The Washington herald., 1909-08-27
SUMMER ON A RANCH
Woman Who Desired to Test the Primitive Has Her
Wish Grati6ed.

he never reached his second year Now
he's taking tourist parties up the trails
From the Toll House II was all down
hill tc Berrytown. a typical settlement
Thence we wound up the canyon TO a
horrid lunch and such a horrid crowdl
Did you ever smell hot sulphur and iron
springs? No? Well, don't hunt them.
in addition. there was an arsenic spring
and. for gout. a hOt-mud foot bath.
I'VE stayed just long enough TO rest the
horses, then started out again. More
canyon, then more mountain. and we were
at Murray Springs. with magnesia and
iron baths, and a famous beauty dip.
That IS the drawing card for me. and
have great hopes for the results. Very
pleasant spinsters from Oakland run the
place where we stayed. which was really
attractive. Had some liquid refreshment
and then went on to Houston Springs for
dinner.
VenIson as an Extra"
indispensable dust on the way made
US sights for gods and men. and we asked
for place of retirement to refresh our
selves before going to dinner. We were
shown the ladies' room-a basin and
roller towel IN a corner Of the piazza.
Never mind; the dinner was good. Venl-
son was served as an extra. The law
forbids its sale under its right name,
hence had It been offered as a part of
the dinner we need not have paid at all.
"A heavenly drive through pine woods
after dinner brought US to Eve Springs
about half-past eight. After a sleepless
night-it was pandemonium let loose-we
took the road again back to the Toll
! II Tnff
cook. With all this going-tell II not in
Gath-rm gaining flesh. Isn't It scanda-
lous?
Just at the exciting point above. when
the delicate subject OF my weight was
under discussion, 1 was interrupted by
Helen, who came in 20 discuess a possible
excursion TO the geyser country not far
away. Since then every moment has been
occupied. not by anything OF vital i'm
portance, but by the leisurely, friendly
little things that go to make up a pleas
ant summer. The trip to the geysers had
to be given up. after all our planning, as
/ il meant four days OF driving over IN
sprinkled roads IN a country where the
last rain was in March. Instead. we rose
bright and early on Sunday, the menfolks
driving in after us at half-past six. before
we'd had breakfast. But we hurried OF,
and drove TO Windsor.
The Woman Who Spilled sauterDe.
such pretty valley as the Windsor is
Vineyards. orchards, and hops every
where! We would fsin have taken a
snapshot Of the hop fields. but the high
wire-net fences forbade. for the picture
would have been criss-crossed by wires.
/ We got 70 the ranch we were 10 visit at
eleven that morning, and such a dinner,
/ with fried chicken. I do have such an
unladylike appetite. drive in the late
afternoon, and dinner at the hotel, where
We were enlivened by the merry little
wife OF a French Canadian who wished
20 drink everything IN sight. In conse-
quence, she had water, then carbonic, be-
cause Helen and Henry had ii, and sau-
: terne, because Mr.. II. and I had chosen
IL. In her endeavor TO play fair with all
the glasses, she sent her perfectly good
sauterne flying into her food.
con Monday we rose for an early break
fast The men abluted in the back yard,
and we at the faucet at the kitchen sink.
and by $50 we were In the surrey bound
/ for Santa Mona, which we reached at
noon. This is the county seat. and was
a sufferer from the earthquake. Nearly
all the buildings date from that awful
time, and the people there entertained US
with stories OF the disaster that never
lose their fascination for me. Helen and
/ did a bit of shopping, then met our
gentlemen friends, and went 10 the hotel
for dinner.
Then began the hilarious career Of the
afternoon. We had an ice cream Soda
rarity to us ranch folk-hunted up an old
time friend Of mine. a school friend I
haven't seen for years; sent postal cards
/ broadcast TO every one we knew, had
some ice cream, went fifteen miles on the
electrics sent more post cards. had more
Ice cream, served In cantaloupe; went 10
/ the Nickelodeon, back by the cars to
Santa Mona, arrived at half-past seven.
and being only fourteen miles from
home on narrow mountain road, went
10 Little Jake's' for dinner.
1T was after nine when we left the
stable with the horses heads turned
toward the ranch. and a big forest Are
raging apparently In our direction.
Luckily we found later that Il was the
! other side Of the mountain. Helen.
| wrapped up IN robes, went sound asleep
before We were two miles out Of town.
! Me own pard on the front seat finally
surrendered also. handing me the reins.
1t was weird at first. driving at nearly
midnight over a road to which 1 WIS a
stranger, Dut Dy anc Dy the road sense
1 had when I used 70 drive In the Berk-
shires came back to me. and each bit OF
shade ceased 70 look like the edge Of a
deep precipice. and 1 really enjoyed
being at one end OF the reins with n pair
Of good horses at the other So was q
bit sorry when Mr.. H. woke up and took
the reins.
II have never felt better in my life and
thrive IN this life OF hard playing. To-
morrow we go about fourteen miles
again down the valley to spend tho after
noon. Social pleasure in this part OF the
universe is not TO be had lightly. DC
you wonder that we attach such impor-