Miguel de Pedroarena
formed part of this body. AS they
were native Caifornians they accom-
panied Seward across the Lower Cali
fornia line on his return and came
with him as far as Los Angeles Don
Marco Forster of Las Flores saw to 1t
that the Seward party was supplied
with relays of the fieetest.
When it was learned that the great
cecret arv was to visit ,oS Angeles If
was determined that the welcome should
be a memorable one A banquet was
determined upon which was to come
off at the Bella Union, ST. Charles,
at that time kept by Dr. Winston.
Twenty of the most notable citizens
mounted on horseback and met the
guest at Los Nietos This function
at the st. Charles was Il splendid
affair. Although Los Angeles was at
that time Il town of only four or five
thousand inhabitants it was even then
quite metropolitan in its ways, and
rivers of Mumm and Widow Clicquot
graced the feast. Some sixty or sew
enty of the leading citizens were at the
board such as Gen. Banning, eX-Gov-
ernOr JOnn u. DoWlley, Ut. JOnn -.
Griffin, Don David Alexander, Don
Benito Wilson. |. w. Hellman, Tom
Rowan, Col. e. j. c. Kewen, Don
Juan Warner and. in fine, Everybody
that was anybody" Full dress was
by no means de rigieur, a fact that
was demonstrated by Col. Kewen and
Don Juan Warner putting in an APP
pearance in straw hats and linen dust
ers. The former gentleman atoned for
his lack of style by flow of oratory
which was sweet as honey of Hybla.
A Slight Contretemps
During the progress of this notable
banquet there threatened to be a slight
| contretemps. The French consul at
Los Angeles at that time was a Mon
sieur Mochrenhout one of the most
accomplished gentlemen who ever fig
ured at any function in California,
and who is now represented here by