The Baraboo news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1884-1911, 1908-02-26
WHERE OCEAN
B|LLOWS BREAK
Mr.. AND MRS. <. S. ERSWELL
WRITE FROM REDONDO
BEACH, CAL
A GREAT PLACE FOR PLEASURE.
Had Wrecks and Other Experiences
on the Way to the Pacific
Coast
RedondO Beach, Cal. ,

HSOI udI ~ 1A1 1SOO
Just a stones throw from our cot
tage, huge waves form, advance, and
break in long curling lines of white
foam. Behind the breaker two porpoi-
ses sport lazily, and fishing smacks of
various descriptions cross our line of
vision. Far to the southwest the
mountains of Santa Catalina Island
loom up darkly, and the sun, shining
fitfully through the driving clouds,
lights up the green of the intervening
hills, and turns to gold the glistening
be inspiration in scene like this but
the endless turmoil of the sea has en-
gendered q restlessness and the warm,
salt air seems to have rusted the
wheels of thought as we'll as the steel
ornaments on our millinery. Inspired
appetites, and an OverpOwering ambi-
ti0n for sleep constitute our chief as
sets; still the rag of conscience remain
ing after our experiences enroute per-
sistently ObJrudes promise made at a
time, when much reading of tourist
literature had intoxicated our minds.
We partOok of the first SOLDERING
draught upon our arrival in Iowa. A
delay of twelve hours occurred at an
impossible town called Argyle, where
wreckage stalled several trains beside
our own, and multiplied the miserles
brewing within. An avalanche of all
ments broke upon us and our i'll wind
blew relief to the village physician,
for once he was permitted to with
draw his fe # from his office desk and
get busy.
In time, this fast train, like No. 80
between Madison and Baraboo, loosen
ed up and industriously sought to over
take the way-fre1ght. Its reckless
ness brought instant disaster in the
precipitation of large party occupy
ing one of those elegant and airy Pull
man apartments next to the roof. A
broken arm, shattered command
ment, and a sulphurous blue haze fol-
gine, the SwaStika, logged on. Mile
after mile of desolate prairie crept by,
impish prairie dogs sat on their house
tops and barked in derision; and jack
rabbits reefed their auditory append
ages and scOrned our challenge to
race. No highwaymen, save those on
our own tamale wagon, deemed us
worthy of attack, and Friday morning
distant mountains announced the
finale of the Kansas mOnotones and
the approach to Colorado. But few
hours of the restful peaks and we had
crossed the corner of this glorious
state and were lost in the sand, sage,
and cactus of New Mexico, land des-
olate beyond belief. Lean and hun
CRY cattle roamed the plains, mysteri-
ously eking out an existence. Flocks
of unlaundered sheep fed, apparently
on the sands themselves, and of LIQUID
refreshment for either there wasn't
sign to agitate the soul of the rankist
advocate of "dry state"
Homes of the Doomed.
That the fool-killer hadn't visited
the land was revealed in the evidences
of human life. Scattered villages of
adobe huts, isolated novels of the same
sun dried brick, shacks of most any
old thing, and abiding places in the
hill sides, called dug-outs, all horrible
to think of, and impossible to desig-
nate by the sweet title, "Home,n
served as shelter for the doomed.
Saturday morning we reached
Williams, Arizona, the first break in
our journey, and bad break on the
part of the man who designed the
place but welcome after nearly four
days of incarceration. During our
brief residence here we consulted a
japanese specialist on astronomical
deficiencies, learning incidentally how
to manipulate the chop-sticks; investi-
gated two extensive la uber plants
which provide occupation for the in
habitants, and made tour of the sim
uous streets, gaping in amusement at
the architectural monstrocities called
houses, backed or fronted to the thor
ough-fare at the discretion of the own
er. We confess to some very passa-
bile structures, and the business Sec
tion is typical of the western town.