The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-07
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WAcu tlc Que OF Gue waters was re-
hected in the lower sky, to melt into
the pink fire above, and all the land
swan in pearly mist.
Once the comandante took twenty of
his guests, a gay cavaleade, to his
rancho, Ell Pillar, thirty miles to the
south; a long valley ffanked by the
bay and the eastern mountains on the
one hand, and high range dense with
forests of tall thin trees on the other.
But the valley itself was less Califor-
man than any part of the country Reza:
nov had seen. Smooth and fiat and
free OF underground and set with at
least ten thousand oaks, It looked more
like a splendid English park, long pre-
served, than the recent haunt Of naked
savages. There were deer and quail
IN abundance, here and there an open
field of grain. Long boards of pale
green moss waved from the white oaks,
wild flowers, golden red and pale blue,
burst underfoot. There were hedges
OF ,sweetbrier, acres Of lupins, purple and
yellow. Altogether the ideal estate of a
nothing in California so well, gave his
imagination rein and saw the counter
part Of the castle Of his ancestors rise
in the deep shade Of the trees.
Don Jose's house was long, ram
bling adobe, red tiled, with many bed
rooms and one immense hall. Beyond
was chapel and dozen outbuildings.
Dinner was served in patriarchal style
IN the hall, the comandante-or Ell Pa
drone as he was known here-and his
guests at the, upper end of the table );
below the salt, the vaqueros, their
wives and children, and the humble
friar who drove the I'm to prayer night
and morning. The friar wore his brown
robes, the vaqueros their black and sill
yer. and red in honor Of the company,
their women glaring handkerchiefs Of
green or red or yellow about their
necks, even pinned back and front on
their shapeless garments; and affording
fine vegetable garden contrast to the
drone.
There was racetrack on the ranch
and many fine horses. After siesta the
off to applaud the feats of the vaqueros,
who not content with climbing the
creased pole, wrenching the head of an
unfortunate rooster from his buried
body as they galloped by, submitting
the tail of an oiled pig in full flight
to the same indignity, gave when these
and other native diversions were ex-
hausted such exhibitions of riding and
racing as have never been seen out Of
California. AS 1.-THE as willow wands,
on slender horses as graceful as them
selves, they looked like meteors spring
ing thru space, and there was no trick
of the circus they did not know by in
sstinct and translated from gymnastics
into poetry. Even Rezanov shared the
excitement of the, shouting, clapping
Californians, and Concha laughed de-
lightedly when his cap waved with the
sombreros.
~ think you will make a good Cali
fornian in time,' she said as they rode
homeward.
"Perhaps,' said Rezanov musingly.
tate and at the moment they entered a
portion of it that deepened to woods,
SO dense was the underground, so thick
the oak trees. Here there was but a
glimpse, now, and again, Of the noun
tains swimming in the dark blue mist
OF the late afternoon, the moss waved
thickly from the ancient trees;. over
even the higher branches of many rolled
a cascade of small brittle leaves, with
the tempting opulence of it's poisonous
sap. The path was very abrupt, cut
mitted.. and Rezanov and Concha had
no difficulty in falling away from the
chattering excited company.
mio,'' said Concha softly. 0You are e
dreaming of something this moment
beyond corn and treaties.'
"Do you want that final proofqn he
asked, smiling. "Weli, if I could not
trust you that would be the end of
everything, and I know that I can.
l. have long regarded California as an
absolutely necessary field of supplies,
and since 1 have come here + will
frankly say, that could I, as the repre-
sentative of the czar in all this part of
the world, make it practically my own,
should be content in even a perma-
nent exile from st. Petersburg. I could
attract an immense colony here and in
time import libraries and works of art,
laying the foundation of great and
Yerba Buena. But now that these kind
people have practically adopted me !
cannot repay their hospitality by any
overt act of hostility. I must be con.
tent either slowly to absorb the coun-
try, in which. case I shall see no great
result in my lifetime, Grand for this
i! hope--what with the mess Bonaparte
Is making Of Europe every state may
be at the others throat before long, in.
Guiding Russia and Spain. At all events
cause for rupture would not be far to
'SSAAs "'iN IL "oulO HCCu uO luSUlEdClOI
of mine to dispatch a fleet to these
shores. In that case I should be sent
with it to take possession in the name
OF the car, and to deal with these sim
pie, kind-and inefficient people, my
dear girl-as no other Russian could
They cannot hold this country. Spain
could not-would not, at all events, fol
she has not troops enough here to pro
tect: a territory half its size-hold il
against even the Americans should
they in time feel strong enough to push
ness. It is the destiny of this charm
ing Arcadia to disappear; and did Rus
STA forego an opportunity to appropri
ate domain that offers her literally
everything except civilization, she
would be unworthy Of her place among
nations. Moreover-a benefcent trf
umph impossible to us otherwise-with
powerful and f1ourishing colony ur
and down this coast, and sending
sessions in these waters until the ma
tives, immigrants and exiles were
healthy vitalized beings, it would be
but question Of a few years before we
should force open the doors Of China
and Japan" He caught Concha
from her horse and strained
| her to him in the mounting ardor Of his
| plunge down the future. "You must
| resent nothing,' he cried. i"You must
cease to be Spanish woman when yor
become my wife, and help me as only
you can in those inevitable years
| have mapped out; and not so much fol
myself as for Russia. My enemies have
sought to persuade three sovereigns
that I am a visionary, but I have al
ready accomplished much that met with
resentment and ridicule when ]
! preached it.. And I know my powers