Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-06
English sea captain now and then. they

know naught of our existence"
But ReZanov had not come to California
on the impulse of moment. He replied
suavely: There you are mistaken. Your
illustrious father, Don Jose Mario de Ar
-guello. is well known to US as the most
respected, eminent and influential charac-
ter in the CALIFORNIA;. 1t was my intention,
after paying visit of ceremony to his ex-
cellency, Governor Arrilaga, to come to
San Francisco for the sole purpose of meet
ing man whose record has inspired me
with the deepest interest. And We have all
heard such wonderful tales of your Cali
fornia, of its beauty, it's fertility, of the
benef1cent lives of your missionaries-So diff
ferent from ours!-and of the hospitality
been the objective point of my travels. and
have found it's difficult to curb my inn
patience while attending to imperative
duties elsewhere"
"Ay, senorr' exclaimed the young Cali
fornian. What you say fills me with a
pride l cannot express, and 1 can only re-
grSt that the reports of our poor hablta-
tons should be so sadly exaggerated. Such
our possessions are, however, they are
yours while you deign to remain In our
midst. This is my fathers house. l beg
that you will regard 1t as your own. Burn
it if you willr' he cried with more enthu-
siasm than commonly enlivened the
phrases of hospitality. He Will be proud
to know that lifetime of severe attention
to duty and of devotion to his king have
won him fame abroad as well as at home.
the ranks, but he is of pure Spanish blood,
not drop of Indian; and my mother was
Moraga, of the best blood of SPAIN he
added artlessly. las to the beauty and
variety of our country, senior, of course
you will visit our luxuriant south; but"
They had dismounted at the commandante' s
house in the southeast corner of the square.
Arguelo impulsively led ReZanov back to
the gates and pointed to the east. II have
crossed those mountains and the noun
tains beyond, excellency and seen fertile
and beautiful valleys of a vast extent,
watered by five rivers and bounded far, far
away by mountains covered with snow and
gigantic trees. The valley beyond the
southern edge of the bay, where the mis-
also rich, but those between the two ranges
are an empire; and one day when the king
sends US more colonists, we shall recon-
pense Spain for all she has lost
Il congra tulate you'll" Rezanov, Indifferent
to his hosts ancestral lode, had lifted an
alert ear His quick incisive brain was at
work. II should like to stretch my legs
over horse for week at a time, and
even to climb your highest mountains. You
may imagine how much exercise a man
may get on a vessel of 2O6 tons, and it Is
| thirty-two days since left Sitka. To look
upon vast expanse of green-to say moth
cessant rain and impenetrable forests
what prospect! I beg you will take me
OH into the wilderness as soon possible"
II promise you the governor shall not
and deer-quail, wild duck-your excellency
will enjoy that beautiful wild country as
| have done" Arguello was enchanted at
the prospect of fresh adventure In the COM
pany Of this fascinating stranger. But
we are once more at our poor abode, senior.
1 beg that you will remember it is your
own"
They assembled the steps Of the piazza,
suddenly deserted and 1t seemed to Re-
zanov that every sense in his being quiz
cred responsibility to the poignant sweetness
of the Castilan roses. He throbbed with
a sudden eXultant premonition that he
a pagan joy In mere existence, sudden
rush of desire for the keen wild happiness
of youth. Such is the elixir of California
In the north and the spring.
They entered a long sala typical Of it's
day and Of many to come: whtewashed
walls hung with colored prints of the virgin
and saints; horsehair furniture, mating
deep window seats, and a perennial cool
ness. The chamberlain (his court title and
the one commonly attached to his nance
made himself comfortable as the slip
perry chair would permit, and Arguello went
for his mother.
azza with the priest, entered in moment.
THE good padre tells me that this rose
of CASTLE is the only imported flower in
California" he cried with enthusiasm. for
although not a botanist there a bump
between his eyes as big as a child's fist
and he had a nose like the Prov of toy
ship. Many cuttings were brought from
Spain"
What difference does 1t make where it
came FROM" interrupted Rezanoy. testify
rs it not enough that it is beautiful, but
it must have a pin stuck through it like
some poor devil of butterf1y?"'
Your excellency has also the habit to
probe into things he deems worthy of his
attention, retorted the offended scientist
but he was obliged to closet his wrath. An
inner door opened and the host reappeared
with his mother and a fair demonstration
of her virtues. She was a very large
woman dressed loosely in black, but she
carried herself with air of complete, If
somewhat sleepy dignity, and it was evil
dent that her beauty had been great. Her
full face had lost its contours. but time
had spared the fine Roman nose and the
white skin, that birthright Of the high
bred Castilian. Arguello presented his fam
lily tremendously as the guest Of honor
rose and bowed with formal Difference
MY mother, Dona Ignacia Arguello, your
excellency. who unites me in praying that
you will regard our home as yours during
your sojourn in the north. My sister,
Maria de la Conception Marcella Arguello,
and my little sister. Ana Paula and Cert
rudes Rudisinda. My brothers, Gervaso-
soldado distinguish of the San Francisco
Company; Santiago. a cadet in the same
company; Francesca and Toribio, whose
presence at the table I beg you will over
look, for when we are SO fortunate as
to be all together, senior, we cannot bear
to be separated. My oldest brother, alas!
-Ignacio-is studying for holy orders in