The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-04
By Annie Loneacre

en- epldSmio in sonona county,
whsther IL is the waited fra.
GRANGE from the orange groves
AZ the uorths the gentle lowing Of the
lxins Of the dairy ranches on the west:
shs peaceful influence OF historic So
asnA on the east, or the hemeliike
.saoi<ss OF tia fruitful leghOrn On the
EoasA. there Ii net the slightest doubt
ts.st sOzorna IS the golden county.
,uatrSzsaniAay. oapId and Old Father
rtns guard with Jealous zeal its oOn-
dnsh
SEa4r4meuy has held tho boards foE
Ess0unsion frem time immemerial- ALI
most svsry-Ho6y tries getting married
q sasna time In their lives. and IL they
Iaave no opinions on the subject befors
shey generally have sfterward. 1t "a
he a<ternath opinbons that are 90 fire.
tuently aired il the courts and that
make headlines IN the daily papers
sead like this: Fourteen diverceE
ErAnted in 20 minutes" Ny journey
tmonE the matr4mentRIly happy OF So
mona county was an enjoTahie one II
rather revived nay fs4th N human ma
tues, xcr they ted me Of the hardshtps
OF early Days CT the trials endured IN
urossinS the plains; OF double we'd
eings that ne4EhboFs Travelled miles TO
attend OF elopenszts. position flesh
len, on one horse; OF homes long es-
q blishsd, OF children, grandchildren.
areet-grandohGldren and sreat-grest-
grandchildren, and. best OF al. ct their
belief In the Ieys that lasts until
death DO US part"
Not only have many couples sels-
bratsd their nftisth wedding anniver-
saraes ga sonena county, but l found
several who had added & few more
,-ezrz 70 CupId's happy cycle. Ny frst
interview was with a couple who have
undoubtedly celebrated more wedding
anniversaries than any other couple In
The state. For SO years Mr.. and Mrs
W A. Burke have shared each others
Joys and sorrows. Think OF I'll Sixty
three years of mutual understanding
anu happiness"
IN a cory little cottage, sheltered by
e gigantic maple tree at Burke's sRui-
tariunl, near Santa Rosa, sitting by
ccmfortable fireplace. Mr.. and MrE.
Burke were enjoying an afternoon
chat when I knocked. CHEEKY
GOMEZ" uttered By Mrs. Burke, well
coined ne 10 their midst The laugh
thar greeted my errand when made
Il Known was rather q modest. amused
ons.
Married in 1916
We were married" said Mrs.
Burke, in 1916, on February "A. at
Frar kfort, Ill The wedding was a
pretentious one for those days with q
largo gathering OF friends. 1 wore a
dainty swiss dress, which was In keep
ing with nay scarce 16 years. That
night we had e big dance and the next
day 10 left FOR Missouri. Here Mr..
Elrke took up claim and we made
our start ~ his working for 50 cents
3 cay until We got our own home es-
tebnshed- Il 1864 the gold fever took
Us and we sold out and started 10 Cal
tfornia overland ] had three children
b. this time and my principal memory
OF that trip is the terror I suffered lest
tie Indians should steal my children.
1 laid avs Ike AL night the whole way
across ana slept during the day, when
Nj. Burke could watch the children"
Our home for Al years" volunteered
Burke. was in Lake county"
Yea" said Mrs. Burke, we have
been farmers, and TO the fact that we
have had a home for which we had TO
work 7 attribute our matrimonial hap
nsness. The great trouble with young
couples OF today is that they don't
lave enough work. Work keeps peo-
Die out Of mischief and saves a heap o.
trouble. That's the solution, OF the di-
vorce problem today"
M. and Mrs. Burke sold their farm
not long since and now make their
nome at the sanitarium owned and
managed by their son, Or. W. 2. Burke.
Their other children are: Francis N
Rurlxe. Dr. Thomas Albert Burke. Isaac
gurxe. Alfred Burke and Mrs. William
Gordon There are "A grandchildren.
Ei.reo great grandchildren and one
great great grandchild
from Burke's sanitarium we motored
INTO santa Rosa. out Sonoma avenue,
osst the world famous Franouette wal
sut richards. skirted the hills that sur
-o.,~s picturesque Lake Ralphine. and
s,,,,d ourselves touring down a lane
81 which at not infreQuent intervals
bad been piled an array Of cobblestones
49, cont disnlay 10 our hearts. So in
$500 ~~e--e we ia avoiding puncture
ttat IN was not until we had reached
cnd Of mis- rocky road that ] dis
covered. situated in the center OF a
w4rIng grain field, surrounoeo oy
a-eicnt oaks. a queer old Iasnloneo
800 the nome Of Mr.. and Mrs. A. J.
me crug chug Of our engine wildly
..-e.te5 = magnificent pIack horse that
raa in the barn yard. and In turn
are,eSt cut to greet US thorough
BED Boston terrier. which with wild
yelos told his mistress that company
vas Ell hand. Mrs Nils stepped out
81 thc porch. sewing in hand. to greet
~. she was a dear little old lady IN
neat house gown, just the sort OF
grandnother you read about IN books
III. Mills she explained, had just re-
turned from town and was lying oowns
resting, but she would Willingly give
rae the iuterview / sought. we were
married" said Mrs. Mills, in St Joseph,
no 10 1863. on April rs. It was home
wedding. with only my family present
I was one OF seven girls. all of whom
hac been taught 70 sew, cook and 40
general homework. I cooked my owa
wedding dinner. and have cooked every
anniversary dinner since There nave
49, r. ~ than Altar Aha Wedding we