The Falls City tribune., 1909-07-30

wards evening when we started back
to the city. allot Us reluctant to leave
that delightful spot.
The next day we, the whole bunch
Of US, went to San Gabrial misslon-a
wonderland to met made me think
of Ramona, it seemed to me | could
see the little fugitive Indian girl and
her lover hurrying to just such a
mission, maybe this one-anyWay ii
seemed to me it might be this one
1t Is a long adobe building erected
In 177l. 1t is still white in places,
but in others it is worn by the wealth
er and curious tourist. The walls in
most places are five feet thick but at
the buttress they are nine feet. You
know it was built for a fort as well
as n church. When 1t was erected
they had a million acres of land, that
one mission alone, but the King of
Spain. in his greed DOL it all but
200. This has been sold at various
times for charity and aids of differ
ont kinds until they now have but
six acres left. AT the far end Is an
old stone stair way, covered with a
grape vine, the steps are SO worn that
it is really difficult to step upon them
They lead to the choir loft at the
back and are used only by the sing
ers-think of the many, many sing
ers it took to wear away those stones
it seemed to me we ought to hear
the chanting of their voices as they
have sung there for two centuries.
In the rear are some of the origi-
nal doors, some of them are new, but
the old one are on display. They
were left hanging until tourists near
ly ruined them taking pieces for
souvenirs. We entered a low, damp
apartment, formerly the home of the
priests but now just a display part, in
here are many old relics, among which
is a case of books published many
years ago. One was published in
1889 and is In fairly good condition,
it vas m of the first books brought
to America. There is also a collec-
ton of robes in this room that are
hundreds of years old, but everything
Is locked up. 1t is only a recent
thing that these relics were put
under lock and key, visitors we're
allowed to handle them until they
got so destructive that Ii was neces-
sary to protect them. One tourist
actually cut a piece from an old robe
and tore IN altar cloth just to add to
a collection of souvenirs. The orig
inal floor still remains in part of the
mission, it is made of a dull thing
and Is in good condition. In the
church proper the original altar, pull
pit and pictures and images, which
We're brought to America before the
days of civilization. They are the
worse for the wear and are very high
ly colored, as Indians were the first
members of this church in the early
day. | suppose that accounts for the
brilliant ~coloring. The walls are lin
ed with pictures of the apostles, some
are good and some are not. In a lit
tie ante-room is the baptismal fount,
where 15,4o3 people have received the
ordinance of baptism. By the side
of this in some cement is the print
of a little foot, possibly a little In
dams, but it is so old no one knows
a thing about it. | don't believe any
one could enter this mission with
out a feeling of reverence, it fairly
took my breath as / went in and a
flood of thoughts came over me, of
the many pilgrims to this shrine and
the faithful priests that lived and
died, though five of whom are sleep
ing under the altar. One priest lived
there for thirty-five years and never
during that time did he miss a day
in ringing the old mission bells. five
of them, They have become a little
discordant in sound but every day
since 1771 they have chimed their
message to the children of men.
An old cemetery is back of the
church, there is no system observed
here whatever, in some places the
graves are five deep; as soon as
the mission is able the cemetery is
to be redeemed.
There Is a new mission house or
rather a home for the priests that
is the exact reproduction of the mis-
sion in Spain, where Columbus, Queer
Isabelle and Ferdinand said their
prayers for a safe journey t. Amer
lea. We did not go through there
as that is a private home of the
priests but we looked at it carefully.
AS | said before Ramona was with me
constantly as | visited these places.
), From the mission we went to the
ostrich farm. | wish you could see
some of the beautiful plumes on these