The Irish standard., 1907-03-30

surrounding the Indians of Southern
California, and embody the results in
a series of articles for her magazine,
to be followed by an appeal to Con-
gress for their relief. A story. if
thought of at all, had not been given
serious consideration. Among her let
ters of introduction was one address,
ed to the Catholic Bishop of Los An
geles. When she presented this letter
she was given warm welcome, for
the Bishop knew of her work and
was in full sympathy with it. He ad-
vised her to go at once to Don An
tonic Coronel, wealthy Mexican
ranchero residing in the city, who had
been for years devoted friend Of the
mission Indians and whom they rever-
ed as a father. He gave her note to
the Coronels, and they received her
with that cordial hospitality so char
acteristic of the Mexican gentleman.
She was totally unknown to them.
even by reputation but :, &hen she
made known to them the object Of her
visit both the Don and the Dbnna be-
came deeply interested and undertook
to put her in the way of securing all
the information she might desire.
Near the corner of Seventh street
and Central avenue, in the heart of
the Los Angeles of today, the old ha-
cienda of the Coronel rancho still
stands, one of those fast disappearing
relics of the days of Mexican domina-
ton. 1t is now used as a warehouse
for a cracker factory but at the time
of Mrs. Jackson's first visit it was
noble residence of the Spanish adobe
type, with broad verandas and a spa
cious court, and it sat in the midst of
a fragrant grove of orange trees. The
ranch consisted of some seventy-flve
acres, which had been granted to the
Don's father in 1884 for distinguished
services. The Don himself was as ty-
pical as his home, a thorough repre-
sentative of the courteous, hospitable,
polished, patriarchal rancher of pure
Castillan blood, now so rarely found
in the United States, and his wife, al
though much younger than he, was
real affinity. To this delightful home
and this charming couple came Helen
Hunt jackson and her mission, and
it was their suggestion that the facts
be put in the form of romance. 1t
was their knowledge of persons and
places that gave her the groundwork
of the story, any it was their enthus-
iasm that fired her imagination.
Upon her first visit to the Coronels
the close relationship Of her hosts to
the mission Indians was strongly inn
pressed upon Mrs. Jackson by the un-
heralded advent Of five chiefs, who
had ridden a long distance to lay
their troubles before the padre and get
his advice. Theirs was the story which
was being repeatedly told by them in
those days-the story of eviction from
their ancient homes that their lands
might be parcelled out among the
whites. These Indians, it should be
understood, were civilized, industrious
and Christian. They were the descend
ants of those Indians who had been
the support of the Spanish missions
and who had been taught the arts of
peace by the Spanish fathers. They
were a gentle race, unused and indis-
posed to warfare, and they were de-
votedly attached to their homes, from
which the government was rapidly
separating them. These chiefs who
came to seek counsel from Don An
tonic had been served with papers
requiring them to give immediate
possession of their lands to white
claimants. Helen Hunt Jackson seized
the opportunity to converse with the
chiefs. She knew not word of their
language but she had competent and
willing interpreters in the Coronels,